christmas present poll

[larzhope]

my H and I were discussing what to do with the presents this year and it made me realize not everyone has the same philosophy so now I'm curious.

For those that can't see the poll:

1. presents from mom and dad go under the tree prior to Christmas
2. all presents (from santa and mom and dad) appear under tree on Christmas morning
3. other - ss

[redheadk]

Any presents not from Santa go under the tree as they get wrapped. I actually just wrapped everything on Monday because I wanted my dining room back.

We used to put wrapped gifts out closer to Christmas or when Santa came but my present hiding spot is upstairs and that was a pain. I try to reduce the amount of stuff we have to do Christmas Eve night as much as I can.

[isabel]

I put them under as they get wrapped. We already have a few under there from the grandmas.

[AdaraMarie]

It has varied over time. When the kids were littler everything came out at once because the kids wouldn't stay out of things. Last year I put out presents earlier for the first time, but I had a lot of scrap construction plans around so I double wrapped the gifts I put out early with white/scrap paper under the regular paper which worked really well.
I will probably do the same this year even though I think they have already been snooping into the unwrapped gifts.

[nessness]

I keep them in a closet until Christmas morning, but only to avoid my dogs or cat damaging them.

Presents from Santa go next to their stockings, which are in a different room from the Christmas tree.

[krystee]

We do it all at once on Christmas Eve. Santa doesn’t usually bring the biggest or most expensive stuff, so there wouldn’t be the wow factor if everything but Santa’s gifts were out in advance. To go from nothing to a whole bunch of gifts under the tree feels a little extra magical. The only gifts under our tree right now are gifts for other people. Our own gifts from each other come out Christmas Eve too.

[cleo29]

If we get gifts from relatives, they will be put under the tree before Christmas day, everything else is put there on Christmas Eve when they are sleeping. I can still remember that feeling of amazement that what was once a pretty empty area, was suddenly full of presents.

I no longer wrap their gifts from santa, and they do get stocking of goodies.

[devonpow]

SS- Santa only brings stockings and 1 gift per kid (typically the “big” item). Santa’s gift is unwrapped.

Before Christmas any gifts from relatives etc plus a few mom and dad gifts go under tree so it’s not empty/looks nice Overnight on Christmas the rest of the mom and dad gifts (maybe half?) come out. I like the dramatic effect on Christmas morning lol

[sofamonkey]

Dec 8, 2020 23:21:56 GMT -5 nessness said:

I keep them in a closet until Christmas morning, but only to avoid my dogs or cat damaging them.

Presents from Santa go next to their stockings, which are in a different room from the Christmas tree.

Same. The animals don’t get in them, per se. But they’re careless and clumsy, so it’s just not worth it. Lol!

[namasteak]

Presents from anyone other than Santa used to go under the tree as the get wrapped but destructor baby has foiled those plans this year.

[Roc A Bee]

All gifts under the tree as I go. I hate storing and I think the tree is prettier with gifts under it.

[circa1978]

Santa presents go on the fireplace at our house. Everything else is under the tree.

We generally only give DS one or two presents from us, the rest and all big stuff comes from Santa Christmas morning. This is the first year he's known it's really all us and he wants to keep it that way, so we will.

[gretchenindisguise]

When I was a kid, my parents put presents from them under the tree before Christmas. When I was a teenager, my brother and I opened all of the presents and swapped them. My mom was so confused on Christmas morning.

So because of my own teenage nonsense, presents go out at the same time late on Christmas Eve so when my kids are teenagers, they can't mess with them.

[pinkalicious]

Dec 8, 2020 23:42:23 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Presents from anyone other than Santa used to go under the tree as the get wrapped but destructor baby has foiled those plans this year.

My Dad nicknamed my son Destructo- sounds like our boys might be similar!

[cjcouple]

2. Most years I'm not even finished wrapping until Christmas eve 🤣

[maudefindlay]

We put everything out as it is wrapped. I don't want to store it all and it is fun to see gifts under the tree.

[gardengal]

Our tree is like 3’ wide. Also, I don’t 100% trust my kids not to peek. So, some presents go under the tree early, often my husband’s gifts, the traditional new PJs & book for Xmas Eve, and maybe something that’s come in the mail. But that’s all that will fit. So, most comes out for the Big.Reveal on Xmas morning. Santa’s present is unwrapped, as is stocking stuffers.

[gummybear]

Well, I always give them matching pjs Xmas eve. And in the olden days the gifts they got at Santa’s Workshop at school were under there.

