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Christmas

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

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Original poster

when do you do presents on The Day?

74 replies

Slartybartfast · 19/12/2017 07:31

we normally do stockings and presents after the meal, which is at 3 or 4
but this year we are eating at someones house?

what does everyone do?

OP posts:

LadyB49 · 20/12/2017 00:46

Open pressies before breakfast and then tea and toast. Any other gifts that might arrive during the day get opened as and when.

Today, reading this thread, is the first I've heard about saving opening until after lunch or evening.

Haudyerwheesht · 20/12/2017 00:53

Stockings then breakfast then family presents. Sometimes leave a couple til after dinner.

Desmondo2016 · 20/12/2017 00:58

Stockings over breakfast. Immediate family tree presents after breakfast. Extended family presents after the Queens Speech

GrockleBocs · 20/12/2017 01:02

Stockings for dc first thing.
A present about 10ish
One before each course at lunch.
Finally open the rest about 3 or 4 ish.
We've always done it this way but we have a dc with autism and they can't cope with it in one huge pile so it works for them.

MiniMum97 · 20/12/2017 01:12

I'm not posh and always done stockings first thing - get to play with all that stuff and then tree presents after dinner. Otherwise you get present fatigue.

Juanbablo · 20/12/2017 04:53

Santa sacks first thing. Kids usually up 6:30ish. Then breakfast, showers and open the presents under the tree about 10 or 11am. They get drip fed presents over the next few days when we see more family.

Situp · 20/12/2017 05:04

As kids we always did stockings first things and tree presents after Christmas lunch. Then one year, one SIL was cooking lunch and it ended up not being ready until 7pm. DSIS wouldn't let her lids open any presents until after dinner as per tradition so the poor thinks were opening presents at half 8 and then Had to go straight home to bed
Made me realise that these traditions are fine but we need to be flexible.

DH has always done all theirs in the morning so we do that. Mind you, we don't do a big event, the kids just open them as they feel like it so it can often be over the space of hours as they stop to play with things.

Situp · 20/12/2017 05:05

My autocorrect is so shit

Findingross · 20/12/2017 05:56

For us it is stockings in the morning, before breakfast, with the main present opening after lunch. This tradition came from my husband’s family.
Children are all now late teens/early 20’s, but they love it as for them it makes the magic of Christmas last longer.
Still do stockings and they still get very excited.

ImogenTubbs · 20/12/2017 06:02

Growing up we always had stockings in the morning and then waited until after lunch to do the rest of the presents. I loved it. This year with DD (aged 4) we are spending Christmas with DH's family and the plan is to let DD and her cousin rip everything open first thing. I am, with gritted teeth, going along with it....

Jedbartletforpresident · 20/12/2017 06:41

Stocking and "santa" presents first thing. We don't actually do santa - so really it's just what we've bought the dc which is usually a stocking (small things with some random bits and pieces like sellotape and pants (family tradition) but not just any party bag tat) and then a few other presents - usually some books and another few small gifts.

Once those are done with them all opening at the same time in a chaotic blur, they are then given their main present from us and open them one at a time usually so that everyone can see what they've got.

The rest of the gifts from wider family and friends (which have all been under the tree for days/weeks since they arrived) are opened in the afternoon after the Queen.

Once the morning presents are done we have breakfast (traditionally the piece of fruit in your stocking and then you're free to crack on with whatever else you want (ie. something from your selection box )) then we get ready for church if we're going and the dc have the rest of the morning to enjoy their gifts from us. They continue with this while I get lunch ready so they def aren't sitting around bored waiting to open other presents.

We don't see any other family at Christmas due to living so far away from them so it's just the 6 of us at home but there is always some kind of FaceTime scheduled in the afternoon for communal gift opening with family.

Chrisinthemorning · 20/12/2017 06:45

Stockings in bed first thing. We’ll then go down and DS will open his big main present from Santa. Then breakfast, get dressed and ready. DGPs arrive, head out for a walk and a drink at the pub. Rest of the presents after lunch.
My mum still does stockings- one for DS and a joint one for me and DH so we open those on Boxing Day morning.

Chocolatecake12 · 20/12/2017 06:54

Stocking and all presents under the tree first thing.
Boxing Day we see family and have presents from them after Boxing Day lunch.

Yika · 20/12/2017 07:06

Stocking presents first thing, then on to church, prep and eat Xmas dinner, then tree presents - whole family taking turns, not just children. Kids have always got enough in their stockings to keep them going - toys and books.

RatOnnaStick · 20/12/2017 09:15

Stockings are for whenever they wake and usually tipped up onto our bed very early, then they can have a present each while we sort breakfast and we let them play. The rest get gradually opened over the morning.

My mum always had a tree present kept back for later, otherwise we all opened it all somewhere around 6am before she went to work.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 20/12/2017 09:32

Stockings on waking, usually opened on our bed (with dog and cat!)

Tree presents at least after breakfast, and as they got a bit older some saved for after dinner (late in this house, around 5, to allow for a good walk in the park and less of a rush for the cook).

When they were small I found it essential to keep a pencil and piece of paper handy while they were opening, to make a note of who sent what, for thank-yous. Otherwise all too easy in the frenzy of tearing paper off to miss/forget who gave what.

why12345 · 20/12/2017 13:28

First thing in the morning! Why would you wait?!?

Original poster

Slartybartfast · 20/12/2017 18:27

you would wait because one at a time and takes forever

OP posts:

Tanfastic · 20/12/2017 18:32

In the morning, before we get dressed.

I do not know one single person who opens presents after dinner and I do know an awful lot of people!

Ellieboolou27 · 20/12/2017 19:13

First thing in the morning, would never wait all day to open them! Kids been waiting all year so to have to sit through sprouts and the queens speech first is madness

oobedobe · 20/12/2017 20:02

Kids open stocking presents first thing (it's a sack so has some medium size gifts in there), enough to keep them happy and occupied for a few hours.

We do main gifts around 11am (once everyone is fed, dressed, glass of bucks fizz in hand, bit of kitchen prep done etc), then we can spend a good hour or two opening gifts, playing/building toys etc, eating snacks and drinking

Hippadippadation · 21/12/2017 17:57

Stockings straightaway, then breakfast. Rest of presents after breakfast and then the ones from family as they arrive.

MercedesDeMonteChristo · 22/12/2017 15:29

We usually do everything on waking and then go to my mums where we do presents on arrival.

This year as they are a bit older and one relative, who is very close to us cannot come until the evening and we will be at our house we are changing it a little.

Stockings first thing.
Sibling presents the boys have bought each other over breakfast - this is the first year they have bought their own presents and DS1 spent his own money.
After breakfast (inspired by this thread) the tree presents.
Around 6.30pm presents from relatives who will come round. The relative who comes late is the most excited about kids reactions to things so the boys have agreed to wait for her.

PinkHeart5914 · 22/12/2017 15:36

As soon as we are awake, same as when I was a child

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