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Christmas

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Original poster

Ideas to explain why Father Christmas can't visit until the afternoon?

106 replies

KitKat1985 · 28/10/2020 12:49

Although waiting confirmation, it looks pretty likely I will be working Christmas eve and Christmas day morning this year (nurse). Sad My kids will be 6 and 4. I really don't want to miss them opening their presents but I won't be home until about 2.30 / 3ish. I don't want them to wake up Christmas day morning and think Father Christmas has missed them out though. Any good excuses? Or alternatively we leave the presents under the tree as normal Christmas day morning and poor DH has to try and distract the kids from the Christmas presents all morning!

OP posts:
Wherearefoxssocks · 28/10/2020 13:57

DP is working Christmas Day. We're doing the whole thing on the 24th. Our DS is too young to know the difference. There's a letter somewhere online from Santa confirming that he does special deliveries on other days for shift workers. Would they buy that?

Original poster
KitKat1985 · 28/10/2020 13:58

It's nice to hear some more positive stories of people who aren't traumatised for life by opening their presents in the afternoon as children. I do think the 'ruining their day' comment above is a tad over-dramatic. I've had a couple of Christmas's that have been genuinely ruined (by illness and family bereavements), and I don't personally feel that having to wait a few hours for presents counts as 'ruining' Christmas. Confused

When I was growing up we often didn't do most of the presents until the afternoon either due to having to visit extended family in the morning and it was fine. I'm more than happy for them to have a lovely time with DH in the morning, I'd just like to be there when they open their presents from 'santa' (since it's invariably going to be me who spends hours choosing and wrapping them). And I'd like the focus to be on it being a nice thing to do together as a family, rather than just focusing on opening as many presents as soon as possible. It's shit enough having to work and be away from your own family at Christmas (although an inevitable part of the job) without having the part you most look forward to (which for me is seeing the excitement on the kids faces as they open their presents from Santa) taken away from you too.

OP posts:
minisoksmakehardwork · 28/10/2020 14:02

Dc have opened presents at various points through the day. On Xmases where dh works, they have their stockings and a present or two that we know will occupy them until he returns later in the day.

We've always spread the present opening out though - sometimes over a week! Because they get overwhelmed having lots of gifts thrown at them to be opened, looked at and then someone else hands them another. Generally ours want to open a gift and play with it there and then.

If it's the Santa gifts you want to enjoy opening as a family, let them open gifts from others while you're at work.

Inastatus · 28/10/2020 14:04

I like the idea of giving them a few presents or stocking to open in the morning and then ‘finding’ the rest that must have fallen off the sleigh when you are back. I would be upset at missing out on seeing them open their presents too and I don’t think Christmas is ‘only about the children’ it’s about family.

MsMiaWallace · 28/10/2020 14:05

I would be tempted to say that Santa is taking longer to deliver presents this year because of COVID restrictions & plan them to 'arrive' when your home.

Sirzy · 28/10/2020 14:05

Daughter of a nurse here.

We used to be allowed to open 1 or two presents before my Dad went to work - normally carefully orchestrated to be ones which would keep us most entertained for longest. We would then play and as we got older help prepare Christmas dinner then open the rest when he was home.

It was what we where used to and I have lots of lovely Christmas memories

ApolloandDaphne · 28/10/2020 14:07

If you drive to work I would take most of their gifts in a sack in the car and only leave out stockings and a few small gifts for them to open while you are working. When you get home you can bring in the sack and say you found it outside and that Santa must have forgotten to bring it in. That way they get something to open and you see them open their main gifts.

DryRoastPeanut · 28/10/2020 14:08

Let the presents be under the tree when they wake, then let them open all the presents with daddy.

When you get home, ‘find’ another pile of gifts and enjoy your family Christmas.
Alternatively, postpone Christmas until December 26th or bring it forward to the 24th.

At 6 and 4 your babies are much too young to be expected to wait for mummy to be there before they open their gifts.

Have a wonderful Christmas.

Piixxiiee · 28/10/2020 14:09

I would do Christmas on 26th if it was me

Sunnydaysstillhere · 28/10/2020 14:10

Santa could oversleep and text your dh....
Or be awaiting Covid results!!. We had Xmas on the 24th once. I dropped a letter on the mat from Santa saying he knew the dc would be at their df's the 25th so he was coming early to my house this year.
Exh had told me I wasn't seeing our dc at all this Xmas . Punishment for having the gall to leave him.... Kids went to his after our great Xmas.
He was furious.

