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Original poster

Do I give away all DCs Christmas Presents?

228 replies

OpenedPresents · 21/12/2022 14:16

I won’t but it’s so tempting as punishment

All presents where wrapped and put in my wardrobe apart from Santa presents which are in the shed. I don’t put any presents under the tree until Christmas Eve apart from the ones that DC is given by school/activities.

DC is 7. I do it because they can’t be trusted to not open them.

I went for a shower and DC went into my room, as in opened my closed bedroom door, and has opened 2 presents. I thought they were on their tablet in the living room.

I’ve taken the stuff away and they won’t be getting it as punishment but I hadn’t got them much this year due to money being tight and they opened their main present from me.

I don’t want to have to get a lock for my door, DC never normally comes into my room, even at night if they wake up/are ill, they knock and I take them back to their room and deal with them there (they have a pull out bed so I can still be nearby if they need me) - it's always been the way.

Santa only buys 1 present and the stocking here, the stocking is done by my parents and delivered after DC is in bed on Christmas Eve (they do this for all 3 of their grandchildren and my own grandparents used to do mine, even when I no longer believed they still delivered them once I was asleep on CE)

So what do I do now? I can’t afford anymore presents for them as I don’t get paid again until 27th December. They’ll now have about 3 things under the tree from me on Christmas Eve and it feels pathetic or is that the consequence? They won’t care as ExH spends loads on them at Christmas so it’s even worse.

OP posts:

Mummyboy1 · 21/12/2022 14:20

I can't help you here but I also remember sneaking a peak into presents when I was that age. I was just so excited and probably nosey that it was like I couldn't help myself!! I didn't unwrap it though, I would just take a sneaky peak, a little hole in the corner .

TinFoilHatty · 21/12/2022 14:20

The opened presents jeep hod foe now, then put under the tree on Christmas eve when you go to bed, the child can still have them, but the surprise is gone.

SausageRoll2020 · 21/12/2022 14:21

Is this really the hill you want to die on?

It's not great but hardly the worst crime in history the "punishment" is that they no longer get a surprise.

I can remember my Mum saying that as a child she used to carefully unwrap her presents and then stick the paper back down again, she's almost 70 now with no criminal record and is a nice normal person.

Your kid is probably itching with excitement, just let it go.

Interested in this thread?

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Christmas Events & celebrations General shopping

HBZ287 · 21/12/2022 14:21

Does it really matter? They were just overexcited. They’ve already ruined their own surprise. Just re wrap and carry on as normal.

mincepiepie · 21/12/2022 14:21

Just wrap them back up and tell them off!

They should know they have overstepped but even I did this and I was a good kid!

Peeking is par for the course they just got caught.

Even better make them wrap them back up. You don't need to buy anything else.

TinFoilHatty · 21/12/2022 14:21

Omg fattest of fat fingers there. Try again.
Keep hidden for now.

cansu · 21/12/2022 14:22

Rewrap the opened gifts. Have a word with them about how this is not acceptable and then forget it. It is not worth it.

Thesearmsofmine · 21/12/2022 14:22

7 year old can’t resist temptation, what a shocker!

MyKidsAreKnobsInDecember · 21/12/2022 14:22

You need to relax. Giving away the gifts is a massive overreaction, your child is a 7 year old child, overexcited for Christmas, not the devil. Next year put the gifts in a suitcase on top of the wardrobe or something.

TeenDivided · 21/12/2022 14:23

The punishment is the lack of surprise on Christmas day.
It's not worth falling out about.

BuffaloCauliflower · 21/12/2022 14:23

I think you’re being pretty over the top here. Children don’t have much impulse control and they’re excited. I think this is more on you storing them where they could get to them, they don’t deserve any punishment. The surprise is gone, oh well, re wrap them and hide them better next year. No harm done.

GetOffTheRoof · 21/12/2022 14:24

I did the same about that age and found my roller skates. Apart from being skelped, I still got the skates on Xmas day and no surprises that year.

Kids do this, it's very normal and is part of their inability to control their desires like wanting to know what they are getting for Xmas.

Be clear this isn't OK and they aren't to look ever again, and just give turn the opened present on the day.

BasiliskStare · 21/12/2022 14:25

I would tell them off but I would give them the present - they have spoilt the surprise , but personally I would not give it away - I think it is an overreaction.
I am old but can remember with a sibling hunting for our presents.

So my view is give them the presents but don't on any account even think about buying something else as a surprise.

BrewandBiscuit · 21/12/2022 14:25

My sister and I got caught looking at presents at a similar age. The memory of being caught and told off has stuck with me for life.

We woke up Christmas morning to absolutely nothing. We did get the presents on Boxing Day but that memory will be with me forever. Damn the bloody talking Cindy doll!

donttalkaboutbookclub · 21/12/2022 14:26

I agree with pp - the punishment is that there are no surprises, that's it. It's naughty behaviour but not evil. Don't make it into a bigger thing than it is. One day when your dc are grown up this should be something you all laugh about, but it won't be if you make it into an enormous punishment.

sheepdogdelight · 21/12/2022 14:27

What exactly would you be punishing them for? Opening a present you were going to give them in 4 days' time anyway?

Wrap them back up and give them as normal.
And find a better hiding place for next year. Bit mean to put the present where the child knows where it is but tell them they can't open it. Of course they are going to get overexcited.

ZeViteVitchofCwismas · 21/12/2022 14:27

What's the end game here? Surely the end game is to give them a present?
Wrap it up again and put it under the tree..

AuntieMarys · 21/12/2022 14:29

Well he doesn't get a surprise. Not your fault

NerrSnerr · 21/12/2022 14:29

You need to hide them better next time. They're 7 years old- I wouldn't punish. They're probably gutted they were caught.

Suedomin · 21/12/2022 14:29

Just give them the presents. Of course they would try and find their presents and look. You seem to be building it up into something much worse than it is.

FourTeaFallOut · 21/12/2022 14:30

Just wrap it back up and give it to him at Christmas. It's not the end of the world. This is one of those early shooting yourself in the foot moments when you are a kid that reminds you to show a bit of restraint from there on in.

lottie2888 · 21/12/2022 14:30

I did this a child. I found the presents my mum had bought, we didn’t get much either.
I used to go in ever evening and reopen them and look at them.
My mum found out and gathered us all together and told us her friend was in the police and they were coming round to finger print us all.
i was weeping still claiming it wasn’t me.
I stopped reopening the present and I was still
delighted on a Christmas Day.
it was a china doll with little leather boots.
I’ve still got it in my loft and I can’t get rid of it.

I know it’s horrible for you but as PP said they won’t get a surprise on the day. You’ll look back and laugh one day I promise.

pinneddownbytabbies · 21/12/2022 14:31

I agree with others, just let them know that they have spoilt their own surprise. My dd did that one birthday and was beside herself - she never did it again.

Acinonyx2 · 21/12/2022 14:32

I did this once. My friend made me do it - honest! I just got a long, long lecture on my 'disappointing and ungrateful behaviour' - then presents were wrapped and put out as normal. Mother's face was a bit sour - never did it again.

Original poster

OpenedPresents · 21/12/2022 14:32

Thanks everyone, I did say I wouldn't do it.

I will still give them the presents and there will still be surprises as they've not opened them all and there's still Santa.

I just panicked worrying about ExHs tree with loads under it but hey!

OP posts:

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