I think I am going for the title of meanest mom...

[Dolphin]

EDIT: Please let this thread die now. It was meant for fun, hence all the smiley faces. I promise no children had a bad Christmas at this house. Merry Christmas everyone.

 

Nicole

 

 

 

 

So, we had a great Christmas day. We opened stockings, then we had breakfast and opened one under the tree gift. Then the kids played while my dh and I got the turkey in the oven and sat and prepped veggies while we drank our second cuppas (our little tradition) Then 1 more gift and some cheese and crackers. Then play time again. Early dinner followed by a gift, the we all sat in front of the fire and watched The Santa Clause.

 

One last gift after the movie, then some play and off to bed. These kids have 7 aunt/uncle groups, grand parents, great aunts and uncles etc... So, most of our gifts are still under the tree.

 

So poll to follow, am I cruel or not?:D

 

One point to ponder, we have a second morning (and honestly a third) where we get to wake up with the anticipation of surprise.

Edited December 26, 2011 by Northwest_Mama
thread is taking a yucky turn!

[bugs]

Yep, downright mean...:D

[Mesa]

Thats a hard poll to vote on! I'd never call you mean or cruel! LOL

 

I couldnt do that at my house. I'd feel bad. The kids would make sure of it!

I'd maybe do it before Christmas, with all the gifts leading up to their "Big present."

Our kids presents from aunts and uncles are all given Christmas Eve at a big family get together. (We all live near each other so it's doable for us.) I'd love to spread out those gifts over a few days.. they get more than they can handle.

[aggieamy]

Not mean or cruel but I love the flurry of present opening and getting it all over with. I could never do that. Besides I want to know what I got! :001_smile:

 

We do a big present opening with cousins and aunt and uncles over so logistically it'd be impossible not to do them all at once.

[Dolphin]

I am using mean and cruel in the most joking of ways. There were no tears shed, or even whining about it. DD, asked a couple of times to open more pressies, but ds actually told me this year he likes to have time to play with his toys and he says it feels like Christmas morning again when he wakes up the following morning.

 

My sister (nice joke, not being mean) told me that I was mean and cruel.

[sewingmama]

I don't think it's mean but I don't understand the prolonging it.

 

My kids didn't open their gifts till lunchtime but that was because they slept in till 8.30 and we had church at 9.30 so we didn't have time. When we got home I fed them lunch first because they missed breakfast but then we opened the gifts all at once. I wasn't purposely holding off -we definately opened them the first chance we got :D

[mazakaal]

I voted 'other.' It's only cruel if your kids are miserably sitting, staring at the unopened gifts, waiting for the next one they can open. :001_smile: If the kids are all happily playing with what they've opened so far, then I think it's a great idea. Mine would be miserable wondering what else was under the tree.

[tex-mex]

I don't think it's mean but I don't understand the prolonging it.

 

 

That part perplexes me as well. :confused:

 

Are you trying to instill endurance as a life skill? I like the idea of play between gifts, but it just seems... cruel... coming from a child's perspective of limited attention span and understanding. How will the OP handle it if more children are born and maybe they do not like this tradition? Or if the kids become teens and tire of it?

[bettyandbob]

I don't understand either.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Other. What ever makes you and yours happy works. I decree we open one person at a time which some have told me is mean so different strokes... My dh cleans up after each person, trash bag in hand :confused: Whatever works...(the paper could lay there an hour as far as I'm concerned but if cleaning makes him happy....).

[ThisIsTheDay]

I don't think it's mean but I don't understand the prolonging it.

 

I voted Other. :iagree:You didn't say what your kids thought, but I don't get the point of making them wait. It's Christmas already!!

[Chris in VA]

It sounds a little like Chanukah to me--gifts over time. So, I don't think it's mean and cruel. :001_smile: But I don't get why you'd want to control it. I like "enormous, extravagent grace" sometimes!

[Lisbeth]

I wouldn't do this since my kids are so excited and already have to wait until the big build up of several days leading up to Christmas. But I voted other because you didn't say how your particular kids felt about it.

[ma23peas]

I think you are way too controlling...work on that. Not that it is mean but unhealthy when it pours into other areas.

[sparrow]

I feel terrible voting "mean and cruel", but I did so :001_smile:. I think dragging it out like that would be mean and cruel to ME! That would drive me bonkers. I'm not a gifty person, either. I just want it over and done!

[In the Rain]

It wouldn't work here. I was way too excited to see my kids unwrap various gifts. :001_smile:

[JessReplanted]

other. I like to do it all in one big day, and then I am relieved that it is finally over. I love Christmas, but the excitement around here builds into a frenzy. :blink:

[Word Nerd]

I don't get it. Haven't you already had at least a month of anticipation?

