Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Christmas

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

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Early morning stocking fiasco...

87 replies

BumbleyBum · 01/12/2018 08:43

Help I can’t take it anymore.
Every blinkin year, my two ds’s start waking about 2am on Xmas morning. They spot their stockings and start stage whispering to each other ‘he’s been! Has he been to you?! Mum... Dad... he’s been!!’ They’re then told ‘yes, but it’s too early go back to sleep’. They then toss and turn, get up for wees, call out that they can’t sleep, on and off until we get up at 6. It’s exhausting and ridiculous. They’re 13 and 10. I could put the stockings downstairs but I think they’ll still wake wanting to go downstairs to check if he’s been.
Oh and elf on the fucking shelf. They were awake at 5am banging on about going to find him. I finally said yes. 13 yeh runs like an elephant back up the stairs, bursting through my bedroom door to tell me where he’s found him. I couldn’t help myself, ‘I bloody know!! Obviously!! Now let me sleep!!’. They KNOW I move the elf. So, can’t we just stop this ridiculous game and throw I’ll throw the elf over the fence for next doors dog to ravage?!

OP posts:

IWantMyHatBack · 01/12/2018 08:48

Your 13yo believes in FC?

This would drive me bananas! So glad I never started with this elf bollocksk

Original poster

BumbleyBum · 01/12/2018 08:49

No, he’s known for a fair few years, but clearly enjoys the pretence!

OP posts:

Nicknamesalltaken · 01/12/2018 08:52

You’ll only have another year or two of it.

Does your 13 yo really believe?

Pebblespony · 01/12/2018 08:52

Move the elf when they're in school.

Magmatic80 · 01/12/2018 08:53

FC started getting my DSiS and I books in our stockings quite early on. I’m pretty sure we weren’t allowed to disturb parents until 6am on Christmas Day, so something to read was a godsend! We were obviously keen readers though or it wouldn’t have worked.

Nicknamesalltaken · 01/12/2018 08:54

Sorry, crossed post.

2am just isn’t reasonable. It’s not even properly Christmas Day, it’s still the night before. 😫

IWantMyHatBack · 01/12/2018 08:54

Do you need to get up with them? Can't they open their stockings in their room at whatever time as long as they leave you in peace for a little while?

Are you doing the elf this year? I think I'd be forgetting that if they're going to be so bonkers about it (but I'm mean and need my sleep)

HerondaleDucks · 01/12/2018 08:54

Hahaha that's hilarious. I did FC last year for dsd but she's 13 now and turned to me and said ... "You know I don't believe in Santa any more?" I said good. Now all the presents are from me and your dad.

Maybe he's keeping it up for your younger son?

Original poster

BumbleyBum · 01/12/2018 08:56

I make them wait until 6am until they can come in with their stockings to open them on our bed. Do your children open them in their room as soon as they wake?

OP posts:

Pythonesque · 01/12/2018 08:58

I remember when I was 13 and my sister 11 being a bit put out when my mother suggested we were old enough not to have stockings. "Luckily" we were staying with relatives (overseas) and someone else had made a plan ...

I was just working out that my two have both sung at midnight services on Christmas Eve from the age of 11. Taking yours to a midnight service might be a drastic solution but I'm sure they wouldn't wake at 2 am after ... [my 13 yr old asked to do it this year, and has also agreed to play organ for a 10 am service so he and I will have to get up on Christmas morning!]

Valasca · 01/12/2018 08:58

Well if they know, then don’t put out the stocking until you get up

Original poster

BumbleyBum · 01/12/2018 09:02

Younger one doesn’t know though

OP posts:

Holstenlane · 01/12/2018 09:03

I do presents and stockings around 4am, then get myself looking not rubbish for Xmas morning photos then have a nice leisurely cup of coffee and breakfast. The kids get up around 5.30 and come running, but I'm ready!

Original poster

BumbleyBum · 01/12/2018 09:03

The problem is, whether the stockings on display or not I think they’ll still behave like this because they’re so ridiculously over excited. I love Christmas, but it’s getting a bit wearing!

OP posts:

Original poster

BumbleyBum · 01/12/2018 09:06

@hostenlane leisurely early coffee sounds lovely, but what if they wake before you? Or do they not wake when they hear you get up? Or catch you putting up their stockings?

OP posts:

CherryPavlova · 01/12/2018 09:08

Luckily in a couple of years they become happy to withhold the squealing until around 7am. Then it becomes truly heavenly and you can insist on a mug of tea before everyone climbs onto bed and risks the ceiling collapsing.

You could take them back to the nursery days and set an alarm clock with a happy face - a special Christmas tradition - that nobody moves until the alarm goes off.

BeanBagLady · 01/12/2018 09:09

Of course the younger one knows

Next year your 14 yo probably won’t want to wake before lunch time.

TeenTimesTwo · 01/12/2018 09:09

Send the elf away.
Don't put up decorations until the weekend before
Keep the hype down.
Say no one to wake you before 7am on Christmas morning.

MrDonut · 01/12/2018 09:10

When we were kids, we opened our stockings in our room and weren't allowed downstairs or to wake mum and dad until 7am. Perhaps if your kids could open their stockings by themselves and you put in some stuff that would keep them busy until you woke up it would be easier on you.

Holstenlane · 01/12/2018 09:10

@BumbleyBum

At the moment, their pattern is staying up as late as they can to catch Santa but they fall asleep somewhere around 2/3am exhausted. So that gets me a few hours!

Rousaylass · 01/12/2018 09:15

We have a Christmas tree on the landing outside their bedroom doors. On Christmas Eve I put a timer on the plug and they are only allowed up when the tree lights are on as Santa switches them on when he leaves. Has worked so far.

makingmiracles · 01/12/2018 09:16

Keep them up late? What time are they going to bed to get up that early??
Can you do a tiring activity Xmas me eve then a late night and hopefully they won’t get up so early?

Mine are teens, 8 and 2 and they don’t wake till at least 6/7am, couldn’t cope with 2am, especially at their ages, no need for that.

Asj0405 · 01/12/2018 09:20

Mine are allowed to open their stockings in their rooms and it usually contains a piece of fruit to eat, a book to read, a toy to play with (pack of cards or similar) and various other bits and bobs.

So when they've opened them they have something to eat until I make breakfast and they are allowed to play cards, read new books etc (quietly!!) until 6am. I won't get out of bed before that and tell them if they 're not quiet until that time I won't get up until later therefore they'll have to wait longer to see what's under the tree

Disfordarkchocolate · 01/12/2018 09:21

I've never allowed anyone to get up before 6am, which is pretty mean considering I always got my parents up at 2am. I think I have been lucky though.

Original poster

BumbleyBum · 01/12/2018 09:21

They go to bed between 10-11 on Christmas eve, it takes them a while to fall asleep too

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3 4