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

[Greenpolkadot]

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.

I did this when I was about 9. I didn't get caught though. It was awful on Christmas Day as there were no surprises, and I never did it again.

I would not be replacing items in those circumstances, the kids chose to go and look for them. They have spoiled their own surprise. I would still give them to them, but would not buy anything else.

Nobody should ever get into debt over Christmas presents and especially not in those circumstances.

Exactly!

I wouldn't replace the found presents, but I'd buy a small surprise gift and add it in with the haul. It wouldn't be expensive.

Optimistic @allofthelove 🤣 my little sister was a sod for searching everywhere, finding everything, unwrapping them all, and then rewrapping them. And then on Christmas day you would be about to unwrap something and she would pipe up "that's xx. I was playing with that last week."

No way would I replace

Either just give the presents to the kids at christmas or wrap them up a lump of coal each and have them think on that (and then give them the presents they snooped for)

They absolutely shouldn’t be getting additional gifts to make up for the surprise they’ve denied themselves. Actions have consequences. I snooped one year when I was a kid, found all my presents and you know what, I never did it again!

I could never understand as children, my friend and her little brother would hunt down their presents.
It made me feel weirdly sad for them 🥴
My DC have turned out just like me and would be horrified to accidentally come across something.

Yes! Was about to post this! Why on Earth would anyone do this? I just don't get it. Even as a child - why would you want to find the presents before Christmas Day? Couldn't you predict that you'd be ruining your own fun? (SN aside I suppose.) I sound judgy I know... but just ??????

And no I would not replace!

No way I would reward sneak8ng around with more presents.
At this age being overwelmed by the notion of presents and searching the house for them is normal. But you do need to teach them to wait for the day, be patient, keep the surprise and be respectful of storage spaces (it could be bleach or matches or similar....)
I would not punish, but state that what they did is not good and they have spoiled their own surprise. Then give them the very same toys. Not any earlier than Christmas morning.

I definitely wouldn't buy more on principle. Hopefully it's a lesson learned for these kids.

No trait exists in ALL kids, people don't work like that. But it's a perfectly normal trait for children, which was my point.

I used to look for them. I sometimes found some things but my mum used to hide big presents in either the loft, or dad’s workshop, neither of which I could access. All I ever found were smaller stocking type presents.

I can’t believe they got them out and played with them though. That’s a step above just seeing something at the back of the wardrobe. I’d be almost inclined to tell them that they can have what they played with now but there will be less to open on Christmas Day.

Nah, the little blighters will just need to open the ones they have.
...the surprise is ruined now, but due to their own inquisitiveness.

What an insane idea. If They found the gifts, they found the gifts! That’s it. Happy Christmas, it came early. Maybe a good lesson in waiting? No, I would not rebuy gifts, that’s mad and a sure way to raise some bratty, entitled humans.

I wouldn’t replace anything and I doubt I’d bother to re wrap it - they’ve spoilt their own Christmas surprise and hopefully will learn a lesson .

If she has receipts I might send them back and maybe but worse ones so the kids don’t look again.

Let them have everything now and nothing on Xmas day or give them back Xmas day .

I would wrap some empty boxes for them. Certainly would not get replacements.

Empty boxes? That’s just sadistic.

How mean! They're children.

That's twisted and horrible.

I bet you actually wouldn't.

Natural consequence innit?

Go poking about and the magic is ruined.

If she buys a whole new load they don’t learn any lesson.

I have actually let my 10 yo have his main present early as he sort of needs it for a concert (he sort of doesn’t) but it was with a very clear explanation that “the day“ would be less exciting with just smaller/ stocking type presents.

Yeah wrapping empty boxes is going too far.

Why would she replace them, won't they then be disappointed to not get what they're expecting. We must be a strange family because we all hate surprises. My kids couldn't cope with not knowing what they're getting for Christmas, I always show them before I wrap them up. The excitement is the anticipation of playing with it.

Yeah I wouldn’t buy more. Serves the kids right for snooping