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Original poster

To ask if anyone else's parents did this?

360 replies

Storm4star · 04/12/2018 12:10

All the Christmas threads have got me thinking! I grew up in the 70's and obviously parenting was different then so I'm wondering if it's that or if my dad was just mean! (He was mean in general so it wouldn't be surprising!). Basically, he would never let us open our presents on Christmas day until after the Queen's speech (which I believe was on about 3pm). If we asked in the meantime then half an hour would be added on to this time, for every time we asked. I honestly used to dream of being like other families and sit round the tree in our dressing gowns in the morning and opening gifts then. Needless to say with my own children, we've always opened presents first thing! So I'm curious if anyone else was subject to these kinds of rules?

OP posts:
LakieLady · 04/12/2018 12:11

No presents till after lunch was the rule in my parents' house.

MemoryOfSleep · 04/12/2018 12:11

Nope. Never even watched the speech.

halfwitpicker · 04/12/2018 12:12

No we didn't do that.

I think we had to stay in bed till 7am, then could get up and open gifts.

halfwitpicker · 04/12/2018 12:12

Yeah we didn't bother with the speech either. Home Alone on loop instead Grin

Original poster
Storm4star · 04/12/2018 12:13

I've never watched it as an adult because it inspires negative feelings in me!

OP posts:
Seeline · 04/12/2018 12:14

We used to have our stocking presents first thing in the morning, all in out parent's bed.
Main presents were always after church so about 11.30.

My DHs family always have main presents after lunch, and we have adopted that approach with our DCs as it's easier for me to join in rather than trying to cook dinner at the same time. They still have stocking presents first thing though!

I don't think I have ever seen the Queen's Speech.

Ginseng1 · 04/12/2018 12:14

No well our presents were never wrapped do was dive in minute we were up!

imgoingtoloosemymind · 04/12/2018 12:14

Nope, 6am followed by a selection box for breakfast 😂
My dad was a fireman and the worst ever was when he was on night duty on Christmas Eve. He didn't get home until 9:30am on Christmas morning and we waited for him before we went to see if Santa had been. Those 3 or 4 hours were hell on Earth

Hereward1332 · 04/12/2018 12:14

No presents until all guests had arrived - about 3pm in the afternoon. I remember having to go to church in the morning and all the other children showing off their presents and feeling very left out.

lastqueenofscotland · 04/12/2018 12:16

No presents until after lunch

AjasLipstick · 04/12/2018 12:16

I had a friend whose Dad was like this. He grew up in a Bernardo's children's home and was very strict.

Mine were never even awake on Christmas morning and me and my 3 siblings would tear downstairs and go nuts.

Justanothernameonthepage · 04/12/2018 12:16

We'd each have to pick some gifts to be saved after lunch. But Father Christmas gifts were always first thing. I do the same for my DC, just to spread it out a bit

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 04/12/2018 12:17

Not the speech per se but lots of people don’t open presents til after the Christmas lunch. Not sure why though, I would’ve burst with excitement by then!

ghostsandghoulies · 04/12/2018 12:18

First thing here.

My religious friend does stocking first thing, church then presents after lunch which I think is fair.

Ohyesiam · 04/12/2018 12:18

We had our stockings on waking, then we had to get ready and go to Mass. After we got home and the dinner was ticking over we’d open presents.

OliviaStabler · 04/12/2018 12:20

Always first thing in our house.

GnomeDePlume · 04/12/2018 12:20

We have the rule that presents arent opened until after breakfast has been eaten and cleared away and everyone is dressed. Time is taken over present opening, never liked the idea of a wrapping paper frenzy.

DCs seem to have survived the experience. As they got older breakfast got later so now present opening doesnt happen until mid morning.

madeyemoodysmum · 04/12/2018 12:21

Stockings before lunch. Big gifts after was the rule at mine.

brizzledrizzle · 04/12/2018 12:21

We opened presents in the morning amid exhortations to hurry up because my mum had to be in the kitchen to get the xmas lunch ready so we could all sit and watch the Queen's speech in complete silence after we'd had lunch.

Gatehouse77 · 04/12/2018 12:22

Stockings first things then everything after lunch.

We do stockings first and the gifts between the 5 of us.
All other gifts are done between main course and pudding.

Gatehouse77 · 04/12/2018 12:22

I've never watched the Queen's speech...

Funnyface1 · 04/12/2018 12:22

My mum use to be so excited and would wake us all up. We opened presents first thing after she confirmed "he's been". It was still dark out.

Aethelthryth · 04/12/2018 12:22

Stocking first thing, then main presents after lunch. We still do this

starlight45 · 04/12/2018 12:23

Father Christmas presents in the morning. Then, tree presents in the afternoon after I have cooked lunch. It takes me all morning to do lunch and I don't want to miss seeing my family's faces when they open their presents. Especially this year as we've got really good ones for the dcs!

Jezzifishie · 04/12/2018 12:23

We always had stockings first thing, then we could open one present to take to church with us (usually a CD or similar), the rest were opened once we'd got back from church and the food was cooking in the oven. So usually around 11/11:30.

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