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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I could cry my kids have found their Christmas presents. What now?

111 replies

barbie007 · 16/12/2012 18:24

I always hide the Christmas presents in our room. We have a loft conversion and we have attic storage behind small doors. My 9 ds was looking for his ds everywhere and 7 year old ds said he'd help to look too. Next thing I know he'd gone up to my room and had opened the door to the storage space. I am gutted. They've both seen the skylanders box, small piano keyboard, play doh set... DH is away and I've just bluffed that they are their cousins presents, that dad has bought for them and will be posting....was that good enough? Will they suss it all out....I really could cry

OP posts:

RedHelenB · 16/12/2012 18:27

They'll know but don't let it spoil Christmas xx

hermioneweasley · 16/12/2012 18:28

Erm, they were nosing around and got what they deserve.

Is it about Santa, or just the surprise generally?

LynetteScavo · 16/12/2012 18:28

The same thing happened to me a few weeks ago.

I too told DD (7) it was her cousins present.

I have felt like saying I've run out of money, and won't be able to buy her anything to throw her off the sent, but maybe that's a bit mean.

NotMostPeople · 16/12/2012 18:28

You could take some of them back to the shop and get something different.

SuzySheepSmellsNice · 16/12/2012 18:28

They sound like really awesome presents, even if they've guessed that they are for them they will still be thrilled on Christmas Day, so try not to feel too bad...

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 16/12/2012 18:28

I did this when I was younger, OP, my brother talked me into it. My mother said, "Fine. You can't have them now and I shan't bother to wrap them". She was as good as her word. We never did it again.

Your two are old enough for that lesson and I bet they never do it again.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 16/12/2012 18:30

Ohh, did I misunderstand? They weren't looking for them? Just carry on with your bluff, I wouldn't try to change them for something else.

trikken · 16/12/2012 18:31

They'll just know what they are going to be getting, ok, so they spolit the suprise but they will learnt to not go looking again. tbh with mine they'd probably forget by the actual day!

QuacksForDoughnuts · 16/12/2012 18:31

Don't cry. If it spoils the surprise for them then so be it, they'll learn not to go rooting around next time. If they don't care about the surprise element (I didn't - I enjoyed the challenge of finding things and looked forward to having the use of them!) then no problem. They might need a bit of a talk about privacy and not going through other people's bedrooms though!

Original poster

barbie007 · 16/12/2012 18:32

I've even lost my appetite I'm so gutted. They are presents they want and were the only thing on their list really so I don't think I can take them back. Maybe they'll forget?

OP posts:

forbiddenfruit85 · 16/12/2012 18:32

As a kid my friend always did this and I never understood why.

I'm not a goodie goodie but part of the magic of Christmas was being surprised.

Either exchange them, or don't mention to them again.

Original poster

barbie007 · 16/12/2012 18:33

Sorry no, they weren't looking for presenst they believe in Father Christmas they were looking for the nintendo ds...

OP posts:

2rebecca · 16/12/2012 18:34

I used to wrap up the kids' presents when they were small as soon as they were purchased and put them in the loft that requires a stepladder to reach. Mind you they knew that they didn't go round the house hunting for presents and they didn't go nosying around our bedroom.
I would have stopped them looking the moment you knew what was going on.
I would say nothing now and tell the elder one you are really disappointed in him for spoiling the surprise for himkself and his little brother and you feel like taking everything back.
I would be quite angry at this, but then we knew never to hunt round our parents house as they wouldn't be happy if they knew we had found anything.

Narked · 16/12/2012 18:36

Does Father Christmas deliver everything in your house?

TandB · 16/12/2012 18:37

Hmm.

I would be having real difficulties believing that they weren't looking for the presents - unless his DS often turns up in your bedroom closets, that is.

I would also be surprised if a 9 year-old still genuinely believed in Father Christmas, as opposed to just going along with the pretence because it's fun.

Are you sure they aren't just stringing you along?

If they are, the they've spoilt their own surprise and will have to live with that.

2rebecca · 16/12/2012 18:37

Just seen they weren't hunting for presents. I still wouldn't let the kids hunt for things in our bedroom, a child's toy isn't going to be in there anyway and they might find our toys!
Less angry in that case. I would evade questions about them and tell them it's none of their business and wrap them as soon as you get them next time if you have kids who wander round your bedroom..

HECTheHallsWithRowsAndFolly · 16/12/2012 18:38

don't do anything. Just give them the presents on christmas day. If they say anything, tell them that's what they get for looking

I sure as hell wouldn't be swapping them.

You don't realise as a child that your parents best gift is seeing your face when you open your gifts. They've found their gifts. They know what they're getting. The lack of excitement now will be worse for them than anything you can say or do and it will teach them a lesson. I bet they won't hunt for them in future years.

Let them learn this the hard way.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 16/12/2012 18:38

I really did misunderstand your OP, Barbie, thought they were looking for another son of yours (ds), not a Nintendo version...

Please don't cry; if they wanted these things they will still want them now they know about them. Alternatively, just bluff it out - say that Santa saw their faces so thrilled and decided to give them the same as for their cousins... or whatever.

HECTheHallsWithRowsAndFolly · 16/12/2012 18:38

oh, and yeah, sure they weren't hunting for them

omletta · 16/12/2012 18:38

Try and down play it. Stick to your story. Can you wrap a big box in brown paper and let them see you take it to the post office?

And never use that hiding place again.

bigkidsdidit · 16/12/2012 18:39

Give them the presents anyway.

Dogsmom · 16/12/2012 18:41

They wont mind, even if they know they are for them they will still be super excited about christmas.
When I was a kid I had a Commodore 64 (showing my age) and my parents set it all up for one night to make sure it all worked first (was 2nd hand so couldn't be returned afterwards), I got to play with it for an hour then it was sent to Santa, if anything I was MORE excited knowing what I was getting at christmas and I never thought to question why presents were sent to Santa just so he could bring them back.

Whistlingwaves · 16/12/2012 18:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheHoneyDragonsDrunkInTheIvy · 16/12/2012 18:43

They are both old enough to know fine well that the DS wasn't in a cupboard in your bedroom. You are being had on that score

They have already learnt their lesson. But get a lock or different hiding place for next year or they'll be in as soon as your backs turned.

BerryChristmas · 16/12/2012 18:45

Just give them to them unwrapped. They will NEVER do it again, I guarantee. Please, please don't rush out and buy them more presents.

My son is 28 and well remembers tearing the corners on all his presents (wrapped and in the wardrobe a week before Christmas) - he was bitterly disappointed to know what he had got. He never did it again, and never snooped again.

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