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AIBU?

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Original poster

Kids found hidden Christmas gifts...what would you do ?

271 replies

Greenpolkadot · 13/12/2023 13:50

Talking with some friends yesterday.
One tells us that her kids (3 under 10 ). found all their gifts from where she had hidden them.
She says they must done a proper search as they were hidden in cupboards ' the shed and various other places.
She took the gifts away but then wonders if she should buy a whole new load of stuff as the suprise has gone .
Personally I would keep the discovered stuff and re-present it on Christmas morning...but she thinks I'm being mean and unreasonable.

OP posts:
slore · 13/12/2023 14:55

YANBU. . Actions have consequences. They'll still be excited to get their toys, but they need to learn that if they want a surprise, they need to not spoil it.

mottytotty · 13/12/2023 14:56

So this is the lesson she wants to teach them? Take stuff that doesn't belong to you and get rewarded? I think she deserves the rod she is making for her own back, let her crack on.

ohdamnitjanet · 13/12/2023 14:57

My sis and I did this once when I was about 10. We didn’t have the huge pile children have now, maybe 5 fairly modest gifts. I knew what they all were bar one. My fault entirely, I spoilt my own Christmas and knew I was to blame. Learnt a valuable lesson! To this day, I never ever open a gift before the day or want to know what’s wrapped up. They’ll learn too…

SinnerBoy · 13/12/2023 14:58

My eldest sister was a terrible snooper and always hunted the presents down. She'd often co-opt my other older than me sis to help.

Then they'd ask if I wanted to know what I'd got and ignore my "No" and tell me anyway! I used to put my hands over my ears and go "La la la!" or run outside.

They'd then wait days and drip feed, when I wasn't expecting it!

Goingwelltrying · 13/12/2023 15:05

I never hid presents and they never spot them. I’d just hand over without wrapping them up this year and hide better with a warning next year. The three year old won’t remember this year unless told yearly surely.

willWillSmithsmith · 13/12/2023 15:08

The surprise should be that the presents they’re opening are the same ones they found. Buying new ones is an invitation for them to do that again every year!

Busybodyb · 13/12/2023 15:15

I use to find/snoop my Christmas presents every year as a child. Never stopped being excited to receive them !
I told my children, I bought the presents and then sent to Santa.
If I wanted to teach them a lesson, I would give one present each to charity ( one gift) then give some presents after Christmas morning maybe some on Boxing Day.

Tiredalwaystired · 13/12/2023 15:17

WhichIsItWendy · 13/12/2023 14:09

Seems overly harsh to me. Why do some parents really struggle with their kids behaving like kids. Did you not like to snoop? I know I did - it's natural. Of course, you can tell them off and explain that they have lost their surprise, but give away their gifts? That's just mean. I couldn't do that to my children who I love.

Show quote history

Nope. Never snooped. My kids have never snooped either.

definitely not a natural trait in all kids.

Mariposista · 13/12/2023 15:19

Totally their fault for snooping

EarringsandLipstick · 13/12/2023 15:20

I'm amazed at most of the answers here.

These are little kids - under 10! They looked, they found their gifts - regardless of what I'd do, this is normal kids behaviour.

In Ireland, these gifts would be Santa presents - we don't have the stocking tradition as such (well we do, but they really just have sweets in them, not gifts), so the main present is usually Santa's. Some families buy from parents, some don't - these will be smaller presents.

So if this was the case, they'd have to be replaced I think, or some very good story concocted - not entirely sure what, and it depends on how young they are!

If they are gifts from mum & dad, that's different of course. I do agree they will still get these gifts; I might find some surprise to add to them - or again it depends, if they are having stocking gifts from Santa that are a suprise, that takes care of that.

But overall, they didn't do anything so terrible, and while they were looking, most likely didn't really think through what they were doing.

Mumsgirls · 13/12/2023 15:20

My dgc 3 found a wrapped present that had been left out oops she shouted ‘he’s been’ daughter got it back and said they bought the presents, but they got sent off to Santa to check they were ok and that she had been good lol
would not get away with that for older kids though.

EarringsandLipstick · 13/12/2023 15:20

Nope. Never snooped. My kids have never snooped either.

definitely not a natural trait in all kids.

It's certainly not unnatural. Most kids will do it. I did. Mine have.

CharlotteBog · 13/12/2023 15:22

Tiredalwaystired · 13/12/2023 15:17

Nope. Never snooped. My kids have never snooped either.

definitely not a natural trait in all kids.

