Hmmmm, gift wrapping gets harder as the dc get older...

[lucysmam]

Usually I'd sit down one evening this week to make a start on wrapping what I have for the girls so far. But dd1 doesn't go to bed so early any more, & I'm not in the house through the day to do it then.

I'm going to have to stay up late to do it, aren't I!?

I'm finding this too and I don't want to have to stay up later! But I think it'll be the only way to get it done....

When I was a teen, my parents just used to say "stay out of the living room this evening, we're doing all the wrapping!" Simple as that!

I put the radio on in my bedroom, and wrap in there. I use a large chopping board if I need something to lean on.

My kids know if the door is shut they need to knock.
I bag up wrapped gifts and put them on top of the wardrobe.

Any chance of DH or family member taking the DC out for an afternoon of a weekend or out for an evening meal/cinema to give you a couple of hours?

I hate wrapping of an evening as I get distracted and it all looks shit so I arrange for MIL to have the DC one Sunday in early December so I can get it all done.

I’ve booked a day off work to do it

I home ed our children, and one of the things we didn't consider when making this choice, was how the heck I was meant to get any Christmas shopping done, or wrap the things I do manage to sneak in. Added to this, my husband is in the Army, and they thought the 7 weeks before Christmas would be the ideal time to send them away.

I need an actual Christmas miracle to pull this off!

I went to bed not long after posting & have only just remembered about it

DeezMutts I work in a school; suspect it would go down like a lead weight if I asked for a day off at this time of year.

causeimunderyourspell that'd feel wrong! Although she'd happily stay upstairs in exchange for multiple cups of tea I think. Maybe that's my answer.

Or seeing if their dad will take them out one afternoon to give me a good run at wrapping :)

My kids are all school age so I usually spend a few week day afternoons doing it. Last year I watched Downton Abbey whilst doing it, tempted to do it again this year.

Now they are (very) late teens, early mornings are best

Can you have a friend or relative take them somewhere for a couple of hours over the weekend? That’s what I usually do and get it all finished on a Sunday and put away before they notice any wrapping paper laying around! If it’s not an option I’d make time for maybe 2-5 presents a night once they’re asleep rather than all in one go

DH used to take mine out for the day to give me a good run at it. A trip to the cinema followed by hot chocolate or lunch used to give me enough time. Just make sure whoever takes them out gives you a quick call before getting in the car/waiting for the bus "just to check if you need any milk/bread/chocolate" so you can tidy up.

I do mine on xmas eve

Bedroom, door locked, carols playing, glass of mulled wine, one of those sellotape-strip dispensers and plenty of refills.

“I’m going to be busy in the bedroom, don’t come in please”

I’m not sure why that’s difficult tbh.

Well for starters my bedroom is tiny with no floor space whatsoever and I’d get awful backache doing all the wrapping on the bed. So I need the dining table to do it on.

Also I don’t like the dc to know anything about it - it’s part of the magic for them that the presents all just appear on Christmas Day.

In that case:

Get up early
Send the children off to friends/grandparents/the cinema for the evening.

Don’t they do extracurricular activities at the weekend or go out with friends? Do it then.

Well I’ve booked a day off work so that’s when I’ll do it. Not sure why you’re being so arsey

Mine stay awake too late Christmas Eve.

Luckily mine go to their dads every Sunday so I wrap then, I have done most of mine.

Ha I feel your pain!
I work in a school too, no option to book a day off, and when I finish school for Christmas, so do my dc
I’m very very rarely alone in my house, but I just do their wrapping in my room later on at night. Keep everything in their bags so if someone comes in, they can’t see much.
2 of mine are teens so although it wouldn’t be the end of the world if they saw anything, I still like them to be surprised! They still have stockings along with their younger brother and I hide all the stocking paper together so they don’t see it.
Bonkers really!
My dc do extra curricular activities and go out and see friends but never all 3 together.
Dp will be working every weekend now until Christmas so no chance he can take them all out for a few hours.
Seems a bit stupid to pack them off to someone just so I can wrap presents.
Would dearly love to just take a day off and sit and wrap in peace

Yes! This is me! Knackered and grumpy by the time I finally get 14yo ds upstairs for the night.