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Original poster

Christmas presents.. do you hide them?

29 replies

sundaydayisnotmyfundayday · 04/12/2023 14:33

Please save my sanity.
I have always hidden presents until xmas eve and then wrapped them and put them under the tree.
I really do not want to be up til silly o clock xmas eve doing the wrapping again though.

Would it be remiss to wrap now and put them straight under the tree? My youngest is 9 so no chance of him diving in early but does having the gifts not just appear on xmas morning take away from the "magic"?

What is everyone elses approach to this? Am I overthinking?

OP posts:
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auburnglow788 · 13/12/2023 16:06

I wrap as I buy and then they are hidden away until I put them under the tree on Christmas Eve night. No one sees any of the presents until Christmas Day morning.

wannabetraveler · 13/12/2023 15:16

hby9628 · 04/12/2023 17:49

Suitcase in the garage

Same for us!

Mountainhowl · 13/12/2023 14:57

I wrap as they come but put them out of the way, not properly hidden and both kids (3&10) have come across the bags as they're in my work room, they're not allowed in there alone but occasionally come in to chat, so they've spotted the presents.

I don't put them under the tree though because that Christmas morning wow moment for them does make my day, they can't tell how many are there or really how big they are from what they've seen, they've just seen some poking out of the bags!

Snugglemonkey · 04/12/2023 19:21

I put a wrapped gift for everyone under the tree. All the gifts from family and friends go there too. Santa does not wrap gifts here. I bought dc stockings with their names on and Santa brought each a sack with their names on their first Christmas day. We just put the gifts in there. Anything too big just sits open by the sack. I cannot be doing with all that wrapping and it is easy for dc to unpack it all.

hby9628 · 04/12/2023 17:49

Suitcase in the garage

Original poster
sundaydayisnotmyfundayday · 04/12/2023 17:25

Ok so the reason I didn't suggest wrapping and then hiding is because I don't have much space so anything hidden is seriously packed in and I am wary of rips and then having to wrap twice. Anything to avoid additional effort😂

OP posts:
Houseplantmad · 04/12/2023 14:58

I wrap and hide (DCs are 22 and 20) but wrap all in brown paper but have different stickers for each person in the house. DCs also have a stocking, which they love.

Whycantistaymotivated · 04/12/2023 14:55

We wrap throughout December, a few at a time. All presents hidden until Christmas eve

Anoisagusaris · 04/12/2023 14:55

Santa doesn’t wrap presents. So I just hide them and on Christmas Eve they are laid out around the tree and put into the stockings (which hang on the fireplace until Christmas Eve).

shivawn · 04/12/2023 14:53

We wrap in brown paper which the children decorate

@bluesky45 Very cute idea!

TempName247 · 04/12/2023 14:52

Wrap and hide! Can’t understand anyone doing the wrapping on Christmas Eve , it takes bloody ages!

Chipsahoyagain · 04/12/2023 14:52

I wrap and write A/B/C/D on each one and just make a note on my phone what each one is. Why the big dilemma surely this is common sense?

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 04/12/2023 14:49

Whatevs23 · 04/12/2023 14:42

I'm wondering the same thing. Why do you need to remember?

Show quote history

I might have an answer. We open our presents gradually throughout the day, but I like everyone to open their 'big' present at the same time. As kids get older, the 'big' presents get smaller (and can be just envelopes, if gift experiences are being given), so if I want everyone to open their big present at the same time and I'd forgotten which were the 'big' ones, I'd have to peek.

Now, however, I write it all down in a book and it's normally possible to work out which present is which from the shape (or I number them and write down which present is behind which number, which is also useful if the tags fall off).

Mothership4two · 04/12/2023 14:48

Have always wrapped and put them under the tree once it's up. Hidden them before that. DC never seemed to mind and I think it makes the tree look Christmassy.

FatFatMary · 04/12/2023 14:45

I’m not sure what to do this year. I’ve got them all wrapped in my bedroom cupboard. It might spoil the novelty to put have them out prolonged over weeks before Christmas Eve ?

ShineBright1209 · 04/12/2023 14:43

Just wrap them early and then hide them wrapped. Even when they no longer believe in Santa it’s still magical when they come down Xmas morning and see how many presents they’ve got sitting under the tree.
Even before I had my kids I wouldn’t put presents under the tree until Xmas eve.

Whatevs23 · 04/12/2023 14:42

cardibach · 04/12/2023 14:40

Why? Wrapped and labelled so why did you need to know what was in there?

Show quote history

I'm wondering the same thing. Why do you need to remember?

bluesky45 · 04/12/2023 14:42

We wrap in brown paper which the children decorate and the presents go under the tree through December as and when they are wrapped. Then on Christmas eve, Santa delivers presents wrapped in red! So on Christmas Day there are new presents that look different to what has been there throughout December.

cardibach · 04/12/2023 14:41

I don’t understand the binary nature of this. Wrap when you want - how does that stop you still hiding them?
I wouldn’t like presents under the tree early as you can rule some things out/in by the shape and size of the parcels.

Whatevs23 · 04/12/2023 14:40

I don't know why you can't wrap them a few at a time and still keep them hidden until Christmas Eve. Why does wrapping them mean they have to be under the tree?

My kids are young adults now. I put presents from friends and family members under the tree as they arrive, but I still wait until Christmas Eve to put out the presents from me and my husband - the ones that would have been from Santa in the past. I still think it's nice for them to have a bit of a surprise.

cardibach · 04/12/2023 14:40

SirenSays · 04/12/2023 14:38

If you do wrap early, write a list of what you have bought. I didn't and completely forgot and had to unwrap some!

Why? Wrapped and labelled so why did you need to know what was in there?

Dishwashersaurous · 04/12/2023 14:40

Hide them wrapped

SirenSays · 04/12/2023 14:38

If you do wrap early, write a list of what you have bought. I didn't and completely forgot and had to unwrap some!

Catza · 04/12/2023 14:37

I wrap way before Christmas Eve, then hide them wrapped and ready to go.

ChickpeaPie · 04/12/2023 14:36

Oh and I wouldn’t put it past a 9 year old to have a peek. I still peel off a bit of tape at 39 years old 😳