Do you take toys out of boxes before wrapping?

[ThatsNotMyPinot]

Trivial, I know!

DS will be 2.10 and DD 19 months at Christmas, and I'm unsure whether or not this year to take toys out boxes/packaging before wrapping or not?

I seem to remember last year spending ages fiddling with ties, and Sellotape, and other bits in order to get the bloody toy out for DS to play with, so thinking it might be better to have some toys 'ready to go'?

However, I've just had a delivery from ELC containing a mountain of Happyland stuff for DS and DD to share, and reckon it would be damn sight easier to wrap in the packing (square shapes!), and also not lose bits and bobs on Xmas day (can see stuff flying everywhere). BUT then it's dealing with those stupid ties and tape again.

HUGE festive dilemma (in September!)

What do you all do?

[SmokedMackerel]

I take out of box, remove any plastic bags, ties, sellotape etc, assemble if necessary, wrap any tiny vital pieces in separate wrapping per, replace everything in box, wrap.

[SmokedMackerel]

Paper, not per, obviously.

[5madthings]

Some stuff yes if its still OK to wrap and depends on the age of child. Dd will be three in Dec and is getting a dolls house, we will get that out and assemble it before wrapping. Happy land stuff I leave in boxes but it can be a pita on Xmas day getting stuff out of boxes, esp as I have five and dp is often at work on Xmas day so its just me trying too get stuff out of packaging and assemble. I remember one particular hellish Xmas when they boys got transformers, I ahev never seen so many of those metal wires, twisted impossibly...I could have cried it took an hour to get them out the box!

[kiwidreamer]

I leave it all in the packaging, there is always a spare pair of adult hands to help and it slows down the over excited kids wanted to go from one present directly to next! Father Christmas stocking gifts are usually very easy to access tho and I would remove bulky packaging to fit in sack... unless the contents were a bit lean and then I leave packaging to bulk it up a bit lol

[loubielou31]

I also remove it from the packaging, take out all the ties put the stickers and things on if it needs them, and pop it back into the box if it will still fit. Then wrap it. I just makes Christmas day much easier because they can play with things straight away.

[OvO]

I'm another one that takes all the ties etc out then puts it back in the box. Works really well this way.

[timeforahaircut]

I'm another one that takes the toys out, cuts off all the cable ties and wires, puts in batteries and then returns to box and re-wraps. The way I see it, you have to do all that at some point anyway and Christmas Day with young children is that bit more fun and easier if you don't need scissors/knives/screwdrivers and the children can start playing straight away.

[attheendoftheday]

I take toys out of the box first. I was glad I did last christmas when the garage we nearly wrapped in it's box ended up taking a good hour to construct.

[stargirl1701]

Yes. I put everything in a big cardboard box and then wrap that. Everything is ready to be played with and there is also a big box! We use the rhyme to guide us:

Something you want,
Something you need,
Something to wear,
And something to read.

[ThatsNotMyPinot]

Thanks for all of your replies

I reckon I'll take some stuff out of boxes, and leave some in.

The trouble with the HappyLand stuff is all the boxes are 'open' IYSWIM?

I'll have to have a think!

[2cats2many]

I do for Christmas. Otherwise it looks like it came from a shop rather than Santa's workshop.

[ThatsNotMyPinot]

Ooh the one giant box thing is good!

[HappyAsEyeAm]

For big things, I always take it out of the box and Assemble or display it. Experience has taught me that DS isn't interested in his presents unless he can properly see them and understand what they are and what they do. The Christmas before last, he played with all of his old toys and not his presents. Last Christmas, he didn't even want to unwrap his gifts, he just wanted to give his gifts that he had chosen to their recipients, and help his baby brother open his gifts. Strange child.

[maybe3x]

When mine were little I used to take out of the package, undo all the ties, remove plastic bags etc. At that age they just wanted to get stuck in and play with it without waiting for us to wrestle with the packaging. 8&5 this year so don't think I'll get away with it now......

[skyeskyeskye]

I always open, remove all tues etc , put in batteries and then put back in the box and wrap. It makes it do much easier on Christmas Day

[runningincircles]

One year I bought DS a castle from ELC with all the knights and horses, etc. I was so glad that we opened it and set it up as my DF needed pliers to get some of the knights out of the packing and it took ages to sort out. I set it up on the floor ready to play with, covered it with paper and cello taped the paper to the carpet so that he still got to unwrap it, but could then just play. It worked so well!