I need tips on enjoying Christmas morning.
- How do you manage all the loot?
- How do you enjoy the unwrapping and the thrill?
- How do you keep track of what was sent by whom?
- How do you make sure you don't toss important small pieces?
- How do you keep from feeling stressed by the chaos?
Please advise.
24 comments:
I don't know that I have really good advice--only 2 kids 3 and under. We have to take turns--one unwrapping at a time. It takes a while, but then you can have some kids looking for presents for the next person and then everyone gets a chance to enjoy the thrill of others getting gifts. I also make family that send things tell me what they are (for the kids) so I know ahead of time and don't have to remember. Then too it's a little bit of a flashback for me of hiding out in a room with one sibling or another while we shared what we got for others in our family. As for not tossing small pieces. We also have a wrapping/garbage bag for the wrapping paper to go in immediately. Then everyone has to pick a place and their loot is piled in that place--doesn't always work, but it does help.
While we don't have small children in our home for Christmas anymore, we still stick to the same routine as we had growing up.
Everyone has their spot they stay in to open their gifts. That's also where they keep all their gifts, in one spot. The wrapping is usually piled in another until someone realizes it's time to get a trash bag and then we just throw it in as we go.
We always open our gifts from the sibling thats giving at once. I.E. Everyone opens the gifts that I'm giving at the same time. It saves time.
I don't use wrapping paper for the gifts that I give my own children. I made them each two fabric bags (with Christmas prints): a large bag about the size of a pillowcase and a smaller bag (big enough to fit two books). On Christmas Eve, they get to open their small bags, which have new pajamas in them.
Then I use the small bags again to put one or two new books in each and place them on the ends of their beds. In the morning, they wake up and open their small bags in their beds and look at/read their books until I come get them up.
Under the tree on Christmas morning, they each have one large fabric bag tied closed with ribbon. I usually just give them one present in the bag because they get plenty more gifts from grandparents but the bag is big enough to fit a few gifts. Also, whatever the gift is in their big bag, I open it before Christmas morning to put in batteries and take out small parts, instructions, etc. so they don't get lost. Then I put the item back in the box and place it in their bag. It's nice for us to not have quite as much wrapping paper to clean up after all the gifts are opened.
There is this family in our ward that sat in a circle and watched each person open a present, one at a time. After they were done opening the present they then threw the trash away, gave thanks to the person who gave it and went back to their seat in their circle before the next person opened their present. This process would last about 4 hours.
I think they were nuts.
Double your meds for the day, sit back, and enjoy.
I don't know who Sara H is but I'm afraid of her. And SaltWater's friends who sit in the circle sure know how to wreck Christmas!
Wow. Sara. You have really planned this. I bet your kids love the consistency. And - I am so grateful not to be in the circle family.
I love lots of different kinds of wrapping paper and the mess! It is the only time that our house ever looks so messy (and festive at the same time) and it only takes a few minutes to clean up. So I say, revel in it! The stress comes when you want something different than what you have...so change your expectations.
We try to open presents one at a time and take a little break for breakfast in the middle.
Each kid gets a rubbermaid tub for their first gift, then all other gifts and pieces/parts go in there. Solves the problem of accidentally tossing little pieces.
Each kid has an assigned wrapping paper. This makes passing out gifts very easy.
Wire cutters and scissors are kept close at hand, but we don't actually "Break In" to any gifts till all the unwrapping is done.
Santa always leaves a mountain of new batteries next to the empty cookies and milk.
Take turns? We used to do that ... with 2 kids, but now we have 5. Melissa's sister has 10, or is it 11? Anyway ... one size does not fit all.
Sloppy Christmas mornings drive me crazy. If it were up to me there'd be a
1) Trash-czar eliminating trash in real-time.
2) An appropriations-committee to divvy out presents in an orderly fashion timed so everyone opens their last present at the same time.
3) An inspection-officer to make sure opened presents stay in specified bins.
4) A Superintendent-of-pleasantries who mandates smiles, expressions of gratitude, and kind expressions.
Non-compliant children (or parents) will be sent to the gulag.
You WILL have fun OR ELSE!
PS - I, for one, like Sara's idea of throwing all the presents in a pillow case - no wrapping required.
:)
(good thing I'm not in charge, eh?)
Sarah I love the book idea! I doubt it would buy me the 2 more hours of sleep I'd love LOL.
David wins best comment. Awesome.
Having Uncle Ed around on Christmas morning is a huge benefit. Not only is he nice and fun, he doesn't mind opening boxes, wires, and assembling toys real-time. It's wonderful. I am going to miss him this year.
Ooops. That was me. Sally. Not the omnipresent Bossy.
First of all I agree that one size doesn't fit all. Second 7 kids in 12 year time span. We take turns. Sure sometimes more than one person opens a present at a time. It doesn't wreck Christmas it makes it for us. We all get a chance to see reactions to gifts..makes giving fun. Downside-takes a long time esepecially if you have to go anywhere. Just because people do things differently doesn't make them wrong. And I think that goes for everyone.
i like sara's bag idea, especially for mom who has to do all the wrapping. i have a friend from a family of 9 who does a christmas blanket over piles of gifts for each child. then they take turns pulling out a gift, one at a time, from under the blanket. you can't peek under, you just feel under and pull something out. it would make it a lot easier for mom, and i'm all for that. seriously, kids like the surprise of it, and are mostly excited about the gift, not the paper it is wrapped in. great idea.
plus it doesn't take as long. and it's less waste in the landfill. and it is a unique tradition. maybe im convincing myself to do this next year?
Shower first. We've always had a rule that nobody can open anything except stockings until everyone is showered and dressed. We hated the rule as kids, but now I really like it and inflict it on my own children. I approach the whole thing with a much clearer head and more pleasant attitude if I feel put together and clean.
Great ideas, many that I wish I'd considered 40+ years ago. Love the book at the foot of the bed idea! Dave's job designation and patrol duty sounds vaguely familiar to last Christmas when we were there with all of you! Wait . . . I do believe that was pretty close to the way it happened. See? Dave, you truly are in charge of the world. We loved every minute of it! Further more, that chaotic photo is NOT your own Christmas morning. I've been there, I know!
Wow! I didn't know by bag idea would cause such a stir! :) I guess it's just one of those ideas someone (me) comes up with when their hubby is in school/residency/fellowship for the first 10 years of our marriage. This was my way of trying to spend less...anyway, it's worked well for us. Merry Christmas!!! :)
One more thing. I mean Im afraid of how awesome sara h's idea is and the execution. I realize my comment sounded rude. And while I am rude I didn't meantibe on this case! Can I send my kids to her house for Christmas? They could use those cute bags.
I realize I'm late with my advice but we have an interesting system inherited from my husband's family (10 kids and 2 grandmas). Everyone gathers their packages next to them. We sing "We wish you a Merry Christmas" and go from youngest to oldest. The next oldest child (not the one opening) is the garbage person for the one opening. This eliminates garbage and also occupies the little ones while the older ones open their gifts. We sing in between each person and pass the garbage bag to the next person. It works for us but drives my mom crazy because that's not how we did it when I was growning up. Can't please everyone. Enjoy!
Thanks, Paige! :)
Doesn't anyone save the wrapping paper and bows any more?
and
I love the way babies are as thrilled with the wrapping paper & bows as they are with the present inside. Wouldn't a child under the age of 2 have a ball in that room of Xmas wrap remnants that is at the top of the post?
Mom - we only save your bows and wrapping paper. You did such an amazing job this year.
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