Not to buy new wrapping paper for SC?

[readystdygo]

Every year I buy new wrapping paper for my two kids. I wrap each kids in different paper so they can tell whos is whos.

I then wrap my step childs in whatever paper I have left. Step child is not here on christmas day.

I was discussing this with a friend and she said its wrong that step child dont get new paper too? I cant see how it makes any difference?

isn‘t this making a mountain out of a molehill?

OP colour codes her wrapping so those there on Christmas Day can see at a glance which presents belong to them.

SC isn’t there on Christmas Day, so doesn’t need their own colour. There is unused paper left over to wrap SC‘s presents nicely. Presumably these stocks of paper are used for anyone else not at the mass opening on Christmas Day.

I‘d also ask to what extent any of the children pay attention to the wrapping…

FWIW I use labels because I like to finish one roll of paper before starting another. Whoever gets wrapped last may not even get Christmas paper

Santa wraps in different paper in our house. Presents from Santa have a paper with a picture of Santa on it and it's different for each child. We also wrap the presents from us in a specific paper like op does. Makes it easy to identify who'd are who's. The older ones/ adults get labels, the little ones don't.

Wow, first world problems. For a child that won't even notice the wrapping paper ......

You don't have to "do labels". We literally write the person's initials on the paper when we wrap so you know whose it's whose. I think it's mad to buy new paper, but also if you are doing that for your DC then you should do it for your DSC.

For the sake of a fiver- tenner just get the step child their own colour wrapping paper. This is a tradition in our house blue for the son and red for the girl, purple for the doggie. Make them part of the tradition doesn’t matter if they are there or not.

Tbh different wrapping paper makes it easier to tell whose is whose surely? I’d likely buy a different t one just for that reason but I’m disorganised so I do things like that to make life easier.

No, step child isn't here on xmas day so there's stay in a bag hidden away until they arrive and then I put them under the tree before they get here.
Dad normally takes the others with them so I'm on my own when i do it.

I think the crucial point here is whether or not the stepchild knows the difference. If it’s obvious to them that you are lovingly choosing wrapping paper to reflect your children’s tastes and they are getting the leftovers, then I think for the price of a few pounds I would buy extra wrapping paper that is personal to the stepchild. If they really have no idea and don’t care, then go ahead and use what you’ve got.

What a bizarre thing to say ! Of course she treats her children differently to her children! Because one set are HER children and the others aren’t !! How have we come to this place where make crap up just because someone deemed it should be so. The ONLY person with a moral responsibility to treat both sets of children the same is the partner of the OP if he is also father of her children. Other than that she needs to be kind and welcoming.
My husband had 4 kids from his first marriage who we saw every other weekend. This was the norm in the 90s/00’s . Even this required an epic battle through the courts - but for me to pretend I treated them the same as my own would be utterly ridiculous. They were lovely kids and great adults now , I enjoy their company. They visit a lot so I presume they enjoy ours .. but no, what I do for mine, the effort I put in and the lengths I will go to for my own kids is far greater than I would do for SC and if step parents should be honest on here and admit it - and stop this stupid politically correct crap that dictates that marrying a man with kids means you MUST adore and treat them exactly as you have given birth to them . That duty falls to the father if he’s father to both .. and works in exactly the same way if he is only father to the OPs SC. HE should be making them feel special. Not the SM job !

@Fishingboatbobbingnight the OP made it clear that Christmas gifting is a joint effort between her and her DH, and that it just so happens that buying the wrapping paper is her job. No one is suggesting she should be facilitating the entire Christmas experience for her DH's child...

Surely kids don’t give a stuff about the wrapping just what’s inside!

I think this is fine- different paper is actually more interesting if you are looking at a pile of presents and there is no point in wasting it. You aren't treating them differently in a way they will even notice I expect- mine couldn't tell you what paper the presents had on as they are so busy tearing it off 😂

Exactly. Anyone who complains about this is just thinking of their own hurt adult feelings eg the thought of it “happening” to their own child who has a SM. It’s wrapping paper and their child won’t care, so it’s all about hurt mummy feelings rather than anything else.

