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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to open xmas presents one at a time with lots of oohing and aahing rather than just diving in and having it over in 2 seconds

118 replies

morningpaper · 09/12/2008 17:27

DH's family just pile in and rip it all open

We have to open one present at a time and savour the moment

He says we are poncy and middle class

Who is right?

OP posts:
MadreInglese · 09/12/2008 17:28

You are right of course

roundcornvirgin · 09/12/2008 17:29

I'm a ripper opener so I'm on dh's side. Are you poncy and middle class?

FiveGoMadInDorset · 09/12/2008 17:29

My sister and he family all sit around watching each other open one at at time, us we dive on in.

AaliyahsFirstXmas · 09/12/2008 17:29

We do abit of both. We open a few at a time then play with them then open a few more.

I dont think your poncy and middle class but you need a find a middle ground as it cant be all about your way or all about his way.

Good luck cos me and DP are still arguing over how presents will be unwrapped.

Marne · 09/12/2008 17:29

YNBU

We open them one at a time, the dd's will take all day to open theres, dd1 opens one,gets it out the packaging, plays with it and then opens another. It makes christmas last longer.

TheOtherMaryPoppinsJingles · 09/12/2008 17:30

I must be poncey and middle class then. Fancy that

I don't see anything wrong with taking the time to appreciate the gifts you have been given before going on to the next one.

nailpolish · 09/12/2008 17:30

we have turn about opening presents

sit in a circle and take turns

and if someone leaves the room then it is paused

more fun that way and its nice to get excited about other peoples gifts not just your own

of course - dhs turns are always finished WAY before me or the dds are

IdrisTheDragon · 09/12/2008 17:30

You are right. I love savouring the moments

nailpolish · 09/12/2008 17:30

we have turn about opening presents

sit in a circle and take turns

and if someone leaves the room then it is paused

more fun that way and its nice to get excited about other peoples gifts not just your own

of course - dhs turns are always finished WAY before me or the dds are

Hassled · 09/12/2008 17:31

I am poncey and middle class and we dive in there and open everything at once. It's all over in seconds - and I have 4 DCs. Not a class thing, then, more a self-control issue.

PestoHoHoHoMonster · 09/12/2008 17:31

We do ours one at a time. I am the Hander-Outerer. It takes hours

but several glasses of champers seems to help things along a bit

compo · 09/12/2008 17:32

we take turns too
it is hard stopping 4 year old ds opening presents that are for us and dd
someone usually ends up shouting at him

CoolYourJets · 09/12/2008 17:34

We sit round the tree. Each person hands out the gifts they chose and we open them one at a time.

southeastastra · 09/12/2008 17:35

sort of quickly usually, as have to run and start organising the dinner etc.

Ivykaty44 · 09/12/2008 17:36

If your dh wants to get in there and rip it all open - then let him do that, mean while you can sit and savour, appreciate the present one at a time in a civilised manner.

He sound good in bed - can't you convince him to keep the rip it off and get in there - to the bedroom?

MadMarg · 09/12/2008 17:37

Man, my family were lucky if we were actually altogether in the same room as the presents were being opened!

My parents had no real traditions associated with the tree and presents. The only time they got up early for presents was when one of my sisters and I dragged everyone out of bed early enough to do it!

No my DH and I do what his family have done, and that is open one present at a time. The Dad has always been the one who hands the presents out and DH is really looking forward to when DS is old enough to be his helper

stealthsquiggle · 09/12/2008 17:38

MP DH and I had the same "discussion" but for once I put my foot down, held my ground, choose what metaphor you like, but I won

I did lose on the one about unwrapping each present carefully rather than just ripping - but you pick your battles and all that - and DS is now coming round to my way of thinking and driving DH nuts by carefully peeling sellotape and keeping nice paper intact .

slayerette · 09/12/2008 17:43

We do one at a time, appreciating the gift, opening.

AND we don't open until the afternoon!

Poor DS

dingdongmerrilyonpie · 09/12/2008 17:52

oh it's a present ripping frenzy in this house LOL.

Isn't it funny how families are either one group or the other.

queribus · 09/12/2008 17:57

Oh dear - I can't imagine anything worse than sitting round and watching each other open presents! I'm not a good actress and my in-laws buy appalling presents.

I really enjoy watching my DC open their presents, but anything else is overkill IMHO.

Miggsie · 09/12/2008 17:57

I knew 2 children who got up at the crack of dawn, opened their stockings (pillow cases) and then opened all the presents under the tree...before the paretns were concious!

My family is the "wait till 11am, open the choccie biccies, then sit in a circle, youngest child hands out each present solemnly, everyone sits there with a growing heap of presents, then each present is opened with grown ups saying thank you and desperately writing on the children's gift tags what was from who!"

I am always last to finish present opening.

ELMOchristmascountdown · 09/12/2008 17:57

ripping open in a frenzy 1 at a time.

Pixel · 09/12/2008 17:58

We are a 'sitting down after dinner with a drink and opening one at a time' family (which includes in-laws/grandparents etc). Dd enjoys her job as chief hander-outer. Mind you, dcs do have a stocking in the morning with lots of little gifts to unwrap so they aren't completely deprived of 'diving in' thrills!

TeenyTinyTorya · 09/12/2008 17:58

My family have always opened them one at a time, so you can write down who got what for thanking purposes, and so you can appreciate them as well.

We got presents from mum and dad in the morning, and then opened the ones from relatives after lunch.

dingdongmerrilyonpie · 09/12/2008 18:00

Miggsie, are those 2 children mine by any chance