Heather in Neverland Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 No but only because we usually buy a few bigger items instead of little items and if we let them open on Christmas eve then Christmas morning would go by that much faster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolate Rose Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Our tradition has always been pjs and a book wrapped together and opened after dinner on Christmas eve. Everything else waited until Christmas morning. But, we no longer host Christmas and have to travel very early Christmas morning. So, we now open our gifts and stockings on Christmas eve. The pjs and book are still part of the gifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allearia Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 So far NO. Which is so mean, because my brother and I used to look at the presents and beg and plead for days to open them and my mom would usually give in and let us open one. However, I look forward to the fun of having them open stuff on Christmas morning, besides which I usually don't wrap them until after they go to bed Christmas Eve. This year I considered the pajamas on Christmas Eve thing, but they really needed some so I just bought some a couple weeks ago for them. I may next year try to find something just for Christmas Eve, but so far since the presents aren't out and under the tree the begging to open has not been an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We usually let them open 1 gift. However, this year the kids wanted to open the gifts they got each other earlier in the week. So, I guess we will see how this pans out tonight :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 (edited) I'm late chiming in and didn't read the other responses, however, we started the tradition of opening one present on Chrismas Eve morning, after breakfast. For us it was PJ's, but really the purpose was to practice good present protocol. We still have a reminder talk about opening the gifts, waiting, enjoying watching others open gifts, expressing gratitude, what to do if you don't like a present/already have the same present..... It's less about opening the present and more about a teaching opportunity. Edited December 24, 2011 by bookfiend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 (edited) Several of you said pajamas. We don't do that here or many clothes at all for gifts. What do you let them open? I am thinking a smaller gift of some kind or maybe stockings? What do you do? Well, we're always in the pj camp - new pjs every Christmas Eve. Since Christmas is on a Sunday, however, plus DH is working 7:30-4, we're probably going to open everything tonight. That's what we did the last time Christmas was on Sunday, even though he didn't have to work that time. ETA: We also always do the gifts with cousins on Christmas Eve. We don't buy for all of the cousins, just one 'set' (one of DH's brothers), so they come over on Christmas Eve and we do that then. We obviously don't do it when the rest of the family is around. ;) Today, actually, my SIL is coming in another couple of hours and we're going to do gingerbread houses with the kids, too, and make an afternoon of it. Then DH and BIL both get off work around 4, we'll have dinner, and the kids will open their presents from one another. :) Edited December 24, 2011 by PeacefulChaos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allearia Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 After I read the replies, I guess one reason we wait to open everything Christmas morning is because we never have family etc. visiting or to visit, it is just us. So if we opened things early it would not be as special a day. I really want it to be a big special day. Another is that ds10's birthday is less than two weeks before Christmas so he has recently opened stuff and they have new stuff to play with then. Grandma usually sends her gifts to open Christmas morning and we see her either before or after Christmas, I would have been OK with opening them when she was here last week but she was here such a short time she didn't really want to do that. Otherwise they get checks from other family members to spend after Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeannpal Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Yes, we have a tradition of letting dd open one thing on Christmas Eve. This year, grandma sent a gift because we won't see them this year, so I will let her open that one too. We also have a tradition of buying a family game for Christmas Eve. This year, the game Pente arrived early, so we've already been playing it. To keep up the tradition, I bought the Apple To Apples dice game that dd doesn't know about. I think we will have a lot o fun playing games tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We open all of our family gifts on Christmas Eve. So, there's usually quite the pile, as we do our own gifts to each other, plus gifts from grandparents and aunts and uncles. Christmas morning is for Santa's gifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocCityMom Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We always get new pajamas and one ornament for each of the kids. They open these on Christmas Eve, as well as gifts to and from each other and any other gifts that people have sent that have arrived in the mail. In fact, they've already opened them and have been happily playing all day. We now live in a neighborhood in which Santa visits on Christmas Eve with a gift for each child, so they open that gift as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Pajamas here too. But we do a traditional extended family gathering on Christmas Eve, and they open the gifts from family members there, so they're already opening a bunch of things. They can wait until the morning for the rest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 My parents were from Poland and that means we opened gifts On Christmas Eve. We never had Santa, we had angels. Dh's family opened gifts on Christmas morning. But he thought the way my family did it was good and so that is how we have done it. All my kids are older so no more angels but still presents on Christmas Eve. Whether it is before services or after depends on when we go to services. It will be after Traditional service which is at 7pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 