Everything else goes at the same time to be seen and opened Xmas morning. The “big” gift is always from us, however we explained Santa in a kind of convoluted way. Santa brings the presents but we’ve approved and paid for them. Santa does not decide on his own, make anything, or reward anyone. Santa is merely a magical fat UPS man. So really it’s a joint partnership. We do this for several reasons.

[expectantsteelerfan]

Presents from mom and dad go under the tree as soon as they're wrapped (which will hopefully be Friday this week), and they are opened on Christmas Eve, along with any gifts that have come in the mail from family members that haven't been opened yet.

We used to only open one gift on Christmas eve, in the evening, because that is what my family did (we also used to go to Midnight Mass). But when my kids were little, there were several Christmases where dh was deployed or working on Christmas Eve, so I started letting the kids open gifts from us early in the day to help make the day more special and fun. So the gifts from mom and dad tend to be stuff they can play with and will keep them occupied for a while, usually at least 1 lego set.

This year we already let them open their gifts from my OOT brother and his family last weekend, because dd was home sick and waiting for her Covid results (got them yesterday, negative) and had to miss her outdoor holiday dance recital.

[abs]

Presents go under the tree as I wrap them. I honestly love picking out wrapping paper every year and laying things out once wrapped. The tree looks prettier to me with things under it so I usually start wrapping in very early December. Santa gifts don't come out until Christmas Eve but they go by the fire place with the stockings.

[mccallister84]

Until this year they’d go under the tree. My two year old is a hurricane so I have zero doubt she’d go crazy unwrapping everything. She’s already broken like five ornaments.

[Patsy Baloney]

I like to put the presents from us under the tree in very mom-and-dad wrapping paper - leftovers from the birthday roll, paper that’s about 15 years old, etc. I do this about a week or 2 before Christmas, just to drive the kids crazy.

Then I like to get Santa wrapping paper (something fun and bright) for the gifts he’s bringing and have them appear on Christmas morning. The visual is fun.

[tacokick]

Growing up, all presents appeared under the tree Christmas morning. Both sets of presents were wrapped. I think my parents were worried about the dogs and my brother getting into them.

When my husband was growing up my MIL would sneak into their room in the middle of the night and leave a gift for Hanukkah.

[meowmaps]

We have nothing under the tree because I’m pretty sure DD would open gifts right away. She loves “surprises”. We’re doing a combo of Hanukkah and Christmas for the first time this year and hope to continue that tradition. I have her eight presents hidden in a closet. We’ll pull one out every night. Then on Christmas Eve after she’s gone to sleep we’re going to put out her big present, an easel, so she’ll see it first thing on Christmas morning. That’ll be from Santa.

[ssmjlm]

As I wrap, they go under the tree.

Santa gifts are unwrapped and appear Christmas morning.

[thebreakfastclub]

SS because Santa works with parents to bring presents. We do not separate parent vs Santa. This helps explain why there is a budget and we don't get every Switch game etc.

My almost 8yo is openly doubtful of Santa this year anyway, so it will be a moot point soon anyway.

[ECB]

Growing up - everything showed up on Christmas morning. I don't have it in me to do all my wrapping Christmas Eve and/or worrying about hiding wrapped presents - so as I wrap, they go under the tree. Except for Santa - he had his own paper and they showed up in the morning.

[Patsy Baloney]

I’m always tickled by how elaborate many families get with the Santa myth. Parent approval, budget, discussions, etc.

Our family is so basic. Santa brings stuff. Sometimes it’s what you want. Sometimes it’s socks. You never know with the big man 😂

[NewGirlNic]

Presents from us go under the tree as they are wrapped, but that is most likely Christmas Eve anyways... since I'm notorious for a marathon wrap session on Christmas Eve. This year is the year I turn it around though! LOL

[af1212]

We have a somewhat unique situation in that we don’t live near any family. So all presents my children receive from family are shipped to us.

Some of those presents arrived in boxes already wrapped. Those ones go straight under the tree.

Others arrive direct from the company and unwrapped. Those we save. My husband works in the basement and he does most of the wrapping down there and sets things aside.

Then on Christmas Eve we put out everything from us, santa and the family that isn’t already out.

Of course I would love to have family living nearby but I do have to admit it’s to our benefit in Christmas. We get a big visual impact without having to buy much ourselves. I think it’s cool to be a kid and come downstairs and see piles of presents. But I would not want to have to buy that much myself.