to wrap or to display under the tree?

[pipo]

I have bought a train set for my DS for Christmas. Should I wrap the box and put it under the tree or should I assemble the train set and put it under the tree on Xmas Eve so that it is ready to go on Xmas morning? DS is 3.

Assemble. That would be so fab!

assemble!

and there's anothe assemble from my dh too.

build it but cover with big sheet of wrapping paper, dont leave it in the box, they take all day to build and your ds will get annoyed waiting to play

I would assemble then wrap. The unwrapping is very important part of present giving imo. I do understand the need to assemble though (have dd 3).

Assemble then hide behind a couple of big boxes

I'd wrap it - in our house Santa brings a sack of presents so it wouldn't make sense otherwise.

aaargh! assemble and wrap!?! wish I hadn't asked now.

DH says DEFINATELY wrap up in box as half the fun is putting it together!!! Apparently you get bored of it more quickly if it's all ready to go straight away

Inside every grown man is a small boy hey...

mmm, yes putting it together would keep him occupied whilst I panic over Xmas dinner but if he was wailing for help I'd be running back and forth panicking more,perhaps I could get him to practise in the local toyshop and then make a judgement.

i would assemble it and make the track go round the base of your christmas tree. just before he gets up turn it on and let him come into room with the train chuffing around the tree. fill the carriages with little goodies too. he will love it.

O.K. I have just opened the box to check that all of the pieces are there and it was very exciting. I am going to go with the wrap the box option for lots of oooh aaah when opening up all the bits and pieces (not too many for a 3 year old I think) and it will hopefully keep him busy when I'm in the kitchen. Thank you for your replies.

no wiry bits thank goodness ( had that problem last year), just bits of railway etc in separate cardboard boxes in a big cardboard box, so he should be fine with opening it all.

Assemble, then wrap (or drape a big sheet or something over it)!

Sorry - I see you have decided! That will teach me to read whole threads...