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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:
SingleHandSue · 28/10/2020 19:24

@Courtney555

Ok. This is a bit cheesy. And I'm not very good at poems, so don't shoot me.

I'd let them have little stockings, then do a letter from Father Christmas, saying something like this....

I know that your dear mummy has been working hard this year.
The elves say she's at work right now, but children, do not fear.
Your lovely mummy called me, and said she would be late home
And so dear children listen, as this is what I've done.
Christmas is time for family, mummy and daddy and you
So I thought very hard about today, and decided what I'll do
I've delivered your presents to mummy, to hold them safe and sound
While she looks after all the people who need her to be around
I've asked her to be my helper and deliver them to you
So you can open them all together...
...may all your Christmas dreams come true

Smile

Who’s chopping onions? 😭
caringcarer · 28/10/2020 19:32

I think as they are so young the idea of moving Xmas day to Boxing day is a good one. So hang stockings up on Xmas day evening and pretend it's Xmas Eve. They won't know the difference. Maybe get DH to do some craft activities on the real Xmas day. Thank you for working on Xmas day. You should enjoy seeing your DC open their presents.

Jouleigh · 28/10/2020 19:32

@KitKat1985

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.

I think you are exactly right. Christmas isn't about kids tearing into presents it about time together, family and also tearing into presentsGrin

Also as a nurse this could be something that affects you more than just this year. If you have a routine of only opening presents when the whole family are there then the kids won't know any different, especially at the ages they are.

I think you and the kids would miss years of reminiscing over Christmas if you aren't with them

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 28/10/2020 19:41

Does Santa bring your presents too? If so you could say that he leaves the houses of those who are working til the end so that everyone in the family gets their presents at the same time. I think they are plenty old enough to understand.
Maybe there could be a couple of extra presents alongside the stocking which will help keep them entertained eg a DVD and make sure the stocking includes things they will want to play with.

stridesy · 28/10/2020 19:48

Just open when you get back. We always wait until after breakfast so ten ish.
Maybe get them to open presents from friends ect first.
Maybe organise an Xmas activity in the morning to keep them occupied.

Ber84 · 28/10/2020 19:58

That's a dilemma to be in but if your children are anything like mine, 3,6, 8 I will be lucky if they stay in bed longer than 5am on christmas morning, they are usually brimming with excitement. I wrap the door way and my children have to jump thought the wrapping paper for the big reveal, my thing is can you wake the children up earlier so that you can still have the magic and excitement of santa that morning before you go to work?

PosyBoo · 28/10/2020 20:12

My DH had worked till around 2pm every Christmas since DD7 was born so she’s always had a couple of presents from friends first thing in the morning then done her stocking and presents from us once daddy is home. Last year was the first year DH was actually here on Christmas morning and she still chose to open her presents gradually throughout the day rather than all at once. She actually now does the same with her birthday presents as she says it makes the magic last longer (her exact words).

RonaCor · 28/10/2020 20:58

I'd find big things for a stocking (size wise) and perhaps pretend to find another pile that Santa put in the wrong place when you come home. Or hide them in car and say you found them in the garden.and that they must have dropped off his sleigh as they have their names on.

HotToCold · 28/10/2020 21:01

Do Christmas day on the 26th.
They wont know.

I wouldn't want to miss them opening presents

lurker23 · 28/10/2020 21:18

Maybe Santa accidentally delivered the presents to your car this year (maybe decorated it as well!) so you have to bring them home with you.

We were never allowed to open presents until after dinner as a kid and it never bothered us, kept Christmas going longer.

Voice0fReason · 28/10/2020 21:33

Children are perfectly capable of waiting until the afternoon.
Just let them have a stocking on the morning that includes a few things to occupy them.
Make sure they know in advance that this is the plan.
They won't be scarred, it will be a lovely day.

LJC1234 · 28/10/2020 21:40

I've never opened presents until after lunch and it's never ruined Christmas for me in fact I think it makes the day even more magical

Santa always brought a stocking first thing which was small toys that entertained us till after lunch when it was all about the tree presents .

The afternoon opening initially started due to attending church as a child but as a grown up with my own kids and no church to attend I still do the same! I love it.

I love the idea of a letter from Santa asking them to wait for you!