Edited December 26, 2011 by WordGirl

[Tranquility7]

Other. Every family has their own traditions. I have to admit I don't understand this one really, but to each his own. Do your children prefer it this way? Do they just not know any different? Who decides when to open another one?

 

Did you do it this way growing up? If not, what made you start doing it this way?

 

With so many presents and a slow opening schedule, when will you be finished?

[Matryoshka]

We actually open most of our gifts "early" on Christmas Eve (following German tradition), and give a nod to US tradition by opening stockings and one Santa gift Christmas morning. Honestly we don't give enough gifts to stretch it out more than a day or so even under your scenario (unless you add in grandparent and extended family gifts, which I do like to open when they're with us on Christmas Eve, so they can see their gifts appreciated).

 

But if it works for you, I think it's fine. I even have a great way you can make stretching it out sound traditional - it's the 12 days of Christmas! You know, "on the first day of Christmas, my mom gave to me..." If you want to stop criticism from others, you could tell people you were following the ancient traditions of (imaginary/obscure country) or (imaginary/obscure Christian sect).

 

Christmas does last 12 days, till January 6th. :D

 

We'll have a second coming of Christmas ourselves around then - that's when we exchange gifts with my brother's family every other year when the go to his in-laws in Texas for Christmas.

[MariannNOVA]

It sounds a little like Chanukah to me--gifts over time. So, I don't think it's mean and cruel. :001_smile: But I don't get why you'd want to control it. I like "enormous, extravagent grace" sometimes!

 

This.

 

Everyone has to do what works for them. But I do enjoy the 'scale' of the mass opening of gifts. But, I do understand spreading it out a little.

[MrsMe]

I don't understand the prolonging it either....all....day. Part of the fun of Christmas is the kids opening their presents. I understand that you wouldn't want it all done in a flash, in chaos, in which case, I'd take turns....going from one person to the other. But all day....not mean and cruel, but odd. to me that would have killed the joy. It would have even for me as a mom for my own. I may have split up yours in the am and family members in the evening. We used to do that on Christmas Eve. Family gifts Christmas Eve, others the next. But all day. I think I'd have given up and just said it wasn't fun.

Edited December 26, 2011 by alilac

[SailorMom]

I would have staged a revolt if I was one of your children :)

 

I understand the reasoning behind it, but think it is flawed.

[CalicoKat]

I wouldn't want to the cleaning to go on forever. We do open gifts one at a time each individual. But then we all pitch in with the cleaning & assembly.

 

The clutter would get to me.

[Bluegoat]

Well, I get it. I find opening everything at once with the kids not much fun - they get overwhelmed, or they stop really looking at and appreciating each thing they get and just toss them aside for the next thing.

 

This year we went to my in-laws Christmas eve and they opened their gifts then. They really like to see them open. That was the biggest gift group all Christmas.

 

On Christmas morning they opened their stocking, and then the rest of their gifts after church and a bite of lunch when my aunt came over. There were a few other gifts at my mom's house when we went for Christmas dinner.

 

It worked really well - they played with all of their gifts for a while and enjoyed them and never got into that kind of gift overload that I've seen in the past.

[Carol in Cal.]

We do this at our house. The presents are spread out over the 12 days of Christmas. That way DD has never had that post-Christmas letdown that I used to have, where the pile of gifts is all opened at once, and there is nothing to look forward to. Plus she savors them more individually this way.

[AK_Mom4]

I voted "Other".

 

It sounds fine to me, but I can see my teens opting out and telling me to just let them know when we got to the end and they would open all of theirs then. :D

[Cindyg]

We stretch ours out too; but in a different way. Because we travel over Christmas, we open our at-home presents one gift per person each night, counting backwards from the day we leave for our trip. So if we have 5 gifts under the tree, we open the first present 5 nights before we leave on our trip. That's a long-standing and much-enjoyed tradition.

 

Then we have a party Christmas Eve with one relative. More gifts.

 

Then we have a party Christmas day with another group. More gifts.

 

Then we have another party the day after Christmas with a different family. More gifts.

 

So, we spread it out too. :)

[Sheila in OK]

:iagree: I love Christmas too, but the day after I am ready to be DONE. I want the tree out and the house cleaned and organized again.

 

other. I like to do it all in one big day, and then I am relieved that it is finally over. I love Christmas, but the excitement around here builds into a frenzy. :blink:

[BigMamaBird]

It actually sounds like a nice idea to me. It gives the kids a chance to savor and enjoy each gift, rather than just one big 15 minute orgy of destruction.

[Guest submarines]

Depends whether your children are enjoying the tradition or not. Sometimes it is wonderful to prolong a celebration like this, sometimes it is excrutiating.

