Hopefully your Christmas bonus doesn’t go down in the Clark Griswold National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation fashion. Maybe it’s not such a great idea to buy a pool before you know exactly what you’re getting, but that’s beside the point. If you’re awaiting a big chunk of change, you’re either going to save it to spend responsibly on outstanding bills or to invest with, or you’re going to make a purchase you normally wouldn’t make without the extra income. 



The smart thing would be to throw it in your savings accounts, add to your retirement account, or invest. However, we’re not all that responsible. If you’re excited about your year-end bonus and want to splurge a little bit, here are 10 thinks you can buy that’ll make the whole family happy. 

Simply because why not? If you live anywhere near the water or travel somewhere near the water in the summer, this purchase could be super popular amongst your family and friends. Brand new jet skis go for around $10,000 but you can find great ones for a lot less. They do require a good amount of maintenance and somewhere to store them as well, so don’t be too impulsive. 

Hidden TV 
If you need a new TV or are re-styling your living room, you should look into FrameMyTV Mirror TVs. When you’re not watching TV, the set is disguised as either a mirror or a piece of artwork. However, when you press that power button, it transforms into a TV. A pretty awesome purchase, it’s the perfect solution for blending in the giant piece of technology with a well-designed living room. 

A day on Broadway
Taking your family to NYC can get pretty pricey if you’re not from the area, but it truly is an experience you must have at least once in your life. Broadway tickets range in price from $30-$1000+ per ticket, so it all depends on what show you want to see and how good you’d like your seats to be. Of course when you’re in the Big Apple you’re going to get some good food and maybe even sight see. While it’s not an island vacation, it’s a great weekend trip. 

A Trip to Disney World 
This will make you the favorite parent if you have any kids. Disney World is another must-do in your lifetime. This trip can also get pricey, but with 4 parks and the ability to buy hopper passes, you can do it all in a long weekend. Make sure you check out the new Pandora ride in the Animal Kingdom and say hello to Elsa in Epcot! 

Something for the backyard 
You can get pretty creative with this. If you have younger kids, a play set might be exactly what they want and exactly what they need. With swings and slides in the backyard it’s more time outside for them and less time entertaining for you. Older kids might have more fun with a trampoline, hot tub, or even a new fire pit set. Backyard editions are great for the entire family because it makes it easier to host events like birthday parties and barbeques and it also gives the kids a safe place to hangout and have fun. 

College Fund
The kids might not appreciate this at the moment, but in the long-run they’ll be thanking you that they don’t have a ridiculous amount of college loans to pay back. You can set your bonus aside to be used when it’s time for the kids to leave the house. You’ll definitely be thankful that you made the saving move when they decide that they need to take $65,000 a year worth of classes. It’s crazy how much a college education is going to cost in the future, so start saving now!