Before you wrap up those toys

[TheHouseofMirth]

do yourself a huge favour and remove all the evil twisty ties. There is no fun in grappling with them early on Christmas morning.

Good point well made. They are the work of evil demented Christmas bastards - last year we had something that required a tiny screwdriver, just to get it out of the packaging, and which of course I couldn't find.

I want to get back to wrapping etc but I keep hearing DS2 cough. As soon as it's out of the cupboard he'll come downstairs, I know.

Possibly the best Christmas advice ever, coupled with the annual battery shopping trip in readiness for relatives who buy toys but no batteries or toys that consume them at a rate of knots.

Batteries!!! ooops. Thanks Haribojoe.

I bought DD a Barbie camper van (about 20 years ago). A friend who'd already bought one advised me to put the stickers on first. There were sheets of them and it literally took hours.

Excellent point re stickers marriednotmulled.

zandy every year once xmas shopping is completed I go out and but loads of batteries of every variety, would rather have them sitting in the cupboard unused than the pain in the arse upset of DC with new toy that doesn't work.

strike out didn't work . Can you tell I'm new at this?

You need to strike out each word individually. Took me a while too.

check that they work!! We took ds present out of the box (to get rid of all those wire thingys) to find that the talking part of the talking Thomas set only works on one of the destinations not the second.

Not going to ruin Christmas as he doesn't even know that it will talk, but saves on the arguements between me and dh as to whether the other one has done something wrong!

Have complained and arranging courier exchange of said faulty item, but not until New Year grrrrr.

I agree, also assemble some presents so they are ready to play with. One year we bought ds a huge Thomas set and would have made Christmas Day so much easier if we had set it up so he could play with it right away.

Yep. Unpack, assemble, add batteries, do stickers.

Also read the instructions or make sure you know how it works, in the case of more complicated toys/games as they get older. So that when you have several children grabbing the toy/game shouting "what does it do?" you already know. (You can tell that I spent last Christmas Day trying failing to transform a Transformer)

Great advice. I took all of the stocking presents out of cardboard/plastic etc last night all ready to go in, and our Christmas Eve will be spent building a balance bike for DS and a doll swing for DD - accompanied by a bottle of wine. Surely that is what Christmas Eve is for?? Although saying that not too much wine as I have very distinct memories of my much wanted Sindy house (built by parents as above, with a bit too much wine perhaps) falling apart on Christmas Day!!

Ooo birdy, was it the Sindy house with the lift? You have just brought back my best ever christmas memory. Aah, that flimsy wonky three storey pent house was the finest thing...

Which is why I spent 3 hours yesterday setting up DD's Wii at my mum's house

I loved that Sindy house, my sister and I got it one year. My poor Dad was up until 4 am putting it together only for us to wake him up at six!

The lift always broke though.

Arghh! We still have to put this together and, according to product reviews, glue the bits into place. Otherwise the roofs fall off the sheds and suchlike. Very frustrating for a toddler!

I've already cut open the hermetically-sealed packaging for his Thomas trains that Father Christmas is giving him - he is young enough not to want toys in shiny packaging!

God, and last year we spent a full three hours on Christmas Eve putting a wooden kitchen together for DS. Had the tv on and a few glasses, but even so...

My Mum thought she was doing well putting the batteries in the Furby the night before.

She was still trying to shut it up at 2am

@ Edu

Anyone know anything about DSi's? We have one for DS, all DH has done so far is charge up the battery. Shall we work out the rest together on Christmas morning or is there anything we should do ahead?

btw Congrats Reshape saw your news on another thread. What flavour?

oh my god marriednotmulled I had one of those campervans!! My mum stuck the stickers on however my step sisters mum did not stick the stickers on hers....cue her arriving at our house still unable to play with the campervan and me and my stepdad having to help put the stickers on-always remember it took aaaages!!

Batteries must remember them tomorrow! Need 14 just for buzz lightyear

Eh ?? Does your Buzz not come with batteries ??

I would recommend some rechargable batteries if you can possibly stretch to it, it works out so much cheaper in the long run.

If I had to buy batteries for dd's glowing menagerie every couple of weeks I'd have to cut down drastically on wine.

Not according to the website

?Batteries required: 11 x AA (not included) plus 3 x AAA (not included)

Think it should for the price it was lol

The Sindy house with the lift! That was AMAZING!

Once charged, DSi should be easy enough taffeta.