Present Opening Etiquette

jcr16

santa usually stacks all the pressies under the tree and hides them also in the tree. we have a diff wrapping paper for each child. but the kids still love finding the pressies and reading them names. they usually hand out all the pressies. we do a pressie at a time, take time and enjoy each pressie before going on to next. usually takes kids a couple days to open them all. not becuase there are loads, but my kids really enjoy them and play with them as they get them. which is fantastic. they then spend most of day playing but stopping for food , photos and playing wii and family games. our children are 6, 4 and 19m. so first xmas my youngest will really be into.

yippee_kye_yay

its a free for all in our house in regards to the kids. ds is almost 3 and dd almost 2.
kids will open the stocking presnts (not wrapped) in my bed whilst dh goes downstairs, sticks kettle and heating on and sets camera up.

the presents r in seperate piles in different wrapping paper and the kids will just tear it all off in a frenzy - we love it this way.

dh and my presents are often forgotten until later in the day as we are too busy helping the kids with setting up, taking out of boxes, etc.

LeeSouthEast

No kids. Presents go under tree. Then get dished out to each recipient in the company of everyone else. We then take it in turns to "ooh and ahh".

li'l_p

For years we have always gathered at my parent's house and we take turns opening our presents. Take a few hours and we even stop for cooked breakfast, but is well worth it considering you then get to see what everyone has bought each other and what is received, etc, and you get to see the persons reaction.

Won't be doing it this year as I have had a baby, so we're all doing our own family thing, probably visit the parent's at some stage, but won't be the full taking turns thing. Me & OH do it to. We take turns opening gifts. I think it makes it much more special.

leemina

We get up (four of us) and tak pics of the kids faces. We sit by our own piles and then take turns to open presents, one at a time. We open a few and then have breakfast, then we open a few more, then its get dressed time. Gives kids something to do whilst we take turns for shower etc. We then just open all presents, again in turns. Then this year we will go to parents for dinner (thats if I'm not working xmas day this year .

SUESMITH_2

we dole presents out into individual piles, when the kids were little we used to sit and watch them before opening ours, now they are teenagers it can be difficult to get them out of bed so we just get up and open at will

after we've doled them out on christmas eve they get to open one present - quite funny as the most intriguing shaped presents are usually the dullest lol

tsstss7

we do one gift at a time and it takes ages but its fun - and we like to film it too!!

*Louise*

On christmas morning the kids (10, 4 and 2) all get stuck into their presents from 'Santa' (Darn him for getting all the credit lol) :rotfl:No way could I make them all take turns about, that would slow the excitement I reckon. Hubby and I open ours once the kids are finished - they don't care what we get lol, they are busy playing.

One thing I always insist on is that relatives don't send presents before Christmas day. We go and visit all the family, so the kids can accept their gifts and say thank you proerly (and we can give gift as well, I like to see people opening them)

After christmas dinner we open the gifts under the tree. These are usually the ones from distant relatives, and there is a present for the kids from 'mum and dad'

At my mum's in the evening all the grandchildren are all there at once, and it can get a bit busy, so I try and hold off handing parcels out until others have finished opening theirs, just to try and watch everyone. I hate if the kids have a gift that I don't know who the giver was.

amanda40

We have 2 DS (10 & 8) all the santa presents go on different sofa's , in different wrapping paper so we can tell whos is who. All the other presents that people hand in go under the tree. The kids usually open all their presents first with us filming, then hubby and I get to open ours. Some years we leave all the presents from under the tree till boxing day - as there is just too much toys around!! We go to the inlaws on Christmas day later, and my family come over in the morning - we do all try to open one at a time, but with 4 kids and 11/12 adults it does turn into a bit of a rammy!!! Last year DH opened one of my presents that I got and had already opened then spent the rest of the day looking for it to show me!! I eventually asked my brother if He had the same as me - NO he didnt!!

ikkleosu

Rachel85 wrote: »

I'm intrigued to know how present opening works in your houses.

In ours (there are no young children, I guess this makes a difference) we put everything under the tree and all sit round it. Someone will start by dishing out a few presents to everyone and we open all at the same time, then people will have a rummage for something of theirs, open it, open more andd more until its all done.

I hate it.

I hate the fact that I've spent a long time thinking of what to buy someone, wrappig it up and then it'll get given out to them by someone who happens to be sat by the tree or finds its on top of something of theirs. So I don't often get to see them open it.


Thanks
Rachel85

I don't understand, really, why it bothers you if someone else hands them the present from you? They know it's from you surely and that's the main thing?

Doing it one at a time doesn't have to take ages. Apoint someone to be under the tree, and they find one present for each person there, including themselves. Everyone opens theres, then everyone takes a minute or two to see what everyone else got/open boxes/try on/play with it. Then you do another "round" again.

Growing up i always had a lot more pressies under the tree than my brothers (becuase I was a girl and all my friends gave each other presents, unlike boys!) but no-one was ever bothered, it was justa running joke and eventually it would get to a point where Mum would pass me a bundle.