Show quote history

Can you say with absolute certainty that your children have never snooped? How do you know?
Of course not all children do, but it's not at all uncommon.

fulawitt · 13/12/2023 15:22

Yup I would buy new presents. 1 pound presents. They have been mean.😂

Moveoverdarlin · 13/12/2023 15:22

When I was a kid I used to go hunting for presents, often I’d find some. I remember my Mum going shopping all day one Saturday before Christmas. She put all the shopping upstairs in her room, and when I could see she was busy downstairs I went upstairs and rifles through the bag. As soon as I did it, I’d feel so bad, i just ruined it for myself.

Your friend should teach them a lesson.

JFDIYOLO · 13/12/2023 15:24

Absolutely agree she shouldn't reward them snooping and sneaking behind her back (they may be young but they understand about surprises and spoiling them. ) Give them what they found. Those are their presents.

fulawitt · 13/12/2023 15:26

Next to the tiny thing : a letter from Santa to say that he has hidden them properly so they have to go on a treasure hunt to find them.

Blanketpolicy · 13/12/2023 15:27

I wouldn't get them fresh presents. If they are snooping in all those places they knew what they were looking for - how unsupervised were these young kids they manage to rifle not only through various places but out to the shed without being spotted?

I would also be reflecting on why they thought it was not only ok to go snooping where they are presumably not allowed but also to open things that do not belong to them.

sherloc · 13/12/2023 15:32

The Good Boy's Prayer

dear god,
been really good all year,
I know I ask you every week for a new bike
'cos the old one's too small
but PLEEZ don't let me get one for crismus
I've just spotted one I could use, left behind mum's wardrobe

luckylavender · 13/12/2023 15:32

When I was a child I found my presents. And I was so excited about getting them for keeps on Christmas morning, it meant it was even better. They were 3 x Holly Hobbie ragdolls & some Narnia & LOTR posters. It's the best Christmas I remember.

LastYearsChristmasStamps · 13/12/2023 15:33

luckylavender · 13/12/2023 15:32

When I was a child I found my presents. And I was so excited about getting them for keeps on Christmas morning, it meant it was even better. They were 3 x Holly Hobbie ragdolls & some Narnia & LOTR posters. It's the best Christmas I remember.

Lovely!

Macaroni46 · 13/12/2023 15:35

EarringsandLipstick · 13/12/2023 15:20

I'm amazed at most of the answers here.

These are little kids - under 10! They looked, they found their gifts - regardless of what I'd do, this is normal kids behaviour.

In Ireland, these gifts would be Santa presents - we don't have the stocking tradition as such (well we do, but they really just have sweets in them, not gifts), so the main present is usually Santa's. Some families buy from parents, some don't - these will be smaller presents.

So if this was the case, they'd have to be replaced I think, or some very good story concocted - not entirely sure what, and it depends on how young they are!

If they are gifts from mum & dad, that's different of course. I do agree they will still get these gifts; I might find some surprise to add to them - or again it depends, if they are having stocking gifts from Santa that are a suprise, that takes care of that.

But overall, they didn't do anything so terrible, and while they were looking, most likely didn't really think through what they were doing.

Oh give over. Santa presents or not they shouldn't have snooped and not getting a surprise is the consequence.
Could just say, Santa delivered them early so parents could check. Elves will be back to wrap them at some point.

BestZebbie · 13/12/2023 15:35

Just to say that they might not actually be children who want a surprise - not all kids do! For some children it is better to know roughly what they are getting in advance for a variety of reasons, including being better able to manage their reactions on the day if they don't get what they wanted but still want to look excited and happy in front of their parents, or just being incredibly anxious about what they might or might not get due to the uncertainty and build-up (imagine if you only got paid at work once a year, but it was an arbitrary amount of cash in an envelope given to you personally by the company CEO and opened in front of them).

C1N1C · 13/12/2023 15:36

Hide them, give them away... give the kids coal and say Santa was upset with them for snooping. Naughty kids get coal.

They need to make it up to mum, who very kindly looked after them as one of the reindeer was sick this year, so Santa had to DPD them here early. Only if they do all their chores and mum writes a blinding review next year will they be off the naughty list.

Brefugee · 13/12/2023 15:36

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 13/12/2023 14:07

I had a friend whose child not only found all the 'wrapped' Christmas presents, they unwrapped theirs and those of the whole family, meaning that the surprise was gone and the poor parents had to go through wrapping everything up again.

I think they got a rather 'curtailed' Christmas that year.

I'd have rewrapoed the others, but just put theirs under the tree as is.