About when to open Christmas presents?

[milkysallgone]

I genuinely have no idea if I would be or not, so...

Most years we see BIL at some point before Christmas and this is when we exchange gifts. Now in previous years I have asked that our dcs don't open their gifts from them until the Christmas day; though I know he would quite like to see them opened i.e before Christmas.

So AIBU to ask that the dcs wait? BIL has seemed a tad disappointed in the past and I don't want to come across as being anal about it!

What do you reckon?

i let dd open gifts from people who are not going to be there on xmas day, the person that bought the gift likes to see the reaction.

YABU (a bit). BIL would probably love to see your dc's faces as they open their gifts from him. It seems a shame to deny him that pleasure.

I am assuming they will have plenty of other pressies to open on Christmas day itself.

Let them open the presents early in front of BIL. He'll love it, and they will get the chance to say thank you straight away.

I think if he is the giver, it is up to him when said gifts are opened. If he's put thought into buying gifts, then it's understandable that he'd like to be there to see the gifts opened.

I would let the kids open their gifts in front of BIL so he can enjoy watching them. Also, there can be so much on Christmas day that younger kids don't always remember who different things are from. We used to always let our kids open the parcel from (overseas) grandparents when it arrived - they always remembered what the grandparents had sent and it was a real treat to get pre-Christmas presents.

i prefer to keep all presents for christmas day too - but if you think it would really make bil happy to see them opened earlier, then i dont suppose it would matter too much if they opened just that one early.

i think it's ok to let htem open them early.
my best friend and I always exchange fgifts on christmas eve, and so now I have children they get theirs then as well.
it's nice to have a little something early

I think YABU - I think you shouldn't deny the pleasure to someone that has chosen and wrapped, etc, gifts.

i think your bil is being unreasoanble. who is the child here?

I always had it dinned into me that you Do Not Open Presents Before Christmas Day, because it was bad luck (?). I don't think YABU at all - I would be the same.

Close family IMO get the pleasure of seeing them open them, friends or extended family don't.

This may sound a bit prescriptive but for example, my dad won't be there on Christmas day, he is close to the children and puts a lot of thought into their gifts. He also will have a lasting memory of his grandchildren appreciating his time and effort!

However, my friend also won't be there on Christmas day, she will have bought a nice gift with a little thought but mostly just because she is my friend. She will not carry a memoiry with her of how little X looked when s/he opened the special gift she found.

I would say that your childrens uncle deserves to have the momories of his nephews/nieces opening the gifts he bought for them! They beauty of Santa id that there are a whole heap of ways to explain anomolies and there is no way you can be proven wrong! How about, Oh look Santa asked Uncle X to pick out a few special gifts for you to have today as you are not going to see each other on Christmas day...

Thank you all, it seems I am being a bit of a meanie not letting him see them open them. I will reform and spread the joy this year!

I don't think you're unreasonable, but I can see his side too. It's your decision, your children, at the end of the day and you have the final say.

Our family sends presents to Father Christmas, so if we get a present early it was either not being sent to Father Christmas or our parents sent it.

Mum said to me the other day "well, we did send them to him, we sent them to the loft", one year she sent them to her parents and my granddad decided to deliver them dressed as FC making a big noise as he came in!

We have a family Christmas and dd has always waited for nanny and aunty Julie to come to the house before she opens her pressies. I told the ageing rellies it might not stay that way forever, but dd is 7 and shows no signs of wanting to change the tradition.

She normally opens one present in the morning before everyone comes and that keeps her occupied and gives her something to show off.

It's nice if the kids are up for it, but if not, it's an added stress you don't need.