Do you put presents under the tree before Christmas eve?

[OvO]

I remember presents being put under the tree a week or more before and all the fun of squishing/shaking them.

But I've always waited and put everything out once my boys are in bed on Christmas eve. Presents sent from family/friends get put under the tree whenever they arrive though.

I'd like to put EVERYTHING out early because I'm a wrapping saddo and make all the parcels all pretty and would like to enjoy the nice chismassy scene. But my children are evil not to be trusted! I think they'd peek.

Do you put yours out early and do your DC snoop? A shake is allowed but no sneaky peeling of cellotape!

[42notTrendy]

I think in our house, and as I was growing up, Santa was the ordering and delivery man really. You had to tell Santa what you'd like and he would decide if you we're good enough and if he could get it. Then it would be delivered on behalf of Aunty/grandma etc.

[Mojavewonderer]

Depends on who's turn it is to have the kids. If it's my ex's turn then all presents go under the tree before and they take them with them when their dad picks them up and they open them with dad. If the kids are with me at Christmas then they get put out on Christmas Eve. They have to wait for their dads presents on Boxing Day which kills them lol

[PractialJoke]

My parents and grandparents always had an almost paranoid fear of burglars at Christmas. Presents remained well hidden until Christmas morning. FC presents went at the end of the beds during the night, everything else was put under the tree in the morning.

I do the same, as I'd feel so stupid if we did get "done" after all those years of warnings.

[pookamoo]

It wasn't until MN that I learned about all these different Santa/FC traditions.

In our house (and in mine growing up too) FC just brings the stockings.

Everything else comes from family/friends, and we put it "in a safe place" until after the DC are in bed on Christmas Eve. Our presents to them, the "main present" is under our bed for the early morning onslaught! Stockings and main present can be opened before breakfast, other presents have to wait.

We also stagger presents over the 12 days of Christmas, rather than a huge free-for-all...

[NeverQuiteSure]

I think it's wonderful how everyone's Christmas rituals differ and I love lade's joke present.

Our Christmas is slightly different as we celebrate on Christmas Day and again on Boxing Day with DSS and the rest of our extended family. Family bring gifts with them on Boxing Day and us grown ups only exchange small gifts, like books. The children make gifts for everyone, and since everyone comes to ours on Boxing Day, we put all these gifts under our tree. From a shallow perspective, I love this as the gift wrap is all coordinated and tasteful On Christmas Eve Father Christmas visits and delivers small gifts to the children's admittedly generously proportioned stockings. DH & I buy each child 1 gift that we put under the tree on Christmas Eve to open on Christmas Day. I also make a little something for the two younger children to share (play food, etc)

On Boxing Day DSS and the rest of our family arrive late morning, all bearing gifts. These gifts go under the tree for all of 30 mins then everything is exchanged and unwrapped.