To not wrap the DC’s presents...?

[mommathatwearspink]

We’ve always wrapped presents from Santa for our DC (5 & 2). This year has been a bit manic and I haven’t wrapped a thing yet. MIL suggested we not even bother wrapping them, just lay them out nicely as she did when my DP was a boy. We have friends who do the same. So, AIBU to not wrap this year...?

[mommathatwearspink]

Thanks everyone! Mind made... I’ll definitely wrap and continue to do so. Leaving them unwrapped just doesn’t sit right with me!

[CountryF]

Unwrapping presents is the best part!! This sounds incredibly lazy 😣

[OhWellThatsJustGreat]

Yup I'm another wrapper, but we use Christmas fabric and ribbon, so it gets used every year. DC love it.

[AwakeAmbs]

I would wrap even if simply in tissue paper and tape, with no ribbon. Can be quite a quick job and also enjoyable if done with wine and a Xmas film playing in the background

[Allgirlskidsanddogs]

I think unwrapping is a lot of fun and keeps the surprise element. I would stay up late into the night rather than give things unwrapped.

[TiggeryBear]

I don't wrap stocking contents (mainly chocolates) but wrap everything else. The only exceptions have been things like a Jumperoo (bought used from Facebook), a dolls house, toy kitchen & a play tent as DC are not patient enough to let it be assembled & have been known to take essential pieces & lose them 🙈😫 so things like that are assembled but accessories are wrapped.

[GertiMJN]

Obviously everyone is free to do as they want with regard to wrapping presents etc.
But for me, it's the "toy shop" effect that I most want to avoid.
I love the fact that the wrapping (reusable, cotton or whatever) adds another layer of excitement and anticipation.

[HowDoYouLikeThoseSuedeApples]

I have used red and gold fabric ( that was bought as samples for craft project so not costly over the year - end of rolls, curtains samples etc nothing over a quid a metre was my aim ) to wrap this year : tied with festive ribbons ( bought in sale last year ). I am an expert wrapper using paper etc but blimey never mind the environmental part - the profanity and stress levels have been minimal as a result, Wish I had done it years ago. In fact when I have a chance I’m gonna knock up several huge PE bag type holders ( think Lego car size ) with a Double drawstring top for extra security for the curious types. Also saved some of the Amazon gift bags from last year replaced where the ribbons were cut using a Kirby grip/bobby pin to pull new ribbon through. It did not sound like Samuel L Jackson was Head Wrapper this year ! Back to OP I think wrapping up is the way forward even if you use a plain ( non Santa ) fabric sack per child for everything and they pull ( whilst closing their eyes ) one at a time unwrapped gift from inside.One at a time to make the thrill of the unknown last a little longer.

[Sammi38]

I’d definitely wrap. I’d also want to avoid ‘the toy shop feel’. It’s nice to have a feel of a wrapped present, wonder what it is before you tear the paper off and it adds another layer of fun and excitement, they can also have a good look at each one before unwrapping the next.

Just to add, it’s only on mumsnet that I’ve heard about people not wrapping their kids Christmas presents. Everyone I know in real life wraps them.

[ItFigures]

Hate the actual wrapping because I’m shit at it and lack the patience to sit there for hours but I force myself to do it because it’s the anticipation that makes it all the more exciting.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Do try and find the time. My dd is 11 so it doesn’t matter as much. I love the idea of wrapping in pillow cases. I have flu atm ☹️ and am disabled / chronically ill. We’ve had a decorator in and the house is a mess. I have zero energy to wrap but have ribbon and a ton of pillow cases.

[AmurderIsAnnounced]

I had a pillow case for father Christmas presents when I was a child, they were wrapped tbough.

[Floralnomad]

We wrap , even my dog likes to unwrap his presents .

[Baconmaker]

I definitely loved unwrapping presents on Christmas morning - I would have thought 5 was peak magically unwrapping presents time. It also meant that the excitement lasted longer. You unwrap everything one by one then then put things together play with one thing then open the box of the next etc.

[autumnnightsaredrawingin]

We always used to wrap stocking presents, then last year wrote a ‘letter from santa’ explaining it was better for the environment not to wrap, and they could have fun picking out an item one by one from their stocking without looking! It was life changing! Best thing I did and the kids don’t care at all. We still wrap all the under the tree gifts but as in our house stockings are for smaller gifts it was beginning to really bother me we were wasting paper on it.

[switswoo81]

This is the first year I have wrapped the presents (dd's are 4 and 1) and the 4 year old has seen movies with elves wrapping presents so has an idea in her head now.
Contraversially I'm not doing stockings though. Last year dd1 didn't have much interest and I'm not spending now money on shite.

[MrsP2015]

Wrap!
Christmas is about late nights wrapping!

[Alderaan]

Unwrapping is the best bit!

[Wheredidigowrongggggg]

Wrap them!! It prolongs the excitement, I’m they love the guessing and slow reveal, so magical! How can you have an hour to spare for that kind of special? My kids take hours to open their gifts, the magic goes right through the day. If they can see it all, it’s just not the same.

It’s such a short lived window of this kind of real belief in magic. Go with it and treasure it, it will soon be over.

[tiddlerandtea]

Please wrap. It is so much better.

[ballyboy]

I'm a die hard wrapper! We actually take it in turns to open each one, I drag the arse out of it. I like to see their reaction to each present :) their main present this year is bikes so obviously won't wrap them but everything else is wrapped, even the stocking bits

[ilovepixie]

Wrap them. Unwrapping is part of the fun Christmas morning.

[Wheredidigowrongggggg]

*how can you not have an hour to spare for that kind of special

[ballyboy]

Also I did mine tonight for three kids and it actually was fine only took about 1.5 hrs

[Drum2018]

I am amazed at the amount of people who wrap santa presents. Dh and I never had them wrapped as kids. We've never wrapped them for our kids. We'd only wrap presents from us that we leave under the tree.