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Christmas

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Original poster

how do you organise present opening in your house?

26 replies

leoandmummy · 22/12/2007 09:16

do they open everything all at once? ds 2.9 and want to make it special and to enjoy presents he gets.

OP posts:
saltirehangingonachristmastree · 22/12/2007 09:18

Stockings as soon as they waken. Then downstairs and open Santa presents. Then breakfast, then the presents from other people such as us, GPs etc.

YuleLoveHekateAtSolstice · 22/12/2007 09:20

Organise it?

It's a free for all.

I fear for my safety, I really do.

They open their eyes, scream, run downstairs and dive in. They suit themselves how it works out. I jut sit back and watch.

You can't direct them, iyswim, it takes all the JOY out of it.

isaidhohoho · 22/12/2007 09:22

Stockings in bed with us, then downstairs to see if Santa's left anything down there (he has) then getting dressed.

This year the in laws are coming at 1pm, so will prob wait til then to open presents they've brought.

Presents from everyone else - gradually over the next day or so! The DC are 2 and 4, so I try to spread it out.

My parents are coming on 28th, with presents, so that should be the last!

MummyDoItUnderTheMistletoe · 22/12/2007 09:22

Everyone piles into our bed and we open stockings in bed together. Then downstairs where the main presents are under the tree. DH gets the Bucks Fizz and starts breakfast while I sort the presents into piles. Before children, we'd open them after breakfast but the DSs can't wait that long so we do it before.

wheelybahhumbug · 22/12/2007 09:22

Stocking in our bed

Downstairs for breakfast, get dressed, then open sitting room door to see pressies that have been put out over night.

Presents are then handed out to people - firstly the presents from people who are there who hand them out themselves, then any others.

CharleeSawMummyKissingSanta · 22/12/2007 09:22

We have always been a free for all kind of family, dad would divide the pressies out and we would just go crazy! I don't like the idea of order and organisation of kids at xmas, it takes the fun from it!

YuleLoveHekateAtSolstice · 22/12/2007 09:23

Oh and a tip - he's a toddler - don't expect too much from him. He'll probably get overwhelmed and cry, or stress, or leave half his stuff untouched and play with the wrapping paper or something. DO NOT let this ruin your day (your idea of The Day) because the toddler Christmas is lovely and something that, years from now, you will remember with a LOT of love.

SantaBabyBeenAnAwfulGoodGirl · 22/12/2007 09:25

stockings when you wake up

then at reasonable hour take stocking contents to aprents room to show and make parents open their own stockings

then general slow getting up brekfast etc

then play nnicely whil mum gets dinner going

by about 12 ready for coffee and nice biscuits all assemble in living room and presents handed out to people from the tree

then take turns to open with mum or dad making a check list as they opened for thanks on the phone or whatever later

when i was little we had to wait until after the queens speech

Merrydian · 22/12/2007 09:25

stocking for ds, let him play with whatever is inside, while we make coffee, then open a few presents till ds wanders off to play with what is open and ignore everything else. when i was little i was always allowed one small gift on christmas eve, which now I argue with dh about letting ds open one little gift on xmas eve.

after breakfast when mil visits everythign starts again with what presents she brings. last year ds (then age 3) was a bit overwhelemed by it all and we left a few presents till boxing day so christmas lasted a bit longer.

Boredveryverybored · 22/12/2007 09:29

We stay at my mums over xmas, no stockings here, everything is under the tree. Up and breakfast, then into the living room and the kids get their santa presents. After lunch, presents from other people are handed out and the grown ups get theirs

HappyMummyOfOne · 22/12/2007 09:30

DS was over whelmed last year (he was 3) and opened a few presents and left the rest. We just let him open them in his own time. Was a little disappointed as thought he would dive right in.

We put the pressies from family/friends under the tree and then have DS's pressies from us/santa in a big pile in the corner with a few bin bags handy ready to catch the discarded paper so that nothing gets thrown away in error or stood on etc.

mazzystar · 22/12/2007 09:41

stockings at dawn

presents after lunch. anticipation is the best bit after all. must manage to get it done earlier this year - ds was falling asleep over his train set last year.

