How to put the presents out without getting 'caught'?

[Housethief]

DS is 6, first year of being a single parent and have anxiety about getting the gifts from the loft, shed and car without him waking up and hearing..everything is wrapped in bin liners (from last years experience, they sound so loud taking everything out from them when the house is silent). He has so many gifts, it wouldn't be so bad if he had a few but he has loads (only stocking and big gift come from Santa, as per family tradition 🤔.. Regretting that now).

I put most of them in a washing basket and cover it with a towel and make multiple trips! Big ones carry down and pray for the best

I put most of the gifts in large cardboard boxes so they're concealed when I carry them downstairs. And like PP, with the big ones I pray I don't get caught while moving them.

After years of rustling bin liners alerting small ears, this year I bought hessian Santa sacks and I've been filling them with presents. I've moved them a few times to better hiding places with little sound so I'm hoping I've finally cracked it this year when I carry them down to distribute under the tree!

‘Santa won’t come if you’re not really asleep and he’ll know if you’re pretending’.

Worked when I was a kid. Used to take me hours to get to sleep but on Christmas I was petrified of opening my eyes.

I sneak Santa's present sack (black binliner!) In his bedroom BUT not so he would see it if he wakes to go for a wee. So, not right next to his bed, but against the wall. The black binliner is because it helps it to be invisible..

Reading this thread, doesn't anyone put Santa's present sack by the bed? The joy of them waking to find it is the best...

@Christmasbeach

‘Santa won’t come if you’re not really asleep and he’ll know if you’re pretending’.

Worked when I was a kid. Used to take me hours to get to sleep but on Christmas I was petrified of opening my eyes.

Yes me too!

My mum was used to dope me with Benylin because I was always up at 1 minute past midnight.

This is one of the few silver linings of my son being Deaf!

Put the radio on?

Santa stocking gifts outside bedroom door (DD has still missed it every year she has been with me!),
Family gifts go under the tree if they arrive early, if people bring them on the day or when they see her, they come from them anyway so it's not a surprise.'

Santa never brings the main gift, how else do you explain some kids getting expensive/amazing presents from Santa and others just getting a few LOL dolls or Lego mini figures.

We’ve always done the presents downstairs so no creeping about

Large suitcases in the hall, they’ve never thought to look! Current gifts are in a new vacuum box that’s been in the landing for a week or two! Hidden in plain sight!!

He's 6. He should know at that age if he's told to go to bed and stay there and close their eyes until they fall asleep they should. Why would there be any reason not to. Any noise could be you doing chores etc. We make an awful lot of noise but generally when my children are in bed at 7pm they know they are to stay there. Put a Christmas dvd on in their room a bit earlier so they are engrossed and woildnt notice any extra noises. Your fucked if you kid takes themselves downstairs as soon as you've gone to bed though. As I say I must have perfect kids because they know not to

Last year we loved I'm a house with the only toilet downstairs. I slept on the sofa on Christmas eve, had the presents in bin bags by me and dumped blankets over them, set an alarm for 3am, popped them out then went back to bed. I'll probably do the same this year.

Lived in! I need to go to bed.

We just put a Santa sack of presents aka a stocking in his room on Christmas eve after bed time . The whole thing 'appears' on Christmas morning, no leaving the empty one to be filled

The main Christmas tree presents from family and friends go under the tree a couple of days before Christmas. Usually one additional Santa tree present also 'appears' on Christmas morning but most of the presents are already under the tree
a day or two before Christmass eve for us so not that many to get out of hiding

My mum did a GENIUS move - a letter from Santa outside my bedroom door saying "I didn't want to wake (my name) as she looked so comfy sleeping so please can you put her presents under the tree and give her a hug from me in the morning" so if I woke up, I would see that and then if I 'caught' her there was an excuse!

Change the tradition!

He's 6. I think people put too much into maintaining an increasingly tricky tradition.

Say. Whatever is easy. Santa doesn't want to wake you up so will leave outside your room this year.

You say you've got him loads? I know traditions differ, we always did stocking from Santa and stuff under tree from us. Does it all have to be from Santa?

Etc. He's 6. He will go along with what you tell him.

Make your own traditions :)

Santa brings a big, a medium and a small present which they ask for on their list and of course the stocking. None of these are wrapped...just laid out on display.

They get one suprise present from santa and that is the only one wrapped. All other presents are from us or family and wrapped over the course of the month and put under the tree as and when.

I'm one of 4 and my mum made the smart decision not to wrap main presents! It was magical going down stairs and seeing the living room like a treasure trove of gifts

If only the stocking and the big gift come from Santa then surely it’s easier? You can put all the other presents under the tree when he is around and just get the big Santa gift and stocking out when he is asleep?

My dad was one of ten children, so as a child I got a lot of presents from aunts and uncles that were put under the tree.
We were given the presents that mum and dad had bought, and a stocking, in the morning that Father Christmas had delivered, and then we did the tree presents after lunch, while still around the table.
It was a good way of doing it as it spread out the excitement and the thrill of anticipation.

I pre pack pillow cases as stockings then give them the matching pair to put empty at the bottom of the bed. I am moving presents from the loft this year before they go to bed and hiding them under blankets to save on creaking. Good luck everyone 🤞

DS puts his stockings by the fireplace, and Santa fills it there. Relieved to not be sneaking into his bedroom! Gifts from family and friends go under the tree as they’re received. The gifts from us are in 2 cloth sacks in our wardrobe- I need to carry them downstairs tonight, but they don’t make any noise.

*stocking. He only has one stocking!

All go under the tree here.

We have an open plan kitchen/dining/living and the presents have been in a massive box in the dining since September. When we first got thr box ds7 questioned what was in it. I just told him it wasnt for him so not to touch it. He hasnt asked since then.

Once I take the presents out I'll leave the empty box there closed for a week or so so that he doesnt get suspicious.

If the issue is sneaking Santa presents in, I'd let him watch a film today, nice and loud, get totally absorbed, and/or outside to play in the garden for some fresh air, and move things then to somewhere more accessible for tonight. Hide them in shopping bags or laundry basket etc just in case.