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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:
VioletCharlotte · 21/12/2022 14:34

I did the same at that age, but I was more subtle than your DC as I don't get caught!

The natural consequence of peeking is the lack of surprise on Christmas Day.

christmascalypso · 21/12/2022 14:36

Oh goodness there are worse things to get upset over! I once sneaked into my parents room and found presents in her wardrobe for me. I never did it again as it ruined the surprise. Tell them off but then just re wrap and put under the tree. You will laugh about this when they are teens.

Needmorelego · 21/12/2022 14:38

My daughter frequently gets her presents before the actual day.
She is autistic and just can't see the point in having to wait if the knows the gifts are in the house.
This year she wanted some fairly obscure stuff we had to order - a comic book and t shirt are the main two.
She was desperate to take them to school to show her friends. She wore the t-shirt every day for the final week of school.
She has suprises coming. But she knows she has had her 'main' ones already.
@OpenedPresents does your son understand that it was his main present? So he has had it a few days early. In the big scheme of things does it matter?

Interested in this thread?

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anerki101 · 21/12/2022 14:39

People are saying your reaction is over the top. Honestly, I don't think it is. Those presents are for Christmas. DC knows that. DC will know what they did was wrong. Our presents go straight under the tree. They're under there between 1 - 2 weeks before Christmas. My 4 yo is super excited but he hasn't peeked or tried to open them because he knows he shouldn't and it's naughty. If a 4 yo can manage to resist surely a 7 yo can too? I think if it was me, I'd just put the present under the tree unwrapped on Christmas Eve. They've ruined it for themselves and that's that. They can still have the presents but they've got less surprises and that's their fault.

SirenSays · 21/12/2022 14:39

They actually unwrapped them? That's brave. I peeked every year before they were wrapped.

StrawberryPot · 21/12/2022 14:40

I remember at a similar age finding all my presents under my mum and dad's bed. Top shelf of the airing cupboard was also a good place to look for hidden presents.

Don't most kids peek? Even now, if there's a present for me under the tree and nobody's about, I often peel back the sellotape to have a sneaky look. Shoot me now.

Thesearmsofmine · 21/12/2022 14:42

anerki101 · 21/12/2022 14:39

People are saying your reaction is over the top. Honestly, I don't think it is. Those presents are for Christmas. DC knows that. DC will know what they did was wrong. Our presents go straight under the tree. They're under there between 1 - 2 weeks before Christmas. My 4 yo is super excited but he hasn't peeked or tried to open them because he knows he shouldn't and it's naughty. If a 4 yo can manage to resist surely a 7 yo can too? I think if it was me, I'd just put the present under the tree unwrapped on Christmas Eve. They've ruined it for themselves and that's that. They can still have the presents but they've got less surprises and that's their fault.

You are aware that all children are different? I have a child who follows the rules and would never peek, I also have a child who absolutely would because they are just so excited. You may also find that your perfectly behaved 4 year old might turn into a less perfectly behaved 7 year old.

Return2thebasic · 21/12/2022 14:45

DS10 sneaked into my cupboard to check what's in there. The presents were not even wrapped up. So I don't know how much he saw. But I was furious - as parents, we try to preserve that magical moment when they open the boxes full of joy after weeks of anticipation and waiting. But obviously as kids, they are itched to know.

I told DS angrily about all the above and asked him if he really wanted to ruin that magical moment, I could just give him all the presents straightaway without waiting. But obviously, he'd get nothing on the Christmas day. He cried and said he didn't want the presents then but wanted to wait till the right time.

He said he didn't see everything, so hopefully there's still some magic left for the day to be surprised about...

Honeyroar · 21/12/2022 14:46

When I was 14 I found a Duran Duran album in my mum’s wardrobe. I played it every time my parents went out. My parents were amazed I knew all the lyrics to every song when I first played it!

cantbeforeal · 21/12/2022 14:47

I always used to sneak a look at my presents when I was a kid Shock

AlisonDonut · 21/12/2022 14:49

Their crime wasn't opening them, it was getting caught. They need to do better at that.

Havent most kids tried this?

CarPoor · 21/12/2022 14:52

They're 7 and they are excited for Christmas
Their punishment is that they've spoiled the surprise. You can't not give them their presents! You need to hide them so they can't find them

AutumnCrow · 21/12/2022 14:53

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!

So I guess the real problem, @OpenedPresents, is you feel you're competing with your ExH?

WaitingOutside · 21/12/2022 14:54

I agree that most kids will do this, most will be more subtle and open a corner or carefully re-seal, but the punishment is definitely knowing already what it is and that only comes by wrapping it back up again.

FirstnameSuesecondnamePerb · 21/12/2022 15:00

The punishment is not having the surprise? I do think it's a lot to ask on terms of self discipline from a young child tbh.

SinnerBoy · 21/12/2022 15:00

I never did this as a kid, but my eldest sister did. She'd then ask me if I wanted to know what I was getting, I'd say "No," but she'd follow me round, shouting out what she'd found, as I ran away, fingers in my ears. My other sister, older than me, never looked, but was happy to know.

Wishawisha · 21/12/2022 15:03

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!

But you said they won’t be getting the presents they saw?

I honestly think this would be such a shame. They were just overcome with excitement and temptation. They didn’t deserve a big punishment.

Zipps · 21/12/2022 15:04

Glad you have reconsidered. I get that you just want them to have a lovely time and you have put effort into that. Perfection isn't needed though.
I think the thread shows most people, as children, have at least peeked and rattled a couple of presents at some point. It's quite an adventure. The only thing when we went snooping we found a couple of unwrapped ones which spoiled the surprise Christmas morning which was punishment in itself.

nomcachange · 21/12/2022 15:06

if they’re anything like me, they’ll learn the lesson themselves as they’ve ruined their own surprise!

PeekAtYou · 21/12/2022 15:11

I've read posts on here where adults have taken a sneak peak. Some people can't resist and next year you will know to hide them better.

DappledThings · 21/12/2022 15:11

I always hated surprises for as long as I can remember so would always try to find presents.

So he or she (not doing that weird they thing) has either made it easier for him or herself by removing an element if anxiety or has ruined a surprise he or she wanted in which case that's punishment enough.

I don't get why it's a big deal.

BasiliskStare · 21/12/2022 15:16

@OpenedPresents - had they been at Ex H's house I bet they would have done the same thing so I would be happy DC was at my house.

I promise you as others have said will laugh about this in the future.
DH's sister once stuck her finger into a present under the tree which looked like a very fancy and expensive box of chocolates from a cousin. To find they ( cousin) had eaten the chocolates and filled the box with jelly tots. Now maybe that one is a surprise not best kept until Christmas Day 😀

FictionalCharacter · 21/12/2022 15:17

“I’ve taken the stuff away and they won’t be getting it as punishment”
This is such a mean thing to do to an excited 7 year old who gave in to temptation.
Just re-wrap the 2 that they opened and give them all the presents on Christmas day.

nancydroo · 21/12/2022 15:18

It's a shame. Maybe you could exchange them for something else? My kids have started to seem a bit entitled and greedy towards Christmas. They want everything now. Like even going to the shops they want to have stuff all the time. I'm sick of explaining things. The things they've asked for are way out there now and the whole thing is just a downer.

PortiasBiscuit · 21/12/2022 15:19

You need to wrap up a pile of really shit presents and mark them with your DC name.. socks, pants, ballpoint pens that sort of thing. Let him find those.