Night Elf Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Dd15 wants to put the Christmas tree up tonight or tomorrow. I wanted to wait until mid-December. It seems very important to her but I really am not feeling it just yet. But I guess I will anyway. I'm not putting presents out this year until Christmas Eve though. Last year I tried putting them out as I got them but then we had no surprise element for Christmas morning. So we'll have a tree with no presents. That just doesn't look festive to me. I miss Santa days. Presents could be out early because the Santa element of the morning was surprise enough. Oh well. Just part of everyone growing up I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjffkj Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 I'm still in the Santa moments (5 year old,3.5 year old, and 11 month old.) This is the first year where I CANNOT wait to go get the tree and put it up/decorate. We usually wait till the week before Christmas but this year we're getting it tomorrow! Do you have any gifts that are for relatives that won't be there Christmas morning?? I always put those gifts under the tree once the tree is up. This year I'm not because of the 11 month old though. Or buy 2 toys and wrap them up. Keep them under the tree and a few days before Christmas bring them to a shelter or food bank for a kid in need. It'll give you the present look and make some kids a little happier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 I make fake presents. Empty boxes wrapped up. You can put funny tags on them. From: Santa From: E. Scrooge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Put some Christmas stuffed animals under the tree, or set up some model trains. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 My parents still did "Santa" when the kids were older. Big presents (whether size or cost) were reserved as surprises for Christmas morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 I have some very pretty boxes that match and nestle (so they don't take up much room the rest of the year) and they sit under the tree. I like the train idea (except it would be destroyed by something (cat, dog, child) before Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Our tradition is that no presents get put out until after xmas eve. Same here. I'm always the idiot who's still up at 5am on Christmas morning, making sure the packages are arranged just right under the tree. I'm all about the presentation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Same here. I'm always the idiot who's still up at 5am on Christmas morning, making sure the packages are arranged just right under the tree. I'm all about the presentation. Me to. I like finding just the right wrapping paper, bows, ribbon figuring out what present goes where.. I want Christmas morning to be picture perfect and present arrangement is important. I don't go nuts if my kids were under the tree to look before I get up. I do make sure they remember that they can open their stockings first though and put things in there to keep them busy until I get cinnamon rolls in the oven and have a cup of coffee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 My little is old enough to peel back a corner of the paper to peek, so no packages under my tree either. It still looks festive, though. :grouphug: Christmas is like that. I've had several "Bah, Humbug!" moments including remembering why I don't like shopping malls and credit cards and wanting to lock myself in the house until January. The Christmas spirit comes back. Honour your own favourite memories and traditions. Do you have some favourite music you could put on? Maybe something as simple as the Celestial Seasonings teas or a seasonal flavoured coffee that you always get? I didn't want to put up my tree without my older son, but once I saw the old familiar ornaments in all their noncommercial Charlie Brown glory I felt much better and I was glad I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Me to. I like finding just the right wrapping paper, bows, ribbon figuring out what present goes where.. I want Christmas morning to be picture perfect and present arrangement is important. I don't go nuts if my kids were under the tree to look before I get up. I do make sure they remember that they can open their stockings first though and put things in there to keep them busy until I get cinnamon rolls in the oven and have a cup of coffee. I think we were separated at birth. I do the exact same things!!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Same here. I'm always the idiot who's still up at 5am on Christmas morning, making sure the packages are arranged just right under the tree. I'm all about the presentation. This is me. Except, this idiot is usually still wrapping, then getting the presentation just right. Then fall in to bed for about 30 minutes of sleep before the kids are up and ready to undo all my hard work! But, when I think about it - that 30 minutes lasts longer than when I get a room cleaned in the house and they start undoing it. Immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 This is me. Except, this idiot is usually still wrapping, then getting the presentation just right. Then fall in to bed for about 30 minutes of sleep before the kids are up and ready to undo all my hard work! But, when I think about it - that 30 minutes lasts longer than when I get a room cleaned in the house and they start undoing it. Immediately. I'm always wrapping up until the last minute, too. Every year, I swear I'll get done early and that I won't be wrapping on Christmas Eve, but every year I prove myself wrong. I'm such a slacker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 I'm always wrapping up until the last minute, too. Every year, I swear I'll get done early and that I won't be wrapping on Christmas Eve, but every year I prove myself wrong. I'm such a slacker. Nope, not slacker. If they get