[WeeBeaks]

If your family is happy, it is a great thing for you. :)

[ThisIsTheDay]

We do this at our house. The presents are spread out over the 12 days of Christmas. That way DD has never had that post-Christmas letdown that I used to have, where the pile of gifts is all opened at once, and there is nothing to look forward to. Plus she savors them more individually this way.

 

I wrote earlier that I didn't see the point of the OP's prolonging it. I understand yours, Carol, because you are following a traditional twelve day Christmas. There's a purpose and a reason.

 

I understand, too, spreading Christmas (or birthdays) out to accommodate different gatherings, family visits, parties, etc.

 

I'll also agree that if it works for the OP, great! But if the kids find it mean (as the OP possibly indicated), then I don't get it.

[Mom-ninja.]

Well, I get it. I find opening everything at once with the kids not much fun - they get overwhelmed, or they stop really looking at and appreciating each thing they get and just toss them aside for the next thing.

 

 

:iagree:

 

 

 

We do this at our house. The presents are spread out over the 12 days of Christmas. That way DD has never had that post-Christmas letdown that I used to have, where the pile of gifts is all opened at once, and there is nothing to look forward to. Plus she savors them more individually this way.

 

 

I would love to so 12 days of Christmas. I think my SPD kid would handle the stimulation much better, and not have melt downs like he has every single year. My dh won't agree to to the 12 days idea though. I'm trying to get him to get past his idea of what Christmas "should" be. I understand that is how he grew up; it's how I grew up. However, it doesn't work well for our ds.

[Dolphin]

I think you are way too controlling...work on that. Not that it is mean but unhealthy when it pours into other areas.

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

This board sometimes cracks me up! It is amazing the array of responses from a thread like this. This one did catch me off guard, but in the spirit of the season I am laughing about it.

 

This is the OP BTW

 

I posted earlier to clarify, that my kids are not in tears or whining and having a horrible time, but I thought I would reiterate.

 

For us, Christmas does not end on the 25th. As someone earlier posted, there are 12 days of Christmas, and they end on January 6th.

 

My mother and dh are both English. Traditionally, they do not decorate until the 24th (with me being American I have pushed it to the weekend after Thanksgiving. But we do not take our decorations down and clean up Christmas until January 6th.

 

Today for one is Boxing day. In about 15 minutes we will be starting our annual tradition of a skype date with my husbands parents and brother in the UK so they can see the kids open their pressies. That should be enough spoiling until we go to boxing day dinner with all the in town relations. We all bring our leftovers and make up plates and microwave them. Then we sit around and sing Christmas Carols for about an hour. (We do this after our Christmas Eve dinner too, which was at my house this year) We have 22 direct relations just living in town.

 

I kinda had the same thing growing up. My mom and dad stretched the presents out all day. One year the 6 of us convinced my mom to let us open all at once after breakfast. It was such a let down, none of us liked it and we went back to spreading out the next year.

 

My mom told me that it worked well, when we got older, we would have friends come over during the day Christmas, but we never asked to leave as we never knew when mom was going to say we could open a present. Also, we didn't take our booty and head off the our rooms, we spent the day in the living room together (again as we had no idea when the next present was coming).

 

Does that explain a little more?

 

Again, I think it was post 5. I do not really think I am mean and cruel. I had just finished a conversation with the sister who is hosting boxing day this year. She has stuck to opening on the one day and she joking told me I was the meanest mom, and that I was mean and cruel. This is a sister that I get along with very much and was a total joke. I really would not set out to torture people at Christmas, especially my own kids.:D

[Mommy22alyns]

I don't think it's mean but I don't understand the prolonging it.

 

 

:iagree:

[Daisy]

Hmmm. I voted other.

 

I don't have a problem with it.

 

However, I do think you might have worked harder to win everyone to your side in the matter. With enough work, it shouldn't have been too difficult to get everyone on the same page. That's my 2 cents.

 

For example, we exchanged very few presents this year and all were inexpensive. For the first time we decided as a family to give the majority of our Christmas budget away to local families we knew were in need. IF I had made that decision alone, I imagine my children would have been very disappointed on Christmas Day. But because hubby and I worked on them and allowed them to be part of the decision, they were 100% behind it and wound up having a great Christmas.

 

I completely get wanting to prolong it. We open presents slowly and throughout the day here because we want our children to take their time and enjoy each one before going on to the next thing.

 

Edited because I missed the OP stating her children were happy with it. My kids are easy-going about stuff like that. They would love it.

Edited December 26, 2011 by Daisy

[Lady Florida.]

I voted Other. I don't think it's mean, but I'm with those who say they don't get it.

[5kidsforME]

:confused: I don't get it either, it sounds like a power trip.

