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AIBU?

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Original poster

Christmas presents all in one go

202 replies

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 12/12/2021 21:49

Debate between my DH and myself as to whether there’s a norm.

As kids we opened stockings as soon as we woke up - all nice bits and pieces but no main gifts. We were then allowed to open one gift from parents after breakfast. Then we had to wait until after lunch, which meant after the queen’s speech, for anything else. Then some gifts were saved for Boxing Day. It was horrible waiting when younger.

DH’s family opened everything all at once before or after breakfast.

I like it spread out (but more main gifts in the morning so DC can play), DH thinks all at once. I never before considered there was a different way.

What do you do?
YANBU- spread through the day
YABU- open all at once

OP posts:
WutheredOut · 12/12/2021 22:22

Stockings as soon as they wake up
Breakfast
Walk
Get lunch ready
Play board games / puzzles
Eat lunch
Open presents until they’re done
Walk
Cold meat / pickles / cheese
Put kids to bed
Fall asleep on sofa

LethargeMarg · 12/12/2021 22:23

Stockings then tree presents usually all done by 7am !!!! But then relatives come round with their gifts for Christmas lunch and on other days . This is how my Christmas was as a kid and how I want my kids to experience it
One thing though we take it in turns to open each gift which drags it out a bit more and makes it a bit more special. I know some people have table presents etc but I think you can't beat the opening of presents in your pjs when it's still dark outside and stepping round piles of pressies all day 😀

Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas · 12/12/2021 22:23

I do fc presents, which is most of them in the morning.
Then a table present from us and a few more little things through out the day. Then guest usually gives some out

Fifthtimelucky · 12/12/2021 22:24

When the children were younger we used to spread the presents out a bit so that they actually had time to look at them properly and appreciate them before moving on to the next thing.

They'd start with stockings, then open a couple
of things before breakfast, then a couple
more after breakfast and so on throughout the day. In the late morning they always had something like Lego that would keep them occupied while I got on with cooking lunch.

Stompythedinosaur · 12/12/2021 22:24

I don't have enforced tunes to wait until, bit I do encourage the dc to open a few things at a time spread through the day.

DappledThings · 12/12/2021 22:25

We did stockings when we woke up then everything else after lunch. It wasn't a big deal though. My Dad and brother are ambivalent about presents, I actively hate them. I don't remember ever being excited about it. Mum says she used to be awake really early expecting us to be tearing into our stockings and we had to be woken up same as on a school day. I think we caused a lot of disappointment in that way.

One year I remember using various distractions to get to the 27th before we opened anything.

With our DC we haven't really established a routine. It's definitely stockings first thing, then will probably have a couple before lunch and some after.

BlooBagoo · 12/12/2021 22:25

We do one gift on Christmas Eve to open (it's always PJs for everyone to wear that night).

Then stockings can be opened without us there as soon as DC wake up.

Main gifts are all done after we're all up but before breakfast (which is usually more like a brunch for us as our dinner is more evening time than afternoon).

friedeggandsauce · 12/12/2021 22:26

We always waited until our parents got up and then opened everything, we do the same now with our children.

They do sometimes have to wait though due to my husband's shifts and they are really good at accommodating that

caketiger · 12/12/2021 22:27

One on my bed to keep me distracted when I woke up at 5am. The rest in one go around the tree at 7am ish.

YABU

ColdTattyWaitingForSummer · 12/12/2021 22:27

Stockings first, then tree presents with coffee / breakfast, but one at a time, not a huge rush. I always felt sorry for my friends who had to wait for after dinner! But it was only me and my dp's so not exactly a mountain of gifts (they were generous, but it was quality over quantity). I did similar with my dc, but occasionally felt a bit flat when there was a sea of wrapping paper and boxes by 9am.

thelegohooverer · 12/12/2021 22:28

Santa in the morning (stocking and main gifts).
Gift exchange with whichever relatives we see on Christmas Day just before the big meal.
Other relatives give gifts when they see the dc in the days after Christmas.

