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Christmas

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Original poster

When do your children open their 'big' present?

16 replies

BowlFullofJelly · 26/10/2016 13:21

For the first year both DCs have a WOW present they both want. We normally save the main present until last so they show some interest in the other pressies first. It's our first Christmas at home just the 4 of us, so thinking maybe they get the big one first, as less pressure to get other gifts open. How do you find it works best? DC are 6 and 3

OP posts:
2anddone · 26/10/2016 18:58

Dc ask for 3 things from Santa. One appears in the stocking (either as overflow or inside if it fits), one is under the tree and one magics itself under the conservatory tree over dinner. Depending on what they are depends on when they get given (for example last year's iPad came at end of the day so dc didn't spend rest of the day ignoring us!!)

Leanin15yearsmaybe · 26/10/2016 19:04

Big ones last! I hid the big Ones round the back of the tree last year and said casually, oh wait there's more under there. They were ecstatic. Although ds1 had to wait for a while as ds2 was so chuffed with a cheap human anatomy book a great aunt had given him he was poring over it for 20 minutes! ......He loved that more than his tablet Hmm

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 26/10/2016 20:14

DS heads for the one shaped most like the one he's asked Santa for. We don't mind, he's always got a few surprises including something he'd liked but not put on his letter to Santa, so opening his main present early doesn't spoil the present excitement.

altik · 26/10/2016 20:26

Definitely big one last... because then they want to play with it!

mathanxiety · 27/10/2016 05:05

I always put all the gifts out under the tree, big, small, whatever. Then they could do whatever they like with them, played with them in whatever order they wanted. They were their gifts after all.

I never wrapped Christmas gifts. Too many children, too little patience. Also, they didn't need any more winding up to high pitch than strictly necessary. Christmas is exciting enough without piling a frenzy of unwrapping on top of the magic of Santa's midnight visit.

They are all much older now, but I still put their gifts out under the tree, unwrapped.

SpringerS · 27/10/2016 09:25

Santa leaves all his gifts out under the tree and they are seen straight away. Santa's big gift has been longed for, for weeks/months/(since Jan 3rd in our case this year!) and getting it first thing in the morning is the pay off for all the waiting.

Christmas is exciting enough without piling a frenzy of unwrapping on top of the magic of Santa's midnight visit.

I do the same but for the opposite reason. I think there is nothing more exciting than walking into the livingroom and BOOM everything is in front of you. Your eyes don't know what to look at first, you touch each thing for a second or two, you get captivated by one thing for a few minutes and then realise you hadn't even noticed the big thing right in front of you. It's just crazy insane excitement for 15 minutes-ish, then checking what's in the stocking after the initial high of seeing the big presents is almost a wind down. Meaning that it's time for a chilled out, satisfying play while breakfast is prepared. It's so very, very exciting and eking it out for an hour of unwrapping seems boring by comparison.

Original poster
BowlFullofJelly · 27/10/2016 09:59

Hmm, mixed messages here Smile. I've got to admit I can't imagine not wrapping the presents, though I do get your logic!

OP posts:
OvOntToSuckYourBlood · 27/10/2016 12:58

About 7pm.

All other presents are opened when we get up but the 'big' presents gets left until very last. This means they spend the day enjoying their other gifts and interacting with everyone else. If they got their main thing early on we'd be ignored the rest of the day! Xmas Grin

We don't eat until about 5pm so the present appears by magic under the tree after dinner and games. Makes for a nice quiet evening as they are engrossed in the new toy/gadget!

CharminglyGawky · 27/10/2016 13:15

The wow present was always left until last. In fact wherever possible the wow present is not under the tree but revealed about half an hour after all present unwrapping has finished and you think everything is over.

As kids get older and more able to still appreciate all gifts no matter the wow factor it was relaxed. My cousins are now old enough to still be thrilled with a scarf from a shop they like and a tube of jelly beans even if it's the present opened directly after a new iPhone for example. When they were 5 the joint present of a wii was far too exciting to have anything to open afterwards!

On the other hand something not very easy to wrap might be done as a grand reveal first thing. Like a bike with a bow on it or a trampoline in the garden, but I don't think those sorts of things are as distracting especially if they are outside and it's cold!

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 27/10/2016 13:21

Big wow presents come after the others, usually. DSs are 8 and 4, and the big wow presents have been joint ones (trampoline, playhouse) - so they open their present piles from various people (in a foreign country, so have presents from family back in the UK as well) first, and in an orderly fashion so that family in UK can join in on Skype (poor buggers, no spontaneity here!!) and then breakfast. Oh no, actually they do get to open their stockings first, forgot that! Stockings, then family presents, then big wow presents. Work their way up, so to speak Grin

chocolatesprouts · 27/10/2016 19:30

Big ones last in the pile, we saved them until after Dinner last year went down like a lead balloon as eldest thought he didn't get the thing he'd wanted most 🙄

Fueledwithfairydustandgin · 27/10/2016 19:46

For me the magic is Santa bringing a room full of surprises. I didn't need my presents staggered I played with everything eventually and I wouldn't have liked to have spent the whole of Christmas Day without the thing I wanted the most. DS is only 2.5 but last year we spent most of Christmas morning playing with a tractor and some little dinosaurs and a helium balloon. Didn't bother with his big presents for ages. It didn't bother me at all. It's his Christmas Day so he should do what makes him happy

WordGetsAround · 27/10/2016 19:47

Afte lunch and at the end - usually around 4pm.

oobedobe · 27/10/2016 20:33

We do stockings (which are sacks, so decent amount of fun gifts, knickknacks and chocs/treats etc), on waking up.

Then we do all other gifts from us (including their main gifts) and family at a civilised hour - this is usually once we have all had breakfast, got dressed, I have done kitchen prep and it is time to start on the buck fizz and snacks. this is probably 11ish.

It is pretty laid back, kids are not allowed to rip everything open in 30 seconds. We take it in turns to get presents to hand out and all watch each other open them, then there are delays for building toys etc.

I don't like making young kids wait until after dinner (remember my parents doing this once), but also don't like it to be a rushed affair.

Juanbablo · 28/10/2016 14:03

Santa sack first thing. Breakfast and dressed then presents under the tree. One of which is their "big" present from us.

AmeliaJack · 28/10/2016 14:09

All presents are wrapped and they open them in any order they like.

One of mine starts small and works up the other does the reverse. I can't imagine dictating what order they open presents in! Or making them wait all day for their present.

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