Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the idea of a christmas stocking is so parents can get an extra hour in bed??

136 replies

TheCunnyFunt · 10/12/2014 08:03

DP and I are disagreeing about this. DD (3.6yo) has a stocking which is currently hanging on the fireplace. DP thinks it should stay there and be opened just before the tree presents. This has been done every year since she was born and the first year she is really old enough to understand at least sort of properly! I think we should put it in DD's room on christmas eve after it gets filled so it's there when she wakes up.

His argument is that she always wakes up, gets out of bed, opens her door and stands at the safety gate shouting for us and would open her stocking or ignore it and then shout us straightaway anyway (sometimes saying her room is too dark). Plus there'll be chocolate in it.

My argument is that bed is where stockings are meant to be opened! DD gets excited at the sight of presents so if she woke up and saw her stocking she would open it (plus one of the presents for it is a torch!) and play with whatever is in it!

I hand it over to you MNetters, who is being unreasonable here? I KNOW it's not me

OP posts:
Songofsixpence · 10/12/2014 12:18

Stockings here are usually quite small bits and pieces - knickers, hair clips, chocolate, smellies, a small game, colouring pens and stuff like that. Just bits and bobs really

The actual presents come from us. No way am I schlepping round the shops and letting Father Christmas get all the credit Grin

ithoughtofitfirst · 10/12/2014 12:20

The flask idea has blown my mind.

Brew
Mrscog · 10/12/2014 12:20

Ah, that's a difference - most presents are from FC, then DS has an evening tree present from us (along with other tree presents from GP's/Aunties etc) which is generally just one of the things, or some pyjamas or something!

Wellwellwell3holesintheground · 10/12/2014 12:21

Hip flask...

DayLillie · 10/12/2014 12:21

Father Christmas used to leave all DH's Annuals with the stocking, too Wink

ChangedToday · 10/12/2014 12:26

You make it how you want it to be, how it suits your family. I don't get this all in Pyjamas rush to open presents at early o'clock. We have presents AFTER breakfast and stocking are downstairs. Kids might be waking me at 7, but they do wake me at 6 the rest of the time... We also take turns to open presents (there is only one big pile). May not be everyone's cup of tea but works for us.
Father Christmas brings one present each. The rest is from us, relatives etc. This might be the last year we have to keep up the pretence anyway. Provenance of stockings is not clear, we pile all small presents into it, some are labelled who they're from, some are not....

Mrscog · 10/12/2014 12:32

That sounds ace changed today!

sam86 · 10/12/2014 12:37

Always on the bed! Though we either go in to the kids or they come in to us so we can see them open them.

bigbluestars · 10/12/2014 12:42

I wouldn't want to miss watching my children opening their stockings. One of the best bits of childhood.

bumblingbovine49 · 10/12/2014 12:45

DS always brings his stocking into our room and he opens it on the bed with us. It is the best part of Christmas day for me! The immediate family tree presents get opened after breakfast (just those to and from DH, DS and me and any from people we won't see on Christmas day).

Then we have pre or after lunch present opening with the extended family who are together for lunch, depending on where we are for lunch or who is cooking etc.

I still remember the one where he was 3 years ols and each time he opened a book from his stocking, I had to read it to him. The whole opening of stockings took about 2 hours as there were quite a few books in the stocking! It was wonderful actually and is still one of my fondest Christmas memories

WildFlowersAttractBees · 10/12/2014 12:45

We all have stockings and they are hung on the end of our bed. When the DC's wake they wake each other then come into our bed and we all open stockings together.
That said they do love their sleep so no super early starts here... 8.30am is the average.

When everyone has been to the loo etc we go down and take turns to open gifts. They are all under the tree and father Christmas adds his contributions there too but in different gift wrap.

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 10/12/2014 13:04

Our dc bring them to our bed to open... they are 18 and 22 :)

LikeASoulWithoutAMind · 10/12/2014 13:07

Dcs have stockings in their rooms but all pile into our bed to open them. One of my favourite parts of Christmas. I'd hate to miss it.

WhyYouGottaBeSoRude · 10/12/2014 13:13

Yes stockings in their room for extra parental sleep time Grin

Although i remember as a child never being quite sure whether i was allowed to open my stocking before i'd told my parents it was there so when i did open it before telling i was always anxious. I think that was due to the knowing looks/shared secret passed between my parents that put me on edge and not that i had ever been told off. I dont think anyway.

Showy · 10/12/2014 17:38

I'd be really sad if the dc opened their stockings without bounding though to us for cuddles first. They open them in our bed and we aah and exclaim in unison over how clever Father Christmas is. I don't need extra time in bed on Christmas Day. I am up and bouncing excitedly way before the dc wake up (8am has been the earliest they've woken so far, I work bloody hard to tire them out on the 24th). We have a cup of tea in bed and enjoy watching the dc tear into their stockings.

Showy · 10/12/2014 17:41

We spread out opening of presents too. Smile Stockings are to be opened immediately. We then get up, have breakfast and the children open their present from Father Christmas after breakfast (only one present from FC here too, rest from family). We open other presents after dinner, between turkey and pudding. We have a second Christmas on Boxing Day with the ILs and we do presents after dinner there too.

simbacatlivesagain · 10/12/2014 17:41

Our stockings are sacks. Everyone (youngest now 17- oldest 80+) gets one. You bring them downstairs and open presents in turn. Everyone has the sameish number (about 30) ranging from 10p items to big presents. Tree presents are from family and friends and usually get opened after lunch.

bigbluestars · 10/12/2014 17:44

showy- I am just the same- I don't need any extra time in bed on christmas morning- I am first up and bouncing out of bed with excitement.

My kids are teenagers now, so even on christmas day won't be up before 10ish. But I will be up at 7am, watching the sunrise, having afreshly brewed Java, giving the cats their christmas breakfast, having a shower and making sure everything is in order for the day ahead. I don't waste a minute of christmas day.

CockBollocks · 10/12/2014 17:47

Is it not ok for safety gates on bedrooms?

I dangle the stocking over the (locked) gate - gives an extra 'educational' problem solving twist to the morning and an extra 3 hours in bed

CockBollocks · 10/12/2014 17:49

Seriously, we open stockings with the kids in our bed. We then have breakfast, get dressed and then settle down for the 'big gifts'!!!

MyIronLung · 10/12/2014 17:55

My kids have always had them on their beds and opened them on my bed with me. I like seeing them open them but I must admit that an extra hour in bed would be very welcome just not very likely

Btw, I'm stealing the torch idea for DSs stocking. He's 3.4 and would love it Grin

MyIronLung · 10/12/2014 18:00

Also stealing the flask of coffee idea.

Pure brilliance!!

Mrsjayy · 10/12/2014 18:11

My dd used to wake up when we put her stocking in stopped doing it when she was 4 it wasn't worth the stress tbh I think you should do what suits no way will she let you hqve an extra hour in bed

ShumbTucker · 10/12/2014 18:18

Im with gamerchick, my step-mum and I are furiously texting by 5am as no-one else is ever up!

Im usually downstairs by 6 making as much noise as possible but it was 9am before DH and DS bothered making an appearance last year. Stockings are opened first (downstairs) while one of us makes a brew then after breakfast we move on to the bigger items. DS reckons Bacon Sarnies=present opening fuel.

youarekiddingme · 10/12/2014 18:33

Stockings on bed. However my DS always brings his through to me and opens his gifts from Santa there. That's fine because I then on put on Christmas TV crap and stay in bed a little longer. Often I get myself a coffee whilst DS stays in my bed having a squeeze and poke of the presents.

He does not and is not allowed into the lounge before I tell him - I love to get a photo of him as he enters!