Children opening Christmas Gifts

[RenoSusan]

Last Christmas the family agreed that opening presents has become chaotic and unrewarding. We told the 3 - 11yrs, 9 and 8 - that we were having a practice and they could open 1 gift if they learned how to do it. First I opened a practice gift (a pair of socks) and read the card first and told everyone who gave it to me. Then I opened the gift and held it up and said it was just what I wanted and the color was perfect. Then I thanked the person who gave it to me. I explained if it was a large gift I would jump up and hug that person. They loved me hugging myself. Then they got a turn. I told them if it was a stove mitt or a motorcycle, they had to follow the script. They took turns opening a gift and performed. All understand this is a show called "opening Christmas gifts" and they are participants. Doesn't matter what the present is, the script is the same. Our Christmas day was much better. I am trying to pass on an idea that might help.

We open all our presents giving them a mark (out of ten) on a spreadsheet. Anything scoring over a seven gets a thank you. Hugs are reserved for a ten only. Anything under a five gets a tight smile and put in the charity bag we keep in the corner of the room. If the present is unusually awful, we use it to keep the fire going in the afternoon.

Best Christmas present opening was when dd age 9, bought dd age 3 bratz dolls from the school Christmas fair.
Dd opened them and screamed "but, but they are naked" and hurled them in the air.
Your script would have stole that moment.

Sounds like my Christmases growing up, but we didn't have to practise, we were brought up doing this. We even went in a strict order from oldest to youngest, one gift each, then start again. It took a looooong time.

But even though I hated it then, I do the same now that I'm grown up one present each, open, then move onto next person. It does help that our son is autistic and doesn't understand Christmas, so he doesn't get excited by wrapped gifts and what might be inside. He always ends up with far too many gifts and, as we can only open them at a speed at which he'll cope without being overwhelmed, it takes three days to open them all.

@Ragwort

Your post had me laughing.

I'm going to be the only one then who thinks this actually a pretty good idea! I'm not bothered for myself but my parents struggle with seeing kids ripping paper off, chucking things aside then ripping more paper off.

We always had this procedure in theory but by the time we got into it it inevitably descended into a frenzy.

I think taking a bit of time and thanking people is a brilliant idea to at least aim for. My folks also wanted us all to admire each gift collectively but their hopes were trashed on that one :)

I'm all for a calm opening of gifts (we can't open anything until I have a champagnecoffee in hand) and appreciating what you have, but this sounds really dull.

Also, really, a bigger reaction for a more expensive gift? Remind me exactly what you are trying to teach your children again?

The one and only morning when children can go crazy with torn up wrapping paper and scream with excitement when they see what Santa has bought them.

Your Christmas sounds to robotic to me.

Just take turns and don’t take too long about it.

My dad, whatever he gets, opens his present and always shakes it to see if any money falls out or picks the wrapping paper back up, scrunches through it and pretends we must have forgot to put money in. Always makes me smile.

ARE YOU SERIOUS????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My favourite memory of Christmas was opening my presents while everyone else was and all getting excited at the same time/showing what we'd got/chaos...but FUN chaos.

I feel for your kids, that sounds so boring and just AWFUL. Who practices with their children how to open presents on Christmas morning? Shocked.

What???

My brothers and I grew up being encouraged to swan dive into our pile of gifts.

It's one of my favourite parts of Christmas watching my own children do the same thing.

You can't help but get caught up in their excited frenzy. Like happy little piranhas.

Fantastic.

I've never done this but......

Jesus Christ op, you had a present opening practice?? FFS!!!

Did you actually have to get your children to practice opening presents and thanking people?????

We do very similar but add in an egg timer. We set the timer so we can time exactly 7 minutes between each present. Then one person (father) hands children a present in alphabetical order (child A has first present, we wait 7 minutes then child B etc). I (mother) keep a list of who has received what from whom. We encourage children to be careful in the unwrapping, to undo knots on ribbon and carefully peel adhesive off paper so we can reuse next year. Children are alllowed to choose one book to keep and we box everything else up for poor children.
Then when we’ve whiled away most of the day opening presents, we ask the children to write their than you letters and walk to post box in next village before sitting down to supper.
We don’t need to practice and the murmurs of joy if they get to turn the eggtimer on it’s head just make our Christmas.

Nah, I prefer opening presents at the same time as everyone else and hearing the shrieks of happiness as we all enjoy everything at the same time. Doesn't make it bad. And we're genuinely happy about what we get and always say thank you

You let them keep a whole book Crumbs?

I hope you cut out the last pages in case they end up truly spoilt.

You practiced opening gifts......ah jaysus, I've heard it all now.

Maybe it would liven things up if you made them wait 7 hours and then not keep any presents?

Oh my, my in laws get up and hug the givers for EVERY present and I can't stand it. No way I'll be teaching my children to do that, it's painful.

Crumbs Iove it.
Weebo happy little piranhas here too
Sorry but kids that don't open one present after another have not been taught how to do Christmas properly. Mine do say thank you and they are very grateful for their presents but the 'present performance' sounds joyless and excruciating.

My in laws do the one present and everyone watching present opening. Now, while I don't like utter chaos, it takes FOREVER. It means that literally all we have time to do is open presents and eat meals. So, the children get a box of Lego and there is no time to even start building it. Plus I absolutely hate having everyone's attention on me as I open a gift. SiL even sits with a camera poised in front of you when you open her gift. I hate having my photo taken. For me it destroys all the joy.

Oddly, for approach which I think is meant to make everyone more appreciative, less materialistic, it makes the entire day just about presents with no time to simply relax and enjoy each other's company.

Hell no!
My DM does this, it drags on forever and I can’t be arsed to feign interest when I see her react over enthusiastically to yet another smelly set. The last time I spent Christmas with her, my sister and I said ‘fuck this shit, lets just open our presents altogether!’ DM wasn’t impressed but everyone else had a great time!

Mine also say thank you. Over and over again.

But it's usually when they are covered in tape and panting in a snowstorm of wrapping paper.

I wouldn't have it any other way.