Sobernow · 22/12/2007 09:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

soapbox · 22/12/2007 09:57

We all take turns to open starting with the youngest so everyone can oooh and ahhh at everyone's presents not just their own

KbearingGiftsWeTraverseAfar · 22/12/2007 10:01

Father Christmas brings the presents in our house except one big one from me and DH. Everyone else brings their gifts when they visit.

The kids pile in our bed and open stocking presents then we go downstairs eagerly anticipating what FC might have left, then much screeching and wowing and dancing about then the kids just dive in.

Alambil · 22/12/2007 10:04

Very organised here.

Wake up, go on my parents bed to do stockings(parents get one too!)

Everyone up, washed, dressed and eat breakfast round the table.

Open half the presents, play with them.

Have lunch

Open rest of presents in the afternoon, once lunch is cleared away.

Have tea and open tree presents (one each worth £5 that's been ON the tree all day - tis a family tradition)

Then blob out for the evening/play with new toys and bed

adventkerzylin · 22/12/2007 10:16

We haven't done it at our house for years but at my sister's house her dc and my 2 were just allowed to dive into the pile and open parcels all 4 together. Later in the day there was a 2nd Christmas at our parents and dad said he was boss in his house so they had to open presents one by one, taking it in turn in a civilized manner but the dc got bored waiting for their turn - but grandad got his way and it did last longer than at my sister's place where it was all over after half an hour!

dillinger · 22/12/2007 10:17

We'll get up and get showered and dressed, ds was only 11 months old last xmas so I might put his stocking upstairs this year so he can have it when he wakes up, then downstairs for a nice breakfast together and leisurely opening presents, Im looking forward to enjoying watching my son open his.

Then either before dinner or tea we'll probably have a couple of friends visit for a mince pie and a drink.

I like our intimate and relaxing day.

hairycaterpillar · 22/12/2007 10:18

Stockings and Santa present in morning all together.

Breakfast/wash/dress/play

Church

Lunch

(Queens speech has to be fitted in for gp's)

Evryone together as oldest child (or any child that wants) hands out presents under tree ie from friends/uncles/aunties/gp's etc (ie non santa presents only under the tree).

then play/eat more/TV/walk/family games etc

bed.

(I prefer to spread pressies out as mine are wee 4, 2.5, 10mths...and so would be overwhelmed if all at once. I think it makes them appreciate what they get cause they look at it for more than a few seconds!I also think it's nice if relatives get to see kids open the presents they have given them.)

bookofchristmascarolsmum · 22/12/2007 10:20

Stockings/table presents before breakfast, church, maybe a couple of gifts to tide my dd over til dinner. Presents once the Queen's done her bit.

My parents have never let us have free for all so it's not something I could do. I don't think dd feels repressed by it all .

BBBee · 22/12/2007 10:32

dp and i do each others on christmas eve - late when children asleep then children do stockings when they wake up then after everyone is dressed downstairs and random opening. Over to my mums afeter lunch to hers and other relatives.

smartiejake · 23/12/2007 10:37

When I was little we always used to open presents all at once.
Dh's family do theirs one at atime which can take hours but it's the way we do it with our kids now as it's quite nice to see the reciever's face as they open it. The one who has just opened a pressie has to choose another from under the tree for another person.
Our kids also don't have their stocking in their room as one year dd1 was awake from about 4am and would not go back to sleep. Ruined christmas for us as we were all tired and grumpy.

Hulababy · 23/12/2007 10:40

Only three of us here - me, DH and 5yo DD. We normally take it in turns but with DD having more goes - so would be DD, me, DD, DH, DD, me....etc.

serenity · 23/12/2007 10:53

They get one (specially selected) present Christmas Eve, then they're allowed their stockings when they get up (so we don't have to get up at some ridiculous time with them ) Then the rest of our presents after breakfast.

We usually have Christmas dinner at my parents and then Boxing day at MIL's. Present opening at my parents is always after dinner, and as soon as we get through the door at MILs! I like having the presents spread over a couple of days - keeps the excitement going

LIZS · 23/12/2007 10:56

Stagger it . They get way more than you think and best to save some for after lunch to give the first ones time to be appreciated and you to sort lunch out.

We take turns but take breaks for breakfast, coffee and lunch.