It doesn't make a difference. It's so the kids can easily identify which presents are theirs. SC isn't there Xmas say so her/his presents won't be under the tree with the others anyway.

This is crazy. I mean really fucking crazy. Of course it makes no difference whatsoever whether you use different paper for SC. They would have absolutely no idea anyway as they are not there when the other kids open theirs. You're friend, quite frankly, sounds like a fucking idiot.

I have honestly never known a single child that gave a shiny shit about wrapping paper.

The OP gets different paper for her kids so they know whose presents are whose, that's not an issue for SC so it's irrelevant. Crazy people suggesting SC needs his very own paper each year. None of the kids probably even look at it.

OP what do you do with the rest of the paper? It sounds really wasteful would be my concern.

Meh I buy different paper for my kids (and by different I mean one will be blue with christmas trees, one red stars and one silver 'merry Christmas' etc... so all visually different at a glance) purely to easily tell them apart on Christmas morning when we are picking them out in turn to open.

Some years I have reused left overs from previous years if there is enough and every year I wrap everyone else's presents in the old left overs as they aren't their on Christmas morning so it doesn't matter what paper is used.

Its done for practical issues not to be 'special'.

This thread is a shining example of how strangely people view things as soon as the word “step” is mentioned on MN. I’ve never came across it in real life.
“Mustn’t just buy your own child a pair of trainers when they need them. You must buy your SC trainers too whether they need them or not, else you’re treating them differently/othering them/scarring them for life.”
“Mustn’t treat your DC to a Happy Meal while DSC are with their mum, not fair for them to miss out. You must either do a hour round trip to collect them or don’t go at all.”
God help the in laws who don’t think of a child they have met twice as being equal to their own grandchildren. And on and on it goes.
Now it’s the turn of wrapping paper to come under scrutiny, as if the child in question gives a shit 😒
People can become resentful and burn out having to question and doubt every little thing. This amount of handwringing is not healthy or normal.

Not a big deal to use different paper for each of the children living in the same house so the presents are clearly visually distinct on Christmas morning. I do this with my son and husband. People that don't live here get whatever's left, depending on whether they are an adult or a child.

Not a big deal using whatever's left to wrap step-child's present as they aren't opening the presents in the same room and so those gifts don't need that visual distinctness. I assume that if step-child was with you on christmas morning, they'd get a third paper type, for ease.

Not a big deal to buy new paper every year if you use last year's up.

Really wasteful if you buy new wrapping every year for the sake of it, and the novelty of a new theme.

She buys the 2 different papers so she knows who the presents are for. Not for a theme.

It sounds like your friend has misunderstood and thinks DSC’s presents are wrapped in scratty old leftovers and reused paper.

For the sake of a couple of quid I think I’d buy a different roll for your DSC as well going forwards, even if it’s only you that knows your system. They’d feel a bit rubbish if they do ever find out.

Considering you buy the SC multiple presents it would make sense to buy them their own paper too rather than treating them like an after though. I don't think it’s a big deal but it’s odd to do it for your kids but not SC when all get multiple presents.

Yeah my step mothers made far more effort to include me than my actual deadbeat father but they are NOT my mam, never will be and it would be insulting to try.

I got along with them fine but they where more like an 'aunt who married your uncle' than a parent. I didn't ever expect them to treat me the same as their biological children who they where the full time mother of (and my mother didn't even know their kids so they where never included in my maternal side, why would they, so we where never going to be treat 'the same').

Their was no hurt feelings over this, they owed me nothing, I'm not their kid and after my dad ditched them I never saw them again.

People on here are nuts! Would start a fight in an empty room

OP what you do is normal. I wouldnt worry SC aren't going to grow up crack heads because you didnt use seperate paper. I do the same as you with 4 kids getting different wrapping paper as I can't be arsed with tags, although not with step kids but whatever is left I use for everyone elses presents

So? There's a reason why. It's just wrapping paper for God sake, people get so ridiculous over step kids being treated identically. Continue as you are OP and don't waste paper pandering to this insanity.