Do you ‘wrap as you buy’ or ‘wrap it all in one go on Xmas Eve’?

[Lovemusic33]

I usually wrap presents over a few days in December but this year I don’t seem to have much space to gently store wrapped presents without ripping paper. I have always thought leaving it until Xmas Eve is crazy but I’m considering doing it this year.

So when do you wrap?

Is it possible to do it all in one night, going on the fact my kids are teens and won’t be in bed early 🤔

I'm so surprised at the amount of people who are actively choosing to leave it until Christmas Eve

Why would you do that?

I like mine wrapped before December and apart from a couple of things left to buy they are all wrapped and sorted now

I used to wrap the bulk when we put our tree up around first weekend in December, then wrap as I go if I haven’t finished. This year I’ve started wrapping already just in case schools do get told to close and if we do end lockdown on December 2nd working in retail I will be thrown in at the deep end at work so I wanted to have The bulk of it done just in case.

I store them in the empty suitcases.

I usually wrap the week before. Every year I say I'm going to do it earlier. Maybe this year. Never CE though, far to much other stuff to do.

I usually wrap everything in stockings too... Going for a half and half approach this year.

Xmas wrapping with wine and film sounds relaxing and festive. In reality you do your back in with all bending over. You can’t find presents you put somewhere safe. You wrap the scissors and then spend hour looking for them. You will fight over the sellotape, and every creek will have you running to hold the doors shut in case of child invasion. Then you discover their main present has umpteen parts, needs a special tool and will take 4h to put together. Honestly slow and steady as you go is the way to do it!

I wrap in batches, sometimes
That is one big batch. It is never, ever on Christmas Eve. Why put that sort of pressure on yourself.

Oh and always with a Christmas movie sitting at a table for wrapping. Preferably with a cocktail

I wrap all together but never on Christmas Eve, I've far too much else to do then.

When the DC were little DH used to take them all out to the cinema the weekend before Christmas so I'd have a few hours to myself and I'd do it then.

I have to do it slowly, we have so many to buy for plus our own dc, it would take me 2 days straight of wrapping - I don’t have that kind of time and my back is already dodgy!! I like to take my time with wrapping though, I get co ordinating paper and wired ribbon, twine, all sorts, the presents do look lovely under the tree (until someone delivers presents in garish paper and ruins my sophisticated efforts they go at the back )!
Usually grandparents take the dc to the panto which gives me a few hours one evening quiet near to Christmas Eve to get their stocking things wrapped. That obviously won’t be happening this year.
Not sure when I’m going to get anything wrapped, there are 3 dc in the house, there is literally never a quiet time!! I’m work in a school so am at work when they’re at school and home when they’re home.
I’ve ended up with loads of wrapping on Christmas Eve, doesn’t bother me but I wouldn’t deliberately plan it that way.
I haven’t actually bought anything yet, the wrapping is never done before December because I’ve never bought anything before then.

Used to do it xmas eve, last year we did it a couple of nights before. Far less stressful.
Plus our kids never go to sleep at the best of times, never mind on xmas eve.

Christmas Eve. But don't do what I do. It's a nightmare and I always end up being up til 3am.

I do it all in one night but not Xmas eve haha normally when my sister can have daughter over night a week before Xmas
And I put movies on drink too much wine and wrap in peace.

Don't leave it till Christmas Eve. I'm a chronic Christmas Eve wrapper and it is bloody painful. End up consistently wrapping til around 2am after a whirlwind Christmas eve, then back up in the early hours with the kids to bloody unwrap them again. Couple that with spending most of the actual day in the kitchen, I decided enough was enough this year and while I have always enjoyed Christmas, especially since having children, I actually want to be able to relax a bit and enjoy the day too!

Nothing wrong with saving wrapping til later if you want to. But this year I will be having a few wrapping evenings after the kids are in bed with a festive drink and my favourite TV on. I'm actively looking forward to it now :) Even though I've bought most if the kids presents now I will most likely leave the wrapping until mid - late December so it feels thoroughly festive.

@worriedwellworrier

I pay a local teenager £20 to do it all. It’s the most genius thing I’ve ever done. Hoping covid won’t put a stop to it this year!

That is friggin genius!

I leave it to Christmas Eve and every year I say I will stop but I never do, this is my sons first Christmas though so maybe I will change

I wrap as I go. Christmas paper is bought in January so I can start in September. I pencil a number on the back corner of each present so I can check what it is. Everything is neatly stored in the attic and not handled again so paper is pristine.
I add bows and tags later.
The first round of gifts to family and friends are stored under the tree in December so there’s a brief period where all the gifts are beautifully coordinated until we give them away and they are replaced with gifts from other people to us.

The Santa presents are wrapped and sacked and socked and hidden in the attic until Christmas Eve and then it’s a matter of seconds to put them out. By the time the dc finally drop off, it’s all I can do not to fall asleep too. Wrapping is definitely not appealing at that stage.

I don't wrap on Christmas eve but generally wrap together after all my shopping is done. Got a few more items to get.

Normally done in 2 or 3 batches as it always takes longer than I think it will and I always forget how much I hate wrapping. In my head it'll be a lovely festive affair with a glass of something on the go, Christmas film on in the background, fairy lights twinkling... when in reality all the presents are awkward shapes, I'm constantly losing the sellotape, my back is breaking... No way am I ruining Christmas Eve putting myself through that

I tend to have a big wrapping session early December in front of love actually and a good g&t. This year I've done it in batches as I've been posting out gifts- moving house next week so want the presents wrapped and sent before they get lost in the move chaos.

Christmas cards are always in front of SPOTY.

Christmas Eve wrapper here. My 6 year old fully believes in father Xmas and with no storage space he would question why the presents have already arrived!! I don't mind doing it all in one go either, I look forward to the next morning 🎄

Usually over one or two evenings just before Christmas Eve. DS is 3 and has SEN so his toys need to be built/set up in advance too or he gets frustrated with them.

Usually wrap in a couple of goes, one lot to be posted and those that don’t.

Usually open a bottle of wine and play Christmas music.

I normally do a couple of evenings early/mid December. Although this year I’ve already wrapped and delivered some, pre-lockdown.

Top tip - use the ironing board as a wrapping table. Saves your back!

All at once, apart from any odds and sods I might buy in the lead up.
Mine are all wrapped already and have been since early October. Not usually this prepared, but my mum died a couple of weeks ago and I'm glad I did it all before. Must've known somehow...

@princessbear80 good tip. Maybe if it's up I'll be inspired to iron too!