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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not wrap stocking presents?!?

116 replies

SEMPA1234567 · 22/12/2022 18:41

I never had presents in my stocking wrapped when I was a kid so I’ve just done the same with my own children, never occurred to me to do any different.

However my husband just asked me when we were going to wrap the stocking presents? Apparently he always had his stocking presents wrapped as a kid.

Have I been doing it wrong all these years?!? Our oldest is 7 so not sure why husband has never mentioned it before but I’m now thinking it might be nice if we did, it would certainly slow down the stocking opening and give us a bit more time in bed!

I’m interested to see whats the norm? Do you wrap or not?!?

YANBU = Unwrapped
YABU = wrapped

OP posts:
picnicshicnic · 22/12/2022 21:07

Why are people saying it gives them longer in bed?

I'm guessing their kids stockings are hanging on their beds then?

I don't know anyone who does that. Stockings hung on fireplace here [Scotland] and we all open them together.

Seems a bit sad for kids to open them alone in their rooms while parents are in bed.

We always have stocking presents unwrapped. And they are usually just a few small gifts plus tangerines, apples and nuts.

Largethighsbadeyes · 22/12/2022 21:09

Wrapped!

Takes longer
Extends the fun and anticipation
Kids love unwrapping shit.

It's a no brained for me

Largethighsbadeyes · 22/12/2022 21:10

*no brainer! Lol

Original poster
SEMPA1234567 · 22/12/2022 21:11

We have them on the end of the kids beds then they bring them into our bedroom to open. We only go downstairs once we’ve finished with the stockings so the longer they take the more time we get in bed! I’m from England so maybe it’s different?

OP posts:
RegularNameChangerVersion21 · 22/12/2022 21:13

We definitely wrap stocking presents. I loved unwrapping them as a kid andy two do too. I guess it's also what you're used to though.

nokidshere · 22/12/2022 21:14

Wrapped unless it's edible

Jojo19834 · 22/12/2022 21:16

I haven’t wrapped anything this year, am having a low point so bought a load of gift bags and tissue paper. My LO has a Christmas Eve box too as opposed to stocking, so no wrapping there!

RustyBear · 22/12/2022 21:16

I used to do it in tissue paper - much quicker as you can scrunch the ends & don’t have to use sellotape for most things.
Once they were old enough, I used to put a mini box of coco pops & a juice drink in too, so they didn’t start asking for breakfast too early & we could have a lie-in.

MuchTooTired · 22/12/2022 21:17

I voted for unwrapped, because that’s what I had when I was a child. After discussing with DH and a brief survey of my friends, it appears the norm out of them is to wrap. Yay! More shit for me to do 🙄

picnicshicnic · 22/12/2022 21:19

SEMPA1234567 · 22/12/2022 21:11

We have them on the end of the kids beds then they bring them into our bedroom to open. We only go downstairs once we’ve finished with the stockings so the longer they take the more time we get in bed! I’m from England so maybe it’s different?

It might be.

We are in the Scottish highlands. I've seen kids in books with stockings on beds but up here they are always down on the fireplace.

picnicshicnic · 22/12/2022 21:20

Oh, and unwrapped.

Fireplace, unwrapped, mostly contain tangerine, apples, nuts, plus some small, inexpensive gifts.

Bigger Santa gifts would be placed under the tree.

MuddlingThroughLife · 22/12/2022 21:23

I have never had a stocking as my mum and dad always thought they were a waste of time and money!

I've always done stockings for my kids and personally my opinion is that if it ain't wrapped it ain't a present.

Everything has to be wrapped no matter how big or small!

Hugasauras · 22/12/2022 21:29

I'm Scottish and mine was always at bottom of bed. The best bit was waking up and moving your feet and hearing the crinkling of a full stocking and knowing Santa had been Grin

SaltySeaAir · 22/12/2022 21:30

I wrap everything apart from chocolate coins 🙂 Takes 5 mins if that, and the unwrapping is definitely the best part for the kids 😁

You have reminded me I still have some toblerone to wrap!

Yolanda524 · 22/12/2022 21:31

None if my presents from santa were wrapped. I would love to have continued that tradition with my kids as I hate wrapping but my oh just couldn’t comprehend not wrapping so we do.

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 23/12/2022 07:21

picnicshicnic · 22/12/2022 21:07

Why are people saying it gives them longer in bed?

I'm guessing their kids stockings are hanging on their beds then?

I don't know anyone who does that. Stockings hung on fireplace here [Scotland] and we all open them together.

Seems a bit sad for kids to open them alone in their rooms while parents are in bed.

We always have stocking presents unwrapped. And they are usually just a few small gifts plus tangerines, apples and nuts.

They are on their door handles actually and we don't make them bloody open them in their room. They come into us. Which I've already explained

londonrach · 23/12/2022 07:49

Unwrapped. No idea stocking had wrapped presents... they don't in movies

pelargoniums · 23/12/2022 08:19

Wrapped! Means longer in bed. Plus the magic of the crinkly sound of a full stocking. Otherwise it’s just a sock full of stuff.

FourEyesGood · 23/12/2022 08:23

Excitedannie · 22/12/2022 18:52

OMG is unwrapped stockings even a thing???? I just assumed that everyone wraps up the stocking gifts!! What's the point if not?! Where's the excitement????

The excitement is all in your punctuation. 😁
Unwrapped here - life’s too short and the thought of all that wasted paper and sellotape makes me feel a bit sad.

notforonesecond · 23/12/2022 08:40

I wrap everything except sweets/chocolate.

Even though that makes me a total hypocrite because my brother & I moaned like mad the first year mum didn’t bother wrapping the chocolate orange and the toberlones. We were about 19 - I can’t believe she bothered until then when I think about it now!

I have fond memories of sitting on my parents bed as a teenager trying to pry the wrapping off a little touché et clat every year😂

ReadtheReviews · 23/12/2022 08:40

Interesting, never thought of them being unwrapped...On pictures of Santa's sleigh they're wrapped, right? But dont forget to use a unique paper that isn't on other presents from other people or it might be suspiciously not from the North Pole.

KangarooKenny · 23/12/2022 08:41

We wrap everything but the chocolate coins

Willmafrockfit · 23/12/2022 08:42

always wrapped
but i am not sure if i did last year!
but i plan to this year

qazxc · 23/12/2022 08:43

I wrap them, as you said it gives you more time in bed.

CousinKrispy · 23/12/2022 08:45

You should do whatever works for you!

When I was growing up, stocking presents weren't wrapped. It was still lovely and magical taking them out of the stocking.

I wrap the stocking gifts for my DD just because it will slow down the Christmas fun a bit. I use newspaper and various scrap papers for wrapping small things anyway so it's not a "waste" of wrapping paper and it doesn't take that much time for only one child. If I had multiple kids I think I'd stick with unwrapped!