wrapped early, then put away until Christmas eve, the corners get rubbed, ripped, crinkled or otherwise wrecked so need to be fixed or re-wrapped anyway for the presentation! You, smart lady, are saving yourself work!! Just like me. :D That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Nope, not slacker. If they get wrapped early, then put away until Christmas eve, the corners get rubbed, ripped, crinkled or otherwise wrecked so need to be fixed or re-wrapped anyway for the presentation! You, smart lady, are saving yourself work!! Just like me. :D That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it! I like your reality better than my reality. :) From now on, I'm not lazy, I'm smart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 I wrap each kids presents in a particular paper and put a small one in their stockings so I don't have to label ANY gifts. I think that's the only part of Christmas I like. I am mostly bah humbug! Sorry, op, that doesn't help you any. I guess the opinions thread is effecting me. I remember that last year you were missing the feeling of "younger" Christmases. Hope you find new joys replacing the old! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 I've got everything wrapped in odd wrapping paper and numbered. The kids are going nuts trying to figure out the code (there isn't one...I made a spreadsheet and assigned the next consecutive number to each gift as I wrapped). Plus they can't figure out what could be in all the bigger and oddly shaped boxes (mainly socks and underwear...with lots of tissue paper). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 Yes! Me too. That moment when their eyes light up...makes it all worthwhile. I think so, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 I've got everything wrapped in odd wrapping paper and numbered. The kids are going nuts trying to figure out the code (there isn't one...I made a spreadsheet and assigned the next consecutive number to each gift as I wrapped). Plus they can't figure out what could be in all the bigger and oddly shaped boxes (mainly socks and underwear...with lots of tissue paper). I number everything, too, but very discreetly so only I can see the numbers. That way, I can be sure my ds doesn't open a little gift that gives away a big gift, like an XBox One game before the console (or whatever.) I'm not organized about many things, but I've got Christmas down to a science. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 I miss Santa days. Presents could be out early because the Santa element of the morning was surprise enough. Oh well. Just part of everyone growing up I guess. Why can't you still have Santa days? We always did. We always will. DH's family didn't, which got humbugy. He swears I made Christmas alive for him again. Even before we had kids (and we were together 10 years before we did!), Santa came every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 I number everything, too, but very discreetly so only I can see the numbers. That way, I can be sure my ds doesn't open a little gift that gives away a big gift, like an XBox One game before the console (or whatever.) I'm not organized about many things, but I've got Christmas down to a science. :D I do this too! I have a master list as well that tells me what is in the present (written in code just in case) that corresponds to the number. Plus if dd and ds are getting any identical gifts, I have them opening them at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted December 7, 2013 Author Share Posted December 7, 2013 I wrap each kids presents in a particular paper and put a small one in their stockings so I don't have to label ANY gifts. I think that's the only part of Christmas I like. I am mostly bah humbug! Sorry, op, that doesn't help you any. I guess the opinions thread is effecting me. I remember that last year you were missing the feeling of "younger" Christmases. Hope you find new joys replacing the old! Good memory. I feel the same way this year. We just don't do Santa anymore. It doesn't feel right with my kids as teens. Plus, none of them are getting one big present. Nobody wanted anything this year! I had to come up with ideas on my own and I'm hoping they'll like my choices. But as they aren't expecting anything, any surprise should be a good surprise. I also do one wrapping paper per child and put the paper in the toe of their stocking. I started that when we did Santa because I could put gifts under the tree before Christmas Eve but they couldn't tell which were theirs. Fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted December 7, 2013 Author Share Posted December 7, 2013 Why can't you still have Santa days? We always did. We always will. DH's family didn't, which got humbugy. He swears I made Christmas alive for him again. Even before we had kids (and we were together 10 years before we did!), Santa came every year. I just answered this above, but for our family, Santa was one big gift and little things like coloring books. My kids are very minimalist and don't ask for big gifts anymore. For example, the most exciting gift I got for dd15 this year is an apron with her name on it. That's just not a Santa gift. But we still have fun on Christmas morning opening gifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 I do this too! I have a master list as well that tells me what is in the present (written in code just in case) that corresponds to the number. Plus if dd and ds are getting any identical gifts, I have them opening them at the same time. I am incredibly glad to hear I'm not the only Certified Christmas Lunatic! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 I am incredibly glad to hear I'm not the only Certified Christmas Lunatic! :D I have now changed my title to reflect this. No, you are not alone. Christmas Lunatics unite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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