Tired of Your Kids Finding Santa's Stash? Here's One Option You've Never Considered
To give is better than to receive, but having that gift discovered ahead of time can put a damper on things. Or, hiding it so well that you forget about it yourself can also be a bummer (ahem, Clark Griswold finding old gifts hidden in the attic). Turns out, kids can be pretty crafty — particularly when it comes to unearthing hidden gifts as the holidays approach. A new survey of 1,000 US parents, found that some 82% of parents try to find new places to hide holiday gifts every year. That's largely because 60% of that group said that they "had a holiday surprise ruined because a child or significant other discovered where they’d hid the gift."
The poll also revealed that 72% of parents who have gifts delivered to their homes "said they plan their day around when the delivery is expected in order to keep it a surprise." Given that USPS, FedEx and UPS delivery schedules are anything but reliable, that can add a layer of unnecessary stress to the whole "joyful giving" experience.
For this season, if you have a larger vehicle, you might be able to use that with modern technology to keep your surprise ... well, a surprise. Hiding gifts in the trunk of a vehicle is anything but a new parenting trick, but in 2018, the old trick comes with a new travel-friendly twist.
You may have heard of Amazon Key, which enables keyless entry, guest access and in-home deliveries. With a compatible camera you can watch motion videos or a livestream of anyone who enters and exits your home, and Amazon Prime members who live in eligible ZIP codes can receive in-home delivery of certain Prime items. (We're guessing that'll include Amazon's assortment of Christmas trees.)
But there's a lesser-known element of Amazon Key called Amazon Key In-Car Delivery. If you have a vehicle that supports the technology, you can authorize in-car deliveries without having to ask a neighbor for assistance or give out your vehicle's door code to a delivery company. Currently supported models include 2015 model year or newer Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac and Volvo vehicles with an active connected car service plan, such as OnStar or Volvo On Call (check your eligibility here).
If you already have one of these eligible vehicles, or you're already planning to add one to the garage during Black Friday sales, scope out the hidden storage spaces. And, if you're traveling over the river and through the woods for the holidays, you can have items scooped up during this week's sales shipped to any driveway where your supported vehicle sits. In either case, Santa's elves will thank you for lightening their sleigh.
When you're placing those orders, be sure to use a card that maximizes returns on Amazon purchases.