oh, I forgot to say we do Stockings in the morning as part of my dh's traditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We do pajamas on Christmas Eve - this year, since we've had a flood of gifts from extended family and friends, I literally can't hide them all, so we're going to place those gifts under the tree tonight (a new thing for us) and let DS pick one to open with his pajamas. Stockings and santa gifts arrive after DS is in bed, so he'll wake to those additional gifts under the tree tomorrow when we'll open the whole pile in the morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Pajamas here too. But we do a traditional extended family gathering on Christmas Eve, and they open the gifts from family members there, so they're already opening a bunch of things. They can wait until the morning for the rest! Same here, at least this year. Our traditions vary, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We open all the presents on Christmas Eve and do stockings, Pioneer Woman Rolls on Christmas morning. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi3129 Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Our kids open all their gifts from us on Christmas Eve. That's what both my and dh's families did when we were little, so we continued with that tradition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted December 24, 2011 Author Share Posted December 24, 2011 Well, we let them open 3 gifts today. A pack of gum The Target free lego set (small) One ds game 14 year old complained about the game and handed it back to me. I was VERY upset. Before you jump all over him, He has Asperger's and we are working on his filter. When he saw how much it bothered me he apologized and we talked about how he could have better handled that situation. He then apologized 3 times more today and tried the game and actually likes it! :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey Mom Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We get new pajamas from PJ, Santa's scouting Elf. Every year after dinner we take the kids out to look at Christmas lights. If there's a present from PJ waiting for us when we return, then we know Santa is on his way. After the new PJs are on, we all have hot cocoa while Dh reads a Christmas story about Jesus. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose in BC Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Christmas Eve is our main celebration (German heritage). Church, dinner, gifts. Christmas day . . . sleep in, church, dinner :) (food is big in German tradition). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Yes, we open a family game, a new movie, and pjs, plus Secret Santa gifts. My kids draw names and get the sib whose name they drew a $20 fun gift. I was trying to push for a different system this year, but was outvoted. They love this game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We open everything on Christmas eve :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted December 24, 2011 Author Share Posted December 24, 2011 Well, how is SANTA going to come at all? Seriously, you are missing the entire meaning of the season. :lol: Sorry, I am in a bit of a snit at the moment with quite a bit of the entire theory of Christmas at all. Dawn We open everything on Christmas eve :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We open everything on Christmas eve :001_smile: That was always the tradition in my childhood, too, and for dh and the kids, we open our presents Christmas Eve. We generally go over to my parents' house on Christmas Day and open presents with them, too. (And we actually opened presents Christmas Eve morning this year because we will be driving an hour away to Christmas Eve service tonight.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinF Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We let the boys open their gifts from extended family last night (aunts and uncles) and then they opened from the grandparents tonight (their big gifts) and tomorrow they will open their presents from us. We like the spread the joy out as long as possible! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 My kids get an ornament every year. They love finding their ornaments and putting them on the tree. They usually get them in their stockings on Christmas Eve with a couple little pieces of candy. However, they spent the night last night at my inlaws so I wrapped them up for them to open over at my husband's grandmother's house where we will be having dinner tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommee & Baba Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We allow our dc to open the one gift under the tree for them that has 2 bows on it. It's jammies every year. However they get to open it after dinner on Christmas eve, UNLESS their behavior is VERY VERY good they get to open it after lunch. Which happened for them this year! :D They are all happily prancing around in their new jammies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We open stockings on Christmas eve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Historically....the kids open their gifts from one another in the afternoon. I like this because it gives them a chance to appreciate their siblings away from the big gifts. Then we go to pizza, and they get presents from the grandparents. We usually open the rest in the morning. This year....we came home from pizza and opened everything on Christmas Eve. We have a busy Christmas Day planned and it was the best way for us to savor time opening presents and not feel rushed. It is 11:30 pm here on Christmas eve. The presents are open, it is mostly cleaned up, dd5 and dh are in bed. The older kids are playing a new Wii game. They will head to bed soon, as we have to be at breakfast at 8am. I grew up with gifts being opened on Christmas Eve and dh was on Christmas Day...I let him have his way for the first 18 years...now it may start being my turn. :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thea Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 They open new pj's, a calendar and an ornament for the tree. If my Mom comes over, then they open her gifts as well. She didn't this year, so they open friends/neighbors gifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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