Enjoy whatever you decide OP

mummy2pickle · 28/10/2020 21:44

We have always done our 'big' presents in the afternoon. Our children 6 and 3, know that Santa delivers their stockings and a couple of presents off their list and they open them in the morning and the other presents are from us and they are put into individual sacks for afternoon lunch x

foodtoorder · 28/10/2020 21:48

When I work Christmas Day I make sure I am up and ready to go and then get the children up so have 30mins with them doing presents.
Just keep some suprise presents back for when you get home or "bring them home " with you? Say Santa must have left them in the garden etc etc

trilbydoll · 28/10/2020 21:50

We always opened presents after lunch when I was a child. DH says it's because I'm posh Confused but as long as they have something to keep them occupied until you get home (dvd / craft activity) I'm sure it'll be fine.

Don't have all the presents under the tree taunting them though, I think that's probably too much to ask. Just bring them down when you get home.

Blueberries0112 · 28/10/2020 23:00

I wondered how we are going to explain Santa will not be in stores this year, he suppose to be magical, and resistance to coronavirus, right?

Canyousewcushions · 28/10/2020 23:10

We spread presents over the day- stockings in the morning then time playing with stocking presents, maybe church, going for a walk and playing some games together. Then lunch and then more presents/TV/films/eating too much sweet stuff. We try discourage people from sending presents if we're likely to be seeing in the week before or after Christmas too, again, to put the brakes on the obscene wrapping paper and present chucking fest that ensues otherwise. (Plus they then get to see their gifts unwrapped!!).

Could they open stockings early and leave the rest until you come home? Onus would be on your DH to make sure they were kept sufficiently busy not to mind, but it works in our house even with no work shifts to consider.

user626847 · 28/10/2020 23:35

2:30/3pm isn't that late to hold them off. I think I'd let them have their stocking, and then how about setting up some kind of treasure hunt to find or earn all their other gifts ready to be opened once you are home? You could put DVD's in the stocking to keep them going, or get DH to take them on a long Christmas walk.

If you so lots of small gifts in stocking then they have a big brunch, then a walk, it will be time for you to come home .

Mustbethewine · 29/10/2020 00:12

Have christmas eve on christmas day and christmas day on boxing day. It'll be less stress for everyone that way

Lurchermom · 29/10/2020 00:22

@DryRoastPeanut

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.

At 6 and 4 they aren't babies, they're young children - and perfectly capable of understanding that you have to wait to do something as a family.

We always had to wait because of shifts and it was always a conversation of "we don't want mummy to miss out, opening presents is something we do as a family". So we had a present on the end of our beds to open first thing in the morning, and then we played games and went for a walk etc until mum was home. Then we sat around the tree and open one gift at a time!

Blueberries0112 · 29/10/2020 02:21

Just put it out early and tell your kids to wait for you. They are more likely will. Have your husband to watch Christmas movies or anything til you get home

halloweenagain · 29/10/2020 02:50

My dc have only ever had stockings and one Santa present in the morning.
Other presents after lunch.
Their Christmas' are the same as mine.
No one is unhappy with this.

NoWordForFluffy · 29/10/2020 05:38

My 6 year old would definitely know if we tried to move Christmas Day in some way. He is acutely aware of time and date (he can remember exact dates we did totally random things going back a couple of years). DD would've known at 6 too. I'm surprised anyone has a 6 year old who might be totally unaware of the date!

I don't think you need to move the date, just keep them going until you're home. I think as long as you tell them what's happening beforehand, they'll be OK with it.

CoolShoeshine · 29/10/2020 07:17

I think that as you’re a shift worker this issue is going to come up again in future years. Could they have a few of their presents in the morning ‘delivered by Santa’ and the main ones ‘from mummy and daddy’ to be opened when you are back from work. My dc’s grandparents would never give their gifts to be given on Christmas morning, they insisted on waiting until we visited later in the week. The children didn’t care, they liked a second batch of pressies to open after the excitement of the first had worn off and it stopped them from feeling overwhelmed with one big lot of gifts. Plus it made them more aware that the gifts were from people they knew rather than thinking they were all from Santa.

Branleuse · 29/10/2020 07:20

Id do christmas over 2 days and open presents christmas eve. They wont know the difference. Theyll be happier to do it early than late