Why do people wait until Christmas Eve night to do the wrapping?

[00100001]

So many people talk about having to get excited kids to sleep so they can do the wrapping.

Why leave it til then?

I did the late wrapping on Christmas Eve wrap too and also like PP, never again!

It took far longer than I anticipated, I was shattered and I'd rather have been sat on the sofa watching a Christmas film and having a nice glass of something than wrapping awkwardly shaped presents with the overhead light on so I could see better. It wasn't Christmassy at all.

@ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife

Because good intentions to do it earlier always fail. Always something more urgent or interesting to do.

this.

I try to wrap before but I always ended up buying a few extras and having to wrap Christmas Eve. However I could never wrap as I go as I like to sort dc’s presents into piles to look at in case one has more or less. I also like to make sure I have all the presents on my brought list before wrapping them up.

I wrap on Christmas Eve or maybe a couple of days before.

My children think I wrap little and often through December because I occasionally take scissors and tape to my room, telling them significantly that I mustn't be disturbed. Then I have a nap.

Because I’m an absolute mess

Let me live

I did a Christmas Eve wrapping session once and never again! I now have a policy of keeping Christmas Eve clear.

@FreezerBird

I wrap on Christmas Eve or maybe a couple of days before.

My children think I wrap little and often through December because I occasionally take scissors and tape to my room, telling them significantly that I mustn't be disturbed. Then I have a nap.

I do this too

I'm half tempted not to wrap any presents this year, I'm toying with giving everyone their gifts in the b&m velvet initial sacks I've bought, while claiming its for the good of the environment, when really I'm fed up of being chief wrapper. I'd like to spend the day dishing red sacks out like father Christmas, but I'd like the sacks back to reuse next year please. I honestly don't think any of the recipients will give a hoot about missing wrapping paper, and our 1 dgd (5) will think it magical. In reality I'll be wrapping Christmas eve....sigh.

Because both DH and I both hate doing it. So we put it off till it can't be put off anymore.

@00100001

So many people talk about having to get excited kids to sleep so they can do the wrapping.

Why leave it til then?

I used to get paid on the 25th! It'd be just before at Christmas given the holiday, but you can imagine it was a scramble.

Aside from money constraints, I think stockings are nicest done just before. It takes the excitement out, otherwise (for you, not for them).

Because they’re also mostly bought on Christmas Eve as a pp mentioned & because the run up to Christmas is really busy with work so I don’t have much time.

I’ve been up until 2 or 3am on most Christmas Evs doing it & hate it. I’d love to be more organised but I’m generally not & present wrapping, like most things, happens when it’s urgent. & the most pressing thing needed in my world of chaos basically. It’s definitely an not intentional plan!

I would find it too stressful waiting until Christmas Eve. We are always super busy in December so organisation is key!

Gifts all purchased by Dec 1st. Check DC’s ‘piles’ and stockings look even(ish) then separate into various bags.
I normally have two wrapping days when DC are at school/uni to do Christmas Eve hamper/stockings then Santa/tree presents. I put each child’s gifts into separate bags for life plus and stocking gifts into carriers with their names on ready to tip into stockings on Christmas Eve - these get packed in the cupboard with any ‘big’ gifts. Gifts that don’t fit in the bags go under the tree to build excitement. I then do one evening with DC’s for other people.

I really enjoy it and always watch Christmas films or tv specials.

Because they're really busy?

Sorry @Mrsfussypants1 but it's the law to wrap presents. Didn't you know? Even if you finish them at 5am and they're ripped open at half past, you still have to expend all that pointless energy.

God I hate wrapping presents! And I always manage to lose both tape and scissors even when I'm sitting in one place

“Did once. Went to bed at 4 am”

Oh gawd same here! Totally ruined Christmas as couldn’t go to bed until it was done and dh was supposed to help but fell asleep on sofa instead.

We used to leave it until Christmas Eve because it was easier to wrap it and then leave it out rather than hide it away again but as the kids got later and later to bed it left us too much to do!

I do big presents as I go along but stocking fillers are just put in a big box and I wrap them and allocate them on Christmas Eve because otherwise I forget what belongs to who and whether they've got the right amount each. Doesn't take long because I do such a rough and ready job.

I like them all wrapped up ready to put under the tree, just love the present under the tree.

Because we’ve absolutely nailed the art of procrastination in our house. Plus we both work full time, and our children are at the pre-teen, teen age so occasionally we’re in bed first. It’s hard to find time in our day to wrap.

My vague master stroke has been involving DD in the ‘Christmas magic’ and getting her to wrap her brothers stocking.

I would love to put the children to bed and settle down for a drink and Christmas Eve shag, but sadly this is not the path I chose. (Although I did risk that once and DS rocked up 9 months later).

My life will inevitably result in me spending Christmas Day in a sleep deprived haze, but I see that as part of the fun

It’s part of our tradition. I take the kids to mass at 6, leave at 5.30 to get a good seat. Mass finishes just after 7 go pick up the Chinese take away.

When i get home my husband is slightly tipsy, the presents are wrapped like he has one arm, but they’re wrapped and something Christmassy is on telly

Eat dinner, kids in bed, drink wine

The majority of the presents I got are for overseas. So they were wrapped & mailed to my Mums this week. They are currently enroute to East Midlands after a quick trip to Germany. Decided to be organized this year due to much longer posting times than normal. Didn’t want them to get stuck in the holiday rush. Used Amazon for the rest. I am 95% ready , just a couple more bits to buy & wrap

@Igneo

How the hell do you know in January what someone will want in December unless you're buying generic, meaningless presents? I sympathise with this view. IMO older people can do this.Not that their presents are meaningless, just that sometimes less thought has to go in... it’s fine if aunty gives you socks/ subscription every year. But not the parents of young children.

This! I honestly don’t know how anyone does their shopping in October and has it all wrapped. How do people know what others want at that time? Kids surely don’t know or will change their minds if you buy things earlier in autumn?

When the kids were tiny and only had a couple of presents each we had a lovely Christmas Eve watching a Christmas movie and working our way through a bottle of wine and box of chocolates whilst wrapping. Tried to recreate it the next year but somehow we'd gone over the critical mass of presents that can practically be wrapped in one evening... it was awful. We vowed never again after crawling up to bed at 2am. It keeps happening though It just sort of creeps up on you and then as a pp said, can't be put off any longer.

Jesus your right, why DO i do this I literally buy everything in one go usually smyths/jd sports/pc world, then I hide it all in my bedroom, and it stays there until Christmas Eve!! It’s bloody awful I’m up til stupid o’clock wrapping (I have 5!! children). Thank you for this thread, I’ll do little and often whilst they’re in school this year

Always had mine done beginning of December when the children believed it’s hard enough building the dolls houses, bikes etc on Christmas Eve to do the presents too.
Now mine are all grown the older 2 (20 and 17) have money and only smellies, chocks etc to wrap do it 22/23rd DD is 12 and has more to wrap usually but this year a new iPad and riding clothes/equipment won’t be much to wrap for her either!

Because drunk wrapping is fun and if its my turn to eat the mince pies, then I want to be drunk for that