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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to wonder exactly when you all wrap gifts?

69 replies

littlemisssarcastic · 19/12/2011 22:40

Ok, DD is in bed, I have some wrapping to do, DD is not well atm, and I don't want to start getting paper and sellotape out if it will wake DD up. There just never seems to be a good time. During the day, DD is always with me, and at night time, I am worried she will wake and come downstairs to find me surrounded by goodies I am wrapping.

So when do you wrap your gifts?

I must admit, I have wrapped all of DD's apart from 2/3, but I did those when she was at nursery.

Do other parents worry like this? Or is it just me?

OP posts:

ForeverChangesNothing · 19/12/2011 22:43

In the evening once the DC are in bed, all out on the lounge room floor, DVD on the tv and not allowed to bed until I'm done. Did it last week, glad its done!

KarenMillenCoat · 19/12/2011 22:44

I've been a wrapping ninja this year! Have kept scissors, a roll of sellotape and sticky labels on standby in the cutlery drawer and wrap what I have bought as soon as I get into the house with them under the guise of "putting the shopping away". Haven't been caught yet and as a bonus, even if the presents are found by little (or big) hands, they are already wrapped so nobody knows what they are getting. My dc are admittedly still very little though.

icapturethecastle · 19/12/2011 22:47

I love wrapping have to rein myself in or it would all be done in October and then the excitement is over too quickly! I have so far done about half but may finish it tonight. DS quite a heavy sleeper so should be ok but DD nightmare but hey she is only 2 so don't think she will give the secret away if she wakes up.

Sorry no suggestions maybe get a big blanket to cover them as you go. Good luck - just remember to use different paper for Santa!

Original poster

littlemisssarcastic · 19/12/2011 22:47

DD is only 3, so is very excited about the whole thing. I think I am going to risk wrapping a couple, stuff them away, then get a couple more out.

I'm keenly aware I have less than a week to get all of the wrapping done, and wish I'd done more when she was still at nursery.

OP posts:

Original poster

littlemisssarcastic · 19/12/2011 22:48

Good tip icapture. Thanks.

OP posts:

pinkyp · 19/12/2011 22:49

Whilst dc 1 was at school

Bohica · 19/12/2011 22:53

Sneaky wrapping in the kitchen whilst DC do zombie impressions infront of the TV.

Everything stays bagged and I sort of prepare the paper and then whip the pressie out and wrap!!

leftmymistletoeatthedoor · 19/12/2011 22:56

At night when dc in bed. Have a baby monitor on for wee one though and rooms next to each other so would hear any little wanderers before they arrived in the lounge!

whojamaflip · 19/12/2011 22:58

usually at 2am on Christmas morning after getting back from the midnight service - always accompanied by a bottle glass of port! It always means I'm up early enough to put the turkey in as well

BehindLockNumberNine · 19/12/2011 23:00

Dh and I always have a wrapping session on Christmas Eve. We wait until the the dc are fast asleep (which is later and later these days as they are now 12 and 9) and then we have a drink (scotch for him and baileys for me) and sit down and wrap. Never takes too long, we do Christmas on a budget mostly.
It may sound like a chore but for us it has become a late-Christmas-eve traditon and one we relish

hormonalmum · 19/12/2011 23:08

I took a day off work (flexi time) a few weeks ago to wrap the majority of them. It was a lovely productive day.

Chynah · 19/12/2011 23:25

Just do the wrapping when DC are in bed surely?? Didn't realise wrapping was such a risky/noisy activity. Ive managed all mine without my 1&2 year olds stirring at all.

prezzie21 · 19/12/2011 23:29

the cupboard under the stairs is full of presents awaiting wrapping

i have a dd glued to me all day and roaming teenagers all evening

im thinking tia maria and a midnight session tomorrow

Original poster

littlemisssarcastic · 19/12/2011 23:30

I think it's just because DD is not feeling well at the moment and is likely to wake. It's not an insurmountable problem Chynah but I do wonder how other families get around it.

Do your DC sleep well usually Chynah?

OP posts:

rogersmellyonthetelly · 19/12/2011 23:34

All grown up pressies were wrapped with help of dcs, their stuff all got wrapped yesterday avo while they were at grandmas for a couple of hours. I am a demon wrapper though, I can do a standard box in about 3 mins.

Crabapple99 · 19/12/2011 23:41

I I do it on my bed,pull back the douvet and do it on the bottom sheet. Any footsteps in the hall and I just chuck the douvet over the lot.

Crabapple99 · 19/12/2011 23:42

doing it right now, in fact!

tigerlillyd02 · 19/12/2011 23:46

I'm supposed to have been doing it for the past 2 hours but not managed to move my arse from this chair!

Ds is 2 so easy to wait until he's in bed, although I'm usually tired by then for all that faffing around.

InExcelsisDeo · 19/12/2011 23:49

had similar problem last year.

its all in the equipment

i used quite thick double-sided tape (from hardware store) as there is no noisy ripping sellotape sound from it.

also cheapie pack of individual sheets of wrapping paper so no need to cut from roll - if sheet too big just fold it in half or quarters and use it anyway.

InExcelsisDeo · 19/12/2011 23:50

DS wakes up to the sound of sellotape, I should explain.

swanker · 19/12/2011 23:58

Usually on Christmas Eve!

But I have realised that is becoming more and more unsustainable as my children grow (in size and number), so have astounded myself this year by being organised, and doing most already

Last Christmas Eve my 5yo had a v nasty ear infection, screamed most of the evening and early night, finally going to sleep around 5am when her eardrum burst. It was not fun trying to wrap in between running upstairs to offer succour, and then trying to wrap the rest in secret the next day after 3 hours sleep... never again!

BTW, I wrapped them this year on a day off from work, when everyone was at school/nursery/work etc. Very satisfying.

Alicious · 20/12/2011 00:09

Late at night-even my light sleepers don't wake up-remembering what each present actually is is my challenge-should have done a colour code for each DC, stocking and Father Christmas! Ended up having a sneaky peek and writing on the bottom of the parcel-DCs can't read yet!

dimplebum · 20/12/2011 00:15

No, its not just you - I worry about this too. I have just been wrapping presents tonight too but have just retired as I have run out of tape, but both DSs have been ill over the last 2 weeks so this is the first chance I have had to do it knowing that they are sound asleep.

I did make sure that DH was in so if any of them did wake he could run up to sort them before they came downstairs.

I still have another 40 + presents to wrap (for family as well as for DH and DSs) Im not sure when I am going to get them all done!

countlessbabychams · 20/12/2011 00:37

Glad to know I'm not the only one with problems.My DD's very excited so not settling till very late,and keep suddenly wandering in.Oldest is lately wondering if Santa does actually come or whether Mummy and Daddy "get up in the middle of the night to wrap presents",so I have to be extra careful now.I like the idea of something like a blanket to throw over quick.
Like others,no way could I do it in the daytime.By the time kids are asleep,DH is already asleep in bed (early starts) so it's hard to retrieve presents to wrap....I think it's a few late nights doing it in dribs and drabs,in store.
I love it really though - all the sneaking about is part of the fun.
Of course next year I will be more organised and it'll all be done by this point.....

HoHoOpotomus · 20/12/2011 01:16

I did some tonight for friends that will get dropped off tomorrow.

The family ones are xmas eve with a drink, tree, fire - love it.

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