[Dolphin]

I wrote earlier that I didn't see the point of the OP's prolonging it. I understand yours, Carol, because you are following a traditional twelve day Christmas. There's a purpose and a reason.

 

I understand, too, spreading Christmas (or birthdays) out to accommodate different gatherings, family visits, parties, etc.

 

I'll also agree that if it works for the OP, great! But if the kids find it mean (as the OP possibly indicated), then I don't get it.

 

THe kids don't find it mean, that is why I started with "we had a great Christmas Day"

[Julie in CA]

I understand spreading it out a bit throughout the day or a certain number of days, if it is a planned routine, but I don't think it sounds wonderful to have it be according to one person's whim--that seems...strange, and well, unkind.

[VA6336]

Well..we do something similar. My husband works for the church and is gone from 1 PM on Christmas Eve until 1 PM on Christmas Day. He's home for about 2.5 hours from 2:30 AM to 5 AM, during which time he sleeps! He has to get a little sleep, so opening presents while he's home isn't an option (not to mention really messing up my kids' sleep pattern).

 

Santa comes while Daddy is sleeping and leaves one present per kid (or one big one for all) out, unwrapped and ready to play with. The kids get to play with those/that until it's time for Mass on Christmas Day. We're home right around lunch time, they eat, play with the Santa thing(s) until Daddy's home. He oohs and ahhs over their Santa thing(s) and then everyone takes a nap. Yes, I make my kids take naps on Christmas Day! They don't seem to mind and yes, they know that most people open all their presents first thing in the morning. They realize that it's the sacrifice they make so that their daddy can do his job (he loves his job, too). They've never known anything different and have their major anticipation buildup in the early afternoon.

 

They know what time to come wake Daddy up and we then have Christmas afternoon. We usually stop them a couple presents in, so that we can put things together/untie/detach/etc (love family who sends that kind of stuff!) and we have a snack, too. Then we start in again and finish opening everything that night. We've thought about saving things for the following days, but haven't really ever had that much under the tree.

 

I don't think the OP is cruel, unless it really makes her kids unhappy. Doesn't sound like they mind, though. I hope they continue to appreciate their calm and peaceful way of celebrating!

[In The Great White North]

Wonderful.

 

We make it last ALL 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!

 

( By opening one or two every day til Jan 6th, not all of them on Christmas morning.)

[Dolphin]

:confused: I don't get it either, it sounds like a power trip.

 

and there was another one.

 

I am just going to state this one more time clearly.

 

This is not just me, this is our family way of doing it. We have done it this way since ds was born. Dh and I decided this together based on similar Christmas traditions that we grew up with, and LOVED!

 

DS9, told us this year that he is HAPPY we do it this way.

 

This was a funny, joke thread that I started after a funny conversation with my sister. It was meant as a silly thread for those of us who were still up late last night.

 

I am not a power happy control freak who is trying to spoil and ruin Christmas for my children because of a whim I woke up and felt this year.

 

However, I have a sneaky suspicion that the people making those comment have only read the first page and the poll and then are posting. It probably doesn't matter any of the clarifications as they are probably not reading them.

 

I vote personally that this thread should end. I know it is out there, so everyone will do as they wish, but I will step out of the conversation now.

 

Merry Christmas to everyone, and I hope the holidays continue to be a source of Merriment to all who are still celebrating Christmas.

 

Nicole

[8circles]

I don't even get what the issue is. I t sounds like a lovely day.

[ThisIsTheDay]

This is not just me, this is our family way of doing it. We have done it this way since ds was born. Dh and I decided this together based on similar Christmas traditions that we grew up with, and LOVED!

 

DS9, told us this year that he is HAPPY we do it this way.

 

. . . .

 

This was a funny, joke thread that I started after a funny conversation with my sister. It was meant as a silly thread for those of us who were still up late last night.

 

 

Then I don't get the point of posting a poll asking if you were mean and cruel. You didn't mention early on that your sister made this comment or that this was a joke thread.

 

:confused::confused:

 

It makes me wonder what types of response you could have been expecting, since you only gave a part of your story. And if it's a joke (which I understand that it was), why would you do a poll and not say it was a joke?

 

Bowing out. Off to other threads . . .

[Trish]

If hubby and the kids like it, then no, it isn't mean. If one person insists on doing things a particular way 'because that's how we do it' over everyone's objections, then, yes, maybe mean. If you're not sure I would certainly do a family poll. Traditions can change, and family members' needs/preferences may change, too.

[Laura Corin]

FWIW I (English) grew up not putting up the tree until Christmas Eve (and taking it down on 12th Night) but we still opened all our presents on Christmas Day. But if you are all happy with your tradition then it's fine.

 

Laura