How do work it with presents on Christmas morning...

[Nessica]

I'm pretty sure I'm getting myself into a complete pickle over this but ideas/advice greatly received!

DT's are nearly 10 and I definitely think this is the last year of the big FC... so want to make it special. So, I've got them some very cool stunt scooters as their main present that they really want and know they will love.

My lovely parents are also buying the boys very cool new mountain bikes (their current ones far too small!) that they have no idea they are getting and a complete surprise, which they will also love!

Problem is that my parents live abroad so I'm having to get the bikes a hide them (somehow!) before the big day. The local bike shop can keep them until Christmas Eve and I'm not sure whether to give the bikes to the DT's then or wait until Christmas Morning... If I do that how on earth do I present it all on the morning as I want everything to be an amazing surprise but also don't want anything overshadowed or it all to be too much.

So then lovely fellow festive mumsnetters how do I do I present the ermm presents (we have no room for both bikes, scooters and other presents in the house at the same time btw)

Thanks!

Friendly neighbour with a garage? As the bikes are from grandparents you could retrieve them once they are up on Christmas morning.

Can you open the scooters and other presents first, then go to stick the kettle on at some point and wheel bikes into garden or somewhere, then shout out - look what you've missed!

Once they have opened some presents, they will be distracted, so will give you a bit of leeway for prepping the next bit.

My mum was in hospital over Christmas when I was small. I came in to see her and told her what Santa brought. She kept saying "Oh lovely, anything else?". My dad had forgotten to show me my main present - a Wendy house in the garden! We came home and dad looked out the window all surprised, saying "Oh wow look at this!". Was awesome.

Enjoy your Christmas OP - sounds like you'll have some very excited and happy kids.

I can hide them in the shed that's not a problem, it's just when to give them to the boys that I can't work out.. do I just show them everything first thing on the day or will they be more likely to be surprised and wowed if I eek it all out?!?!

can you pull one/ both sofas forward a little bit and park thebikes behind them? (I remember my parents doing this for me and my brother!)

If it's the last year with santa it HAS to be all at once present overload!!

Thanks Werewolf... That sounds like a brilliant idea. No doubt the boys will be scoffing chocolate so I could easily distract them! I just want it to be really special for them as am a huge Christmas fan myself and love seeing them happy!

Haha Joyce the bikes are pretty big so no hiding possible tho I like your style!

..or park the bikes in their bedrooms so they see them as soon as they wake up,race down for presents and then they get scooters too! that wouldbe fab,especially if you have more time than sense got glitter to make santas footsteps up the stairs to their rooms!

I remember when me, my sister and 2 brothers got our bikes. We had opened all our presents that morning and thought that was it. We were not allowed in the kitchen that morning but it was put down to our step-dad sorting the dinner out. Nothing unusual about that. By 1/2 o'clock I asked to quickly get a drink, cue our stepdad saying we can all get one. Cue us all going into 4 new bikes all lined up in size order with our younger brothers being the smallest with his training wheels on it. Could you do something like that and hide them until later in the afternoon. I know it made it more special for us not having them with all the others in the morning.

One of few Christmas presents I remember as a kid was a bike when I was 10. My mum did a treasure hunt round the house for it (it was in the spare room in the end), could you do something like that, but leading to the garage/shed?
It was amazing

Yes! I'd do a festive treasure hunt (little piece of chocolate with each clue?) and end up with the bikes in the shed

I'd also eke out the magic with a break between present sessions, so I'd probably have the treasure hunt after Christmas dinner as an extra special surprise.

And don't forget to properly wrap them up, with a huge bow at the top

When my DSis and I had bikes as a present, my Dad hid them in the shed and when we'd opened all the other presents, my Dad just casually mentioned that we'd missed a present - he'd put them in the dining room whilst we were in a frenzy in the front room. I have very few memories of him in our family home (nasty divorce just after I turned 6) But I remember this very well.

We made a string trail round the house when we gave DD1 her bike. Could you do that, but have the string attached to a label or tag, going out of the window (you could trap it in the closed window) and down the garden to the shed?

Ooh this has just reminded me of one of our best Wow present as kids when my parents drew back the curtains to reveal our brand new bikes parked up on the patio!
It was properly magical !