Need Creative Spirited Christmas Cruising Ideas

[KeyWestLocal]

Just booked a cruise for Christmas and New Years 2011. I normally "go all out" with gifts for my children ages 12, 13, 14. We normally decorate the tree & house, bake cookies and even put reindeer food on our lawn every Christmas eve. But this year we decided that spending time together on a cruise is better than doing presents. So we are just doing stocking stuffers. But I would like to do a few things on the cruise to make Christmas eve and Christmas day memorable in spirit. We actually board on Christmas eve and Christmas day is a day at Sea.

Of course Christmas is a holy holiday and we would surely attend a service if they have one on board. But really looking for fun creative non-religious ideas to do with or for the kids. They are getting older but they still get excited for Santa.....but Santa is only leaving a stocking... (WELL AND A CRUISE!) But help me think of some creative things to do for our family to make Christmas eve and day extra super dooper christmassy......

[firefly333]

Go to the dollar store and decorate the door of the cabin(s) for xmas and the inside with some streamers overhead. There will be decorated trees on the ship and other decorations.

[patseacruiser]

I don't know what ship you will be on but when we were on the Explorer of the Seas, Santa comes on Christmas morning through the promenade deck and heads down to the ice studio with the kids in tow where it's snowing and he hands out gifts. Christmas Eve was celebrated on the promenade with the staff singers on the overhead bridge there in church robes singing hymns and holiday songs. We ate Christmas Eve dinner in the specialty restaurant and Christmas Day was a very laid back day. The ships are all decorated first cruise after Thanksgiving.

[Colorado Kat]

Boys or girls? If girls, new bathing suits would be fun. Maybe a cute cover-up.

 

New sunglasses.

 

Disposable underwater cameras? (Only $10 or so)