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 ask whether you wrap stocking presents

164 replies

BrowncoatWaffles · 24/12/2020 23:12

DH and I having a lighthearted slightly gin-fuelled bicker as we sort the kids’ stockings.

Chez Waffles growing up all stocking presents were wrapped.

Chez DH they were not.

Of course my suggestion prevails —because I do most of the work— so our DC’s stocking presents are wrapped (albeit in tissue paper and loosely).

DH is in a grump about this and thinks it’s ridiculous even though he sees my point that it slows the DC down opening things. He just said: “This is just a weird Waffles family thing. I’m going to ask people at work whether they do this.”

Why ask people at work when you can ask a bigger sample?

So:

YABU - wrapping stocking presents is lunacy
YANBU - at course stocking presents are wrapped

OP posts:
Allgirlskidsanddogs · 25/12/2020 00:01

Wrapped. Different paper for each child but usually a variation on a theme, so the year we fed penguins as a birthday treat the stocking wrapping was penguins but with different background colour for each child. Also stocking gift wrap (wrapped by Father Christmas of course) is not used for anything else.

AccidentallyOnSanta · 25/12/2020 00:01

I don't. Can't be bothered. Grin

nanbread · 25/12/2020 00:02

DH says wrapped, I say unwrapped. Previously we've done a bit of both but this year unwrapped won.

I'm using sustainability as an excuse but mostly it's laziness plus the ease of use - I don't want to be helping the DC unwrap shit at 6am.

I don't think it's a class thing to have them unwrapped. He's much posher than me. In all the films and stories the presents are wrapped too.

Joolsin · 25/12/2020 00:03

Never wrapped. Santa hasn't got that much time!

MeMarmiteYouJam · 25/12/2020 00:04

I couldn't bear the faff, tbh. But I'm probably the laziest wrapper in the world, I absolutely cannot be arsed with any of it and have bought reusable fabric tied bags instead of paper, it takes me 10 minutes to wrap everything and it still looks festive and fun.

TheGriffle · 25/12/2020 00:04

I wrapped them last year, haven’t bothered this year! I bought too much stuff and the stocking is overflowing as it is let alone wrapping them as well.

When I was little thought they were always wrapped, but my stocking was about 3 times the size of my DD’s.

LeSangeEstDansLarbre · 25/12/2020 00:05

Based on my childhood - everything wrapped except for:

  • Satsuma in the toe
  • Bag of chocolate coins half way up
  • Novelty pencil
  • colouring or magic painting book rolled up and poking out of the top.

But the wrapping paper had to be that very thin, cheaply printed stuff you got in a roll of 10 sheets at the newsagents. Children of the 70s will know whereof I speak.

Ilovesandwiches · 25/12/2020 00:06

Wrapped!!! Other than chocolate/sweets

Bumbers · 25/12/2020 00:07

YABU - unwrapped

But when we were little the game was to close your eyes and put your hand in your stocking to try and guess each gift before pulling it out, so it took a while

Notthemessiah · 25/12/2020 00:08

Three teenage boys, 25 stocking presents each (mainly food), all wrapped - it took ages, but we did it last night so we could relax Christmas eve. The rustling paper at the end of your bed when santa has been is the best bit surely?

bellsbuss · 25/12/2020 00:08

Wrapped as my stocking was always wrapped so assumed it's what everyone did.

tobee · 25/12/2020 00:11

Wrapped mostly. Although they tend to be the last things I wrap and I've usually had it by then. Plus they tend to be odd shaped items. But I like the fact it makes the opening take longer.

My dc are 25 and 21 btw. Xmas Hmm

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 25/12/2020 00:12

Wrapped. I bought big rolls of paper that are proper hidden and only come out for stocking presents.

thisnthat · 25/12/2020 00:13

Never wrap stocking gifts - I guess I just follow what my parents did. All main gifts are wrapped in matching paper that only Santa uses and are left downstairs by the fire but the stockings are left by the DC’s beds and are full of small gifts - sweets / socks / pencils / shower gel etc

OwlinaTree · 25/12/2020 00:15

Unwrapped here, except a couple of big things that didn't fit in the stocking, they are wrapped.

Dontlickthetrolley · 25/12/2020 00:16

@Puffincrossing

Wrapped. We have 3 dc, each DC has a different wrapping paper. Their stocking gifts are wrapped in paper that matches their tree gifts. No writing labels and no accidentally opening of someone else's gift.
Snap! And joint presents are wrapped half and half!
MajesticWhine · 25/12/2020 00:16

YANBU - we wrap them all.
As a child mine were unwrapped but we seem to have adopted DH family ways. It's more fun I think.

ShandlersWig · 25/12/2020 00:16

Popped into festive paper bags, so wrapped but minimal effort....

MrsToothyBitch · 25/12/2020 00:18

Wrapped except for chocolate coins and a chocolate orange!

Megan2018 · 25/12/2020 00:21

They were wrapped in our house, but not “fancy” wrapped like tree presents (no ribbon, bows, tags etc).
Unwrapped is wrong.

bumblingbovine49 · 25/12/2020 00:22

Wrapped. DS brings his stocking ( sack really or pillowcase one year) into our bedroom ( even now at 16). He unwraps 2-3 and DH and I do 1 each then repeat .

My favourite memory of opening a stocking with DS was just before he really got Christmas just turned 3 in November. He unwrapped ( well I did for him) each present and if it was a book ( he got quite a few that year) he handed it to me and insisted I read it to him then and there. The stocking took over an hour to open and we spent the whole time cuddled up on my bed opening the presents and having each book read to him or opening the toys to look at carefully. Given that DS was a whirlwind toddler it really stands out in my memory as a calm lovely morning

Every year after that has been less magical obviously as he moved to the frenzied opening and now as a teenager the laid back underwhelmed opening , though of course he still insists he has to have a stocking!!

XmasGridlock · 25/12/2020 00:22

I grew up with my stocking presents unwrapped. I loved it. But I had a massive sack with thousands of pricey presents. Now, with my own DC, they only have a small stocking with about ten cheapish items. DH has always wrapped and has swayed me to his thinking so we always wrap stocking presents for our DC. Makes it last longer and seem more magical when there's not that much there!

wohmum · 25/12/2020 00:24

@nokidshere

This is the first year (they are 19 & 22) I haven't wrapped stocking stuff and that's because all that's in them is chocolate and satsuma.
Snap! Money’s tight this year and didn’t want to spend in lots of rubbishy bits so mine (older teens) have got a sweet and choc filled stocking
makingmiracles · 25/12/2020 00:25

Wrapped here, but very fast and sloppily-Santa has to wrap them at lightening speed! Just leave a few bits unwrapped, fruit, couple of sweets, coins, everything else ets wrapped

Mrstwiddle · 25/12/2020 00:26

The wrap is what makes it exciting!

Swipe left for the next trending thread