Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

When do you do presents on Christmas day?

57 replies

nessica · 10/12/2014 12:30

Just that really?!?!...

Do you do stockings on the bed or by the fireplace - if by the fireplace are the children allowed to go down to just get the stocking and back up to your bed to open it or do you get out of bed and start the present craziness first thing?!?! Grin

What about the rest of the presents?!? Do you just let the kids let rip with everything and open it all first thing or do you space out FC presents and your own presents throughout the day?

OP posts:
IneedAwittierNickname · 10/12/2014 12:33

Stockings on the end of the bed (ds1s is outside his door as he doesn't like the thought of FC coming in his room - which he shares with Ds2 Confused ) However they are opened in my room no earlier than 7.30

Then 1 present before church and the rest gradually throughout the day.

IneedAwittierNickname · 10/12/2014 12:33

Oh and FC only fills stockings here

NorwaySpruce · 10/12/2014 12:35

Stockings by the tree, because we stupidly bought ones with jingly bells on - that doesn't work out so well in the dead of night Xmas Grin.

They tend to open stuff first thing, but are slow openers, so there are still gifts left in the evening (they only get 6 or so in total - they are really slow!).

There is no distinction made between stocking/main presents, they just open whatever cones to hand first - stockings could easily contain a coveted video game for example.

MizK · 10/12/2014 12:38

We do stockings on the end of beds, they usually all get in with us to open them. Then they brush teeth, wash faces etc and straight down to open presents.

We then dress, have breakfast and go to my gran's house where the extended family have a huge gift swapping session. It's v intense and busy and the children get too much I think, but they love it.

The stash of new things means that they are happily busy while I cook lunch so it works for us!

CMOTDibbler · 10/12/2014 12:39

Theres only the three of us, and not many presents, so we open them first thing in our bed

MegBusset · 10/12/2014 12:39

Stockings in kids' rooms, they can be opened first thing to buy us another 20 minutes in bed

Then showers/coffee/breakfast.

Then tree presents opened in a massive frenzy

Boomtownsurprise · 10/12/2014 12:41

A stocking from FC at their bedroom door/bed end.

Rest downstairs. Gives you a few more mins in bed....

pigwitch · 10/12/2014 12:42

Stockings and main presents area all in the lounge. We get up, have breakfast and then the children can open their presents.

ItMustBeBedtimeSurely · 10/12/2014 12:43

Stocking first thing, in our bed, then everybody gets dressed and has breakfast (mainly chocolate for the children of I'm honest!) then tree presents after that. We take turns to open, dd1 is in charge of handing them out. It's lovely.

LittleRedDinosaur · 10/12/2014 12:43

Stocking first thing in bed then up and dressed and breakfast then tree presents. (Flipping love Christmas)

CantBeBotheredThinking · 10/12/2014 12:46

Stocking from fc on the end of the bed for when they wake up. Presents under the tree are from people and are left till everyone is up and had breakfast, dressed etc

NoLongerJustAShopGirl · 10/12/2014 12:49

Open presents when everyone is up.... there are 2 teenagers in the house so I can get on with "stuff" for a couple of hours first thing - bliss.....

Agrestic · 10/12/2014 12:49

Stockings opened together at breakfast.

Presents opened at 4/5pm after lunch.

OldAntiquity · 10/12/2014 12:55

Pillow case at the end of the bed with presents, stockings by fire with chocs/fruit/sweets and a silly little present. Then breakfast and get ready, then tree presents taken in turns to open.

MonstersBalls · 10/12/2014 13:00

Am I the only person on mn not to do stockings? It certainly seems it. My dc come downstairs to find out if he's been and see a plié of presents spilling out of sacks.

I also don't allow them downstairs until at least 8. Smile

momofmonster · 10/12/2014 13:03

DS opens his stocking in the morning - after cuddles and seeing that santa has put presents under the tree too.

The rest of the presents get opened after breakfast once family has arrived as everyone likes to be there whilst ds opens his presents.

WhispersOfWickedness · 10/12/2014 13:08

Stockings in our bed first thing. FC only brings gifts in stockings.
Then up for breakfast, get showered/dressed and down for presents by the tree (If DM is coming, we will wait for her ??). That is probably about 10 or 10.30 Smile
DH cooks Christmas dinner, he pops in and out to watch present opening as necessary. Dinner around 2-4pm, all the times inbetween are spent constructing toys/playing with toys etc. We watch a Christmassy film at about 4pm. DC will be 3 and 5 this year.
Ah, lovely, I can't wait Smile

WhispersOfWickedness · 10/12/2014 13:10

Monsters - stockings exist for the sole purpose of allowing parents to slob out relax in bed until a reasonable time of the morning, something to keep excitable DC occupied Grin

MisguidedGhost · 10/12/2014 13:13

Stockings are put at the end of beds, then they'll open them in our room. Then its down for breakfast, after that we'll shower/get dressed. Then they open their present from Santa each and then open the tree gifts from us. I love the idea of spreading them out throughout the day though.. but I don't trust DDs (3&5) not to just open them anyway! I bloody love Xmas eeeeek Xmas Smile

AdventCaroline · 10/12/2014 13:14

Stockings first thing. The DC usually wait for us to get up before opening anything.

Presents under the tree after lunch, so about 4pm, unless a giver feels a particular present might come in useful Wink earlier.

DuckandCat · 10/12/2014 13:15

DC are only 2 and 3 weeks old, so this is what I'm planning/ what I did when little!

Wake up and all head downstairs to see if 'he has been'.
Stockings by the fire and opened as and when amongst other gifts.
All presents are opened in pyjamas (can't believe people shower etc first Shock)

oneflewoutofthecrazynest · 10/12/2014 13:16

I have never done a stocking for ds and he is 5. I was not brought up getting a stocking just a santa sack under the tree and that is what i do for ds Smile

WhereDidTheYearsGo · 10/12/2014 13:19

Grin At Monsters' plié of presents!!

HappyJustToBe · 10/12/2014 13:21

Stocking and FC present when DD wakes up. Presents under tree after the Queen's Speech as per my DM's upbringing. Not fussed by the speech but it keeps the excitement going.

MinnieM1 · 10/12/2014 13:21

Stockings are hung on the outside of bedroom doors and brought in our room in the morning, they open then on our bed while we have a brew and DC's have a hot choc
Then downstairs for breakfast, then into the playroom for presents (Santa leaves them under their tree)
Then an hour or so to play before we all get dressed and go to family/family start to arrive
Can't believe people get dressed before presents, some of the best photos I've got of DC are the ones in their Xmas pjs, with hair stuck up all over the place and huge grins on their faces opening presents!