Findahouse21 · 28/10/2020 14:14

I know that Christmas eve boxes are much maligned on here, but could you do a Christmas day box with lots of time consuming activities eg colouring, stickers, Dvd for the morning to distract them. Then have the father Christmas presents hidden somewhere out of sight, but FC has left them a note with clues to find them for when you get home.

DryRoastPeanut · 28/10/2020 14:15

@Findahouse21 that’s perfect! What a great idea. 😘

ShowOfHands · 28/10/2020 14:17

DH is a police officer and has worked all sorts of weird shifts at Christmas. We are quite used to letting them open their stockings in the morning and then main presents later. In fact, it's our preference nowadays and the dc manage it perfectly well. They spend the morning playing with the couple of crafty things from the stocking, listening to Junior Choice, helping to make mulled drinks, welcoming guests, playing with their cousins, eating chocolate coins, going for a walk etc. Presents are usually around 3pm when adults are ready for a sit and a snooze.

Only year they didn't wait was when DH was in Afghanistan until June. That was too long a wait!

youdidask · 28/10/2020 14:25

Santa only delivery's stockings here.

Tree presents are from family and friends- no mystic cayman is getting the credit for my purchases thank you very much.

They open stocking when they wake and wait for presents until later

dottiedodah · 28/10/2020 14:31

Why not leave some small presents out for them ,and just explain that Mummy has to go to work at the hospital to look after all the sick people there.Santa will be dropping your DC presents a bit later than usual, as he knows Mummies and /or Daddies like to be able to be at home to help DC to open them ? He knows that some Mummies /Daddies have important work to do of course ,(he knows a lot of things does Santa!) When you get home and are ready ,maybe a few surprises may be waiting in the Garden shed or the Garage! Dropped off by FC on his way home to Lapland with Rudoplh!

Puddlelane123 · 28/10/2020 14:37

I would just shift Christmas Day one day later in these circumstances - indeed in previous years when in your exact position I have done just that. Children have no real concept of time at this stage and it won’t bother them at all. You will then get the enjoyment of being there for the whole proceedings.

Hope it transpires to be a lovely day.

Thinkingg · 28/10/2020 14:38

Definitely make them wait! It won't harm them. It's really shit for you to put in the work to buy and wrap presents and then not get the joy. I think kids can understand that Christmas is about family, and they value that too.

You could:

  • do small stocking fillers to keep them busy in the morning
  • DH take them out for a walk to distract them, see how many Christmas trees they can count
  • include a letter from Santa saying that Christmas is about the whole family together, so the main presents are for when mummy gets home
  • or have a late Santa, but warn them with a personal letter delivered by elf a few days before.
Dinosauratemydaffodils · 28/10/2020 14:40

Df was in the military. If he worked on Christmas day, I got to open my stocking with mum in the morning and then we waited until he came home for everything else.

Bickles · 28/10/2020 14:42

At that age you would definitely move Christmas on a day. As long as everyone they see or speak to is in on it, and they don’t have access to internet or real TV (films on DVD/ netflix surely fine?) how will they know? I moved DS birthday when he was 2 because I was working. You could even start advent calendars on 2nd to help!
If they would know I would do good stockings with one small but sought after present (in my house it would be a Lego set) and then save tree presents for when you get home. Get your DH to take them for a walk in the morning to stop them wanting to open.

whoareyouIwonder · 28/10/2020 14:44

Just do Xmas on the 26th

BeesBehindMyKnees · 28/10/2020 14:46

Another vote for something else in the morning (stocking, Christmas day box of activites etc). Then opening tre presents when you get home - with the focus on how it is an activity that is best done when everyone can share in it and participate rather than solely about opening presents as soon as poss.

Coldwinterahead1 · 28/10/2020 14:54

We always had stockings in the morning and big presents after lunch with the family so around 3pm. It didn't traumatise me

drspouse · 28/10/2020 14:56

Maybe Father Christmas could drop off the presents with you at work (OK, leave them in the boot of the car) and he could have had to come to the hospital to make sure nobody got sick?

Tiggles · 28/10/2020 15:29

I'm a vicar so Christmas morning is always hectic with church things. My mum was a vicar too. So I just continue what we did when I was a kid. Stockings first thing with one present from father Christmas. Everything else waits until after lunch.
Opening presents with family is far more important than opening presents for the sake of it, surely. Mind you we are odd as we take it in turns to open parcels so we can all enjoy everyone else's gifts (and I get a chance to write down which relative gave what so they can have a thank you letter)

drspouse · 28/10/2020 15:29

Mind you we are odd as we take it in turns to open parcels so we can all enjoy everyone else's gifts (and I get a chance to write down which relative gave what so they can have a thank you letter)
That's not odd, that's sane!