Presents the night before

Kimberley82

Our oldest is about to turn 9 on Saturday. Unfortunately both myself and husband are working. They will be coming to work with me until lunch time. My husband will be working 4am till 6pm. We have always opened presents in the morning as a family. Dh is gutted to be missing it.

We are thinking of giving him his main present (ipod touch) on Friday night so dad can be there too, im torn between agreeing so his dad can see his face etc but it just seems wrong to open then before. Though he would still have a fair bit to open on the day too.

Plans_all_plans

If it were my child, I'd open the present on the evening of his birthday once your husband gets in at 6pm. Tell your son "your main present will be opened this eve once your dad's home". He can have the smaller presents earlier on in the day.

balletshoes

How about you ask your DS if he'd mind waiting until his Dad gets home on Saturday to open his main present? He could still open some in the morning when we awakes.

Kaz2904

I would do it either the night before (as 4am is waaaaaaay too early!) or make him wait until the evening when you have all finished work. It is his birthday but presumably you and your DH worked hard to earn the money to get his gifts so you should BOTH be there to see him open the presents.
We never let ours open their gifts until DH gets home from work if it's a week day because it's a special thing for the family to do together.
That's not to say you'll do something wrong, it's just that that is what works for us as a family

claire16c

I agree just open the main present in the evening when your DH is back from work.

And let him open any smaller ones in the morning.

CH27

Ask your son to wait for daddy to get home for the main present.
You can always let him open some bits & bobs when he wakes up.

moomoomama27

I think I would do the evening of his birthday, just give the smaller gifts in the morning, and tell him there's a big surprise later when Dad gets home!

money_honey

I agree with the others, definitely do it in the evening when your DH gets back. He'll have something to look forward to all day then!

Kimberley82

I would feel mean making him wait all day plus we will be go straight to the restaurant to meet everyone.

balletshoes

Kimberley82 wrote: »

I would feel mean making him wait all day plus we will be go straight to the restaurant to meet everyone.

even better - everyone gets to see him open his main present .

stormbreaker

Ask him what he would like to do? Its his birthday. We both work shifts and have sometimes not been there at particular times but bothy my sons have understood that we can't pick and choose when to work and both of them choose to wait til we are together as a family to open any presents.