friedeggandsauce · 12/12/2021 22:28

But then they will get presents from family members at different times over the Christmas period

gogohm · 12/12/2021 22:30

When they were small, stockings and parents gifts morning, rest of family after lunch. Once they got to 10 stockings after midnight mass plus new pjs, everything else after lunch. This year we will be continuing the (adult) tradition of champagne at 12,45am!

bluesky45 · 12/12/2021 22:30

Everything that is under the tree (and of course stockings) are opened straight away but tbh we don't buy enough to really spread it out much. Then gifts from wider family are opened as and when we see them, so usually some in the afternoon when we see some family for dinner and some on boxing Day when we see the other side of the family

HalfWomanHalfMincePie · 12/12/2021 22:30

All opened Xmas morning but not everyone opening their presents at the same time - the 'handed outer' passes one present out at a time and this is opened. Then someone else gets a turn. Not in strict order so it's not obvious who has more etc. But still at attempt at balance.

RedHelenB · 12/12/2021 22:31

All.at once for my kids, get delving into their sacks as soon as they come downstairs.

SoftSheen · 12/12/2021 22:32

Stockings on waking, presents from parents after breakfast.

MondeoFan · 12/12/2021 22:34

As a child we didn't have a stocking so main presents all at once which were placed next to our beds. My mind clever idea of no mess downstairs.

My 2 DC have stockings first thing then main presents.
I always save them a present each to open on Boxing Day too as we don't have a big family and they don't get much

PitchImperfect · 12/12/2021 22:42

Stockings when we woke up but no earlier than 7am
Breakfast
Church
Presents
Lunch

I didn't mind waiting until after church, although I was occasionally a bit jealous of others who brought main presents to church. Somehow I got it in my head that they were all dreadfully spoiled & felt a bit smug that we had such self-control that we could wait.

I'm worse as an adult - as soon as presents are under the tree I find any excuse to sneak in & peer at the labels to see which ones might be for me. I'd have got in so much trouble for that as a kid! We've continued the same pattern with our DC but I don't think they've twigged yet that other people do it differently so they just accept it as normal.

dreamygirl25 · 12/12/2021 22:46

I'm with you. It was horrible waiting whne younger but now I have kids of my own I would rather spread them out too. I might 'forget one' and let them find it after dinner so there's no suspense.

Changemaname1 · 12/12/2021 22:48

Stocking soon as dc wakes up
Pick one or two from under tree
Breakfast
Rest of presents (normally save the main one towards end ) although take turns ( roughly anyway as dc has the most ) with other people opening presents

Kendodd · 12/12/2021 22:49

Stockings first thing in bed.
They have a parcel of presents (new clothes) on their chairs in the dining room, they can open those before breakfast.
Nice breakfast then everyone has to be fully dressed and ready for the day before presents in the living room with champagne.
Somebody chooses the first present, gives it to that person, they open it, then choose the next present for the next person and so on.
Presents usually last all morning.

repottingthescabious · 12/12/2021 22:59

Similar to you @LibrariesGiveUsPower

First thing we were always allowed to open our stockings 2 stockings each from Santa and his main present.

Anything under the tree was off limits until after lunch which always clashed with the Queen's speech at 3pm. This had to be spread out until at least Boxing Day if not New Year as Hogmanay was observed in our house.

Tree presents perched in the branches were allowed to have when Mum said.

Mum's reasoning was if we opened everything in one go we wouldn't have a lot to look forward to and we were off a good two weeks from school. Also she didn;t have a lot of money so she would buy things a bit at a time over a year if and when she saw something and wanted s to appreciate them not just rip off paper in one go.

StarryNightSky26 · 12/12/2021 23:03

Stockings immediately. Then downstairs and Santa's gifts.

Then breakfast and tree gifts (from family).

Then family arrive for lunch and present exchanges take place after that for those present.

Rosewaterblossom · 12/12/2021 23:05

I have a pic of ds from when he was around 2, laying in the cats bed with his thumb in his mouth as he was overwhelmed with presents and opening them. He's the same now at 13 where too much pressure to be "having fun" and "lots of overwhelming family " sends him to retreat somewhere quiet. 😁