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Christmas

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

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Original poster

Do you spread the presents out?

21 replies

UndertheCedartree · 01/09/2021 21:49

I always feel it is quite frowned upon to even mention you do a Christmas Eve box on MN - the ultimate in spoiling your DC!

I actually do that and more! I'm actually on a low income so spend a lot less than many people but I like to spread the presents out.

1st December - Advent calendar
6th December - goodies from Sinter Klaas (DC are half Dutch)
24th December - C.E box - PJ's, book, chocolate or sweets and tree decoration
25th December - stocking from FC, presents under tree from family
26th December - Boxing day hamper - they love this - I make it with food treats and cheap items based around hobbies/interests
6th January - book and chocolate figures from the 3 Kings (family in Spain)

This sounds like so much but is just the presents spread out.

OP posts:

Namebunny · 01/09/2021 21:59

Sounds lovely. I would have liked to do this, Dp always wants to give them loads all at once. He seems to think he had more than he actually did! Nicer for them to have treats to look forward to, I think the build up is too much and then it’s very flat afterwards.

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 01/09/2021 22:01

I never used to spread the presents out, no. Just an advent calender and then presents xmas day. Sometimes had new pjs on xmas eve.

Cherryrainbow · 01/09/2021 23:13

We're a blended family so presents normally spread out naturally due to various plans - OH has his son on boxing day, me and my ex alternate xmas - this year its his turn with our son, then I have him boxing day. I have a baby girl with my OH. We also have dinner with My parents and siblings the weekend before xmas and exchange presents with them then. So for our boys it must feel like a week of presents haha.

Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 01/09/2021 23:16

I think it works really well for my Autistic son as it doesn't get too much. I space out the presents on Christmas day too. So they have their stocking before breakfast then present from me and their dad after breakfast. Then after lunch presents from family members - I actually usually give half on Christmas day and half on Boxing Day as they get presents from 4 family members. Then on 27th they get presents from 3 family members on their dad's side when they meet up.

I know my youngest could cope with and would probably love a big present frenzy- she gets to do that on her birthday!!

OP posts:

Doghairismyglitter · 01/09/2021 23:19

I spread mine out for the DC as they’re still quite little and it’s overwhelming getting too much at once I’ve found.
I do advent calendars on the 1st Dec (toy and cheap chocolate one)
Presents on Xmas day (spread throughout the day)
Presents on Boxing Day
Last presents on NYE (always including a 2021 annual of what they like)

I’m not getting them mountains of presents, but I find it spreads out the fun and thrill, makes Christmas seem like it lasts longer and actually stops the tantrums/over excitement

CorianderBee · 01/09/2021 23:35

As a kid we got one pressie to open on Xmas eve (family gifts that are already under the tree are what we can choose from).

Then morning - almost all presents.

Evening - guest gifts from grandparents who came round.

That's it. Until our New Years outfit anyway.

Original poster

UndertheCedartree · 01/09/2021 23:50

@Doghairismyglitter - yes, I agree

OP posts:

caringcarer · 02/09/2021 00:32

When my children were younger it was always advent calendar, new PJ's Xmas Eve, Xmas gifts. Now mostly grown up it is advent calendar, money for whatever it is they want, smaller stocking with toiletries, socks, pants, sweets and bits for cars. I am just grateful younger son still lives at home and older son co my es home for Xmas dinner.

HungryHippo11 · 02/09/2021 07:00

We have a large family and in the week or so after Christmas, we go and visit various people. They get the presents from whoever we are visiting when we see them. It works well as the majority are on Christmas day (from us, grandparents, stocking, anyone we won't see over the period) and then a few here and there over the next 7-10 days.

Last year we obviously didn't see anyone so they all sent stuff to us to open on Christmas day and it was faaar too much

Lanique · 02/09/2021 07:19

On the day, yes. The dds have a stocking first thing, a tree present around 11am and the rest whenever we have finished the main course of our Christmas Dinner - no earlier than 3 and sometimes as late as 6! Every year they say they're so grateful to do that otherwise the day would be flat once the presents are opened. We make a ceremony of it too by all sitting around as a family with Champagne, music, and often take it in turns to open them and appreciate them. Then we go back to the table for pudding.

