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Christmas

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Original poster

What time do your kids wake up to open presents?

79 replies

Newdad19 · 08/12/2021 00:23

And what age are they?

We have been fortunate with our two boys so far that they have always slept until 8am but have heard of some people up at 4 in the morning.

What time do you expect your DC to awake? Do you make them wait until a certain time or go with it!? 🎅

OP posts:

mam0918 · 08/12/2021 10:22

Probably around 8.30 as that's when my toddler gets up and once he's up everyone will be awake lol.

The teen would happily stay in bed until 1 pm and the baby sleeps till 10 am usually so I can imagine her sleeping through most the morning.

Bigoldhag · 08/12/2021 10:29

As children, we were not allowed downstairs or to disturb parents before 6 🤣. But Santa did leave stockings at the bottom of the bed so it kept us entertained until then.

snugglyblanket · 08/12/2021 10:31

About 7am. They bring their stockings in to our room to open with us so will talk & giggle in one of their rooms if they wake before then, until they can't wait any longer. It is probably the only day of the year that teen DD will voluntarily drag herself out of bed before lunchtime, or at least let herself be dragged out by her younger brother!

Mummyme87 · 08/12/2021 10:43

I have a 7 and almost 4yr old. The 7yr old varies generally on a normal day between 6-6.30, and the youngest anywhere between 5.50-7. On Christmas Day I suspect based on previous will be 5ish but will insist they stay in bed until 6 and not go downstairs until 7

Angel2702 · 08/12/2021 10:51

We usually wake them up at 6.30 if they aren’t already awake. We have to leave by 10 am so have to do presents, stockings, breakfast and wash, dress do hair make up etc so have to be up early.

Treaclepie19 · 08/12/2021 11:05

When I was little I was always up at 4am after barely having any sleep.
My eldest is 6 and normally just gets up thr same time as normal, 5/6am

We also now have a 1 year old but she won't have a clue.

idontlikealdi · 08/12/2021 11:13

Far too bloody early and they're old enough to know better. Usually around 5 - they get their stockings on their beds and that keeps them occupied for a while.

ShortColdandGrey · 08/12/2021 11:41

My DD is 5 and every year so far I have had to wake her up at 10 am. She better get up earlier this year.

DentalWorries · 08/12/2021 11:49

We’re all in our 20s now and still all go into my parents room at 6.30/7 to sit on their bed and open our stockings

UnLunDun · 08/12/2021 11:51

We open stockings any time after 7am, taking turns, you don’t get them if you are up before that, and we open other gifts under the tree in the afternoon after the meal and washing up have been done. Again, taking turns. This is how my parents did it years ago, I love it.

Pegasussnail · 08/12/2021 11:52

7.30am or thereabouts on Christmas day usually. There are in early primary and sometimes sleep until 8.30 at a weekend. We are lucky.

RubyFakeLips · 08/12/2021 11:56

Mine are older now but I have the kids that can go without sleep for a couple of nights and be fine. I was the same. So yeah, have had them creeping around at 1am when DH and I were still up or sleeping and waking at 3/4 am.

As they do ok without sleep, and I’m usually alright I would just let them get on with it and start opening as soon as they wanted. Poor DH usually looked a bit haunted.

We only do stockings in the morning and other presents are after lunch so it wasn’t all over too early for us.

ApplePippa · 08/12/2021 12:05

When DS was younger we had a not before 6am rule. If he was awake before that, he could put his light on and do something quietly in his room (stockings were downstairs) but no disturbing anyone else! Now he's older, he wakes around 8am.

My Dsis tells the tale of my niece waking up one Christmas at 1.30am thinking it was Christmas morning. BiL is a vicar, and she woke up hearing him coming home from taking the midnight service

mafted · 08/12/2021 12:12

They can come in our room from 6 with their stockings but nobody goes down until after 7 for the bigger FC gifts. One year we were woken up at 8:30 by MIL ringing asking if 'he'd been', she couldn't believe we were all still asleep!

When I was a child DSIS and I used to have all our FC presents in our room and we'd wake up and open them whenever we wanted then go back to sleep full of excitement and chocolate then show our parents what we'd been given at a more reasonable hour.
As a Mother now I can't believe our parents never saw us opening everything, but as a child it was a really magical, special time.

hennaoj · 09/12/2021 19:55

7am-ish. However, I'll be wide awake in bed about 2am!

EventOfTheSeason · 09/12/2021 20:13

Mine is a set the clock by her 6am start kind of kid so I'll guess that.

toptomatoes · 09/12/2021 20:42

Ours are allowed to come into our room with their stockings anytime from 6. It’s always been 6 on the dot so far!

Quornflakegirl · 09/12/2021 20:45

We have two 9 year olds and they will get up at 8am, it has always been an rule that they must wait until 8am and they have happily done so.

DappyApple · 09/12/2021 21:25

Ours are adults now but when they were little they’d never woken before 8.30 at the earliest!

Half the time Dh and I would be sitting twiddling our thumbs waiting for them to wake. A couple of times we’ve cracked first and woke them at 9.30am!
But I’m glad that once mine were asleep they stayed asleep as When we were kids, we always got up around 3.30-4am.

I’m in my 40s and I only found out recently that mum and dad would take turns to go for a nap after we’d done our presents, before making a start on the dinner!

We were so pre-occupied with our presents and new toys we never even noticed that one parent had disappeared!😂

Plopcorn · 09/12/2021 21:27

Not in the UK, we open stockings first thing and presents in the evenlng after very early dinner (on the 24th). They can open one smaller present in the morning, but no more. Santa arrives walking through the snow with his lantern, in the dark. When they spot him in the garden it’s Christmas!

Borracha · 10/12/2021 06:12

Mine are 5, 3 and a newborn, so I'm expecting very bloody early. They are up any time between 5.30 and 7 during the normal week, so will consider anything after 6 on Christmas day to be a success!

Juanbablo · 10/12/2021 06:23

They usually get up around 6 on Christmas Day but we are going to aim for 7 this year. Ds1 asked if we could all get up later so that everything isn't over too early which I appreciate! They are 14, 11 and 7.

tintodeverano2 · 10/12/2021 06:37

When I was little it was about 4am. Used to have a little competition with my friend over the road to see who would get up the earliest. I usually won.

Dd (11) has woken up about 2 am before, but told to go back to bed as I only went to bed at midnight. Usually it's around 5 ish, but I try to get her to hold on till at least 6.30.
She's always been an early riser, but recently has started to sleep in till about 8 on weekends, so I hope she does that this year! I doubt it though as we are staying at my aunts house and she's always up at 6.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 10/12/2021 06:37

Mine are in double figures now but 7am was the earliest we would open presents. Everyone gathers for Christmas songs and snuggles in our bed first.

TheOldLadyOfThreadneedleStreet · 10/12/2021 06:43

When little 6:30 / 7 here, which we went with, it seemed reasonable. Older teenagers now so tends to be 9am ish now. DD has been waking really late this year so who knows for this year. She’s fifteen, typical teenager I suppose.

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