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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think you shouldn't put presents under the tree before Christmas eve...

58 replies

tyler80 · 23/12/2010 08:42

...if you have small children who will open them when your back is turned.

A colleague is moaning that her son (3) has now opened 5 presents, why not move them out of reach? It's not rocket science!

OP posts:

sooz28 · 23/12/2010 08:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

waitwhat · 23/12/2010 08:48

Mine wait till the too.
My own mother put them out as soon as the tree went up, we got the if you youth them "i will bin them" threats, but we always looked the minute she left the room

waitwhat · 23/12/2010 08:48

**Then..Wait till then not the

HecTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly · 23/12/2010 08:48

Indeed. It's very mean to stick presents where very young children can see them. It's a form of torture!

Ours were always hidden until the kids had gone to bed Xmas eve.

This year we put them under the tree, thinking they were old enough now. (10 & 11) Ha. Wrong. Next year it's back to the loft with them!

gifts not kids.

You could always suggest to your colleague that since it is a bit much to expect a 3 yr old to resist temptation, she wraps up some empty boxes if she really wants the look of gifts under the tree, but leaves the real gifts hidden.

mummychicken · 23/12/2010 08:50

My DS is 3 and he hasn't opened any presents that are under the tree. Even at 3 they are old enough to understand the "rules"

You're right - not rocket science!

stillavirgin · 23/12/2010 08:51

does santa not bring them? all gifts are whisked away by jack frost as soon as he gets a chance!

CokeFan · 23/12/2010 08:52

If dd didn't open ours then rabbit would - and eat the wrapping paper. We've braved a real tree (on a table) this year and so far it's been ok.

iMum · 23/12/2010 08:52

Mine are all under the tree from 1st dec BUT they are not for the children-they are all the gifts for other family members, that said in past years the childrens pressies have gone under the tree on the first and not been touched by the children-Just happens that this year they have 1 "big" pressie from us that is currently hidding in my mums house!

Hulababy · 23/12/2010 08:53

We never put presents under the tree when DD was very small because of this - it is curious temptation and of course the vast majority of 3 and 4 year olds are not going to be able to resist that natural curious instinct.

DD was a well behaved little one on the whole but why put that temptation there?

i know what I am like when there are gifts that I don't know what's inside!

DD is 8y now and the last 2 or 3 years we've happily had gifts under the tree with no problems.

scouserabroad · 23/12/2010 08:55

I think it looks nice to have a big pile of presents under the tree, unfortunately DD2 wouldn't leave them for more than a minute - she had finished her advent calendar by 3rd December despite being repeatedly told it was a door a day!

I have hidden all presents on the top of my wardrobe with a pile of clothes over the top. The DDs still know exactly where they are.

SilveryMoon · 23/12/2010 08:55

I have gifts under my tree that are for the adults or for other people. The children's christmas presents are in their wardrobe (they never ever go in there, they are 3 and 2)
When we first put the presents out, ds1 asked what they were and if they were for him, I said no and he hasn't shown further interest.
But yes, I agree OP, there's no sense in moaning about something that can be easily avoided. YANBU

LizzyLordsALeaping · 23/12/2010 08:55

No presents under tree until Kids are in bed on Christmas eve here.

I love their faces when they come down and see all the presents heaped up by the tree.

Can't understand why a 3 year old's presents would be under the tree now?

Original poster

tyler80 · 23/12/2010 08:57

Stillavirgin Santa brings stockings only in this household.

I only learnt recently that in some households Santa brings all the presents

OP posts:

inchhighprivateeye · 23/12/2010 08:57

Surely rattling your gifts and wondering what's inside is part of the build up of Christmas? We've always put gifts under the tree as soon as it goes up, never had a problem with anybody opening them, even the cat knows to Respect The Gifts. If you were a better parent then you would teach your child this [fbear]

blackeyedsusan · 23/12/2010 09:03

dd resisted opening the presents under the table for days( after Christmas, we open a few at a time,) but temptation got the better of her in the end. I just thought that she had done really well not to open them for so long.

I once left my Christms choclates out and came back to find them all over the carpet, unwrapped but only one had a bite taken out, she obviously didn't like them! New carpet( 6 days before Christmas) so I scooped them up and put them back in the box.

You are just asking for stuff to be opened/ eaten if you leave them out with small inquisitive person.

Original poster

tyler80 · 23/12/2010 09:03

I'm not a present shaker, I don't want to know what I've got until I'm opening it. Nothing fun about opening a present when you already know what's inside imo

OP posts:

stillavirgin · 23/12/2010 09:04

ah. we use him as a postal service!

SilveryMoon · 23/12/2010 09:04

inch That's a bit harsh don't you think?

onceamai · 23/12/2010 09:05

For small children, if they go under the tree, rather than appear overnight on christmas morning it's a bit of a downer on Father Christmas if you happen to want them to believe.

Our tree is in the main bay window and we live in London. I just wouldn't leave presents where they could be seen. Having said that we haven't been burgled in the 16 years we've been in this house. But we have very good security.

inchhighprivateeye · 23/12/2010 09:07

SilveryMoon - it would be harsh if I meant it Really they need a 'stirring the pot' emoticon on here. AIBU makes me laugh when people get hysterical about something that means naff all in the grand scheme of things.

MrsChemistrySetInMyStocking · 23/12/2010 09:08

My parents put the presents they bought for friends and colleagues under the tree. They weren't mine so I didn't give a crap What they were when I was young.

TrillianAstra · 23/12/2010 09:09

In general YABU. Presents under the tree look nice. Presents from grannies or uncles or friends come with those people and go under the tree.

Only mad people subscribe to the 'Father Christmas brings everything' school of thought. (and Father Christmas only bringing stockings is easier to keep going and keep believing in for more years)

In specific (uncontrollable 3 year olds) then anything you don't want them to mess with should be kept out of their reach.

FabbyChic · 23/12/2010 09:12

I never used to put them under the tree when the children were younger, but do now.

Original poster

tyler80 · 23/12/2010 09:13

I don't even have a tree up yet, nevermind presents under it

OP posts:

Morloth · 23/12/2010 09:15

You know it has never occured to me not to put the presents under the tree.

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