Some years they might have a few goodies on Christmas Eve such as new pyjamas and hot chocolate. Their advent calendars are of the homemade pocket variety and if I'm feeling energetic some years I'll fill them with gifts such as lip balm but usually it's just chocolate!

Scanner20 · 02/09/2021 07:48

I did a Christmas Eve box but last year gave it on the 1st as then their pjs were worn throughout December although they will fit again this year. I put in some Christmas crafts for the the lead up.
Then Christmas Eve they had some Christmas themed sweet, Christmas themed cup, annual.

Christmas Day presents from FC and us. Family gifts as they visit over the day.

When we see family and friends I like dc to open their gifts in their company, thank them and we have gifted their dc too, which can mean anytime from 23rd dec to NYE. So they are spread out.

We usually do a big get together with DH family just after Christmas and have a big present swap then as he has a few siblings. DP are no longer together on both sides which means 4 sets of grandparents. We have to space out visits with them all.

Twilightstarbright · 02/09/2021 07:54

DS is half Jewish so we do Hanukkah gifts too. I think he gets overwhelmed by new presents so I’d rather do three gifts for Hanukkah and three for Christmas than six on Christmas Day.

Vallmo47 · 02/09/2021 08:00

Yes I’m Swedish so we do half of the presents on Christmas Eve per Scandinavian traditions and the other half and stocking presents on Christmas Day. I agree it’s better to spread the joy and fun out.

CeceJoyce · 02/09/2021 08:04

We spread gifts out too. We live in the south but usually spend Xmas with my parents in the north. The weekend before Xmas we’ll have a ‘Xmas day’ with my in laws so they can see the GC and give them their presents. We have presents, a full Xmas dinner the works. My DC’s are 15 & 17 now and we have done this since they were babies.

BeenAroundTheWorldAndIII · 02/09/2021 08:16

My oldest is nearly 3 at Christmas so I feel this is the first year she is sort of going to get it, so I'm very excited!
I like the idea of a Christmas Eve box but feel that Christmas pjs the night before is a bit of a waste. So I think my traditions are going to be a 1st December box, containing pjs, Christmas crafting/games, an advent calendar, tree decoration, some goodies like those themed hot chocolate cones.
Not sure I'll give anything specific Xmas eve but it will definitely be a family day/evening.
In the past two years it has been ridiculous the amount of gifts my DD has got (she's very fortunate to have a lot of family. And we were a bit over excited to finally have a child) and now we have a DS too so I dread to think. Once Christmas Day is done there will be no more presents until birthdays.
Also like to pick a name from the local give-a-gift tree for disadvantaged kids, which I'll try get DD involved in by choosing some small gifts for another child.

lazylinguist · 02/09/2021 08:17

No, we never deliberately spread the presents out, although we sort of did a bit by default, in that we always spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with one side of the family, then a couple of days with the other, so presents were given when we saw each. But that was due to circumstance. We don't do Christmas Eve boxes or save presents for other days. Tbh I prefer one big day, I'm not a fan of dragging it out and diluting the excitement!

mayblossominapril · 02/09/2021 08:18

I give out stockings and a couple of presents on Christmas Day. Then one or two a day until they run out around about New Year’s Eve. It works well and keeps it interesting for the holiday

CatMandarin · 02/09/2021 08:21

I don't but I think they'd probably appreciate receiving each present more if spread out than all at once. So I can see the appeal

00100001 · 02/09/2021 08:25

@UndertheCedartree

I know my youngest could cope with and would probably love a big present frenzy- she gets to do that on her birthday!!

I like this pacing.

TeenMinusTests · 02/09/2021 08:31

We don't do Christmas Eve boxes, but do spread Christmas presents out on the day, and sometimes onwards. My youngest wouldn't have been able to cope with an all at once frenzy.

Katieweasel · 02/09/2021 10:09

Mostly just presents on Christmas Day but we do have a Tree presents which is obviously a present from the tree 🌲. It goes under the tree as soon as the tree goes up. DS can ask one yes/no question about it each day and then he can have one guess. If he guesses correctly he gets to open it. Not sure where I got the idea from. Maybe even on here but it's his favourite part of Christmas even after a decade.

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