Night Elf Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 I kind of feel weird talking Christmas so early, but we generally don't put our tree up until mid-December so I guess the season starts late for us. Anyway, do you keep gifts under the tree from the time you put it up, or does everything go under it on Christmas Eve? I used to put them under the tree early when I had lots of gifts that would spill out and make the tree look nice. Then of course Santa came on Christmas Eve and added even more. But ever since my kids became teens and we give far fewer gifts, I don't put anything under the tree until Christmas Eve. But it makes our tree look so bare until Christmas morning. What do you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Not sure what we will do this year, given that our teens won't both be home until late in the season. However, our usuL routine is to put up thev tree around the 15th, after which one or two packages "magically" appear each overnight. Our kids didn't do the Santa thing, but the game was that everyone would act surprised about each new gift. The kids would examine it and pester me for information, and I would deflect questions and pretend I had no idea how that got there. We would continue allowing the smallish pile of gifts to grow each night until Christmas eve, when they rest would appear in time for Christmas morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We usually get a few gifts from out-of-town family and friends, and those start arriving early in the month. So we put those under the tree. I think I put stuff under the tree as I have it wrapped and ready, but typically that's not till Christmas Eve. We have a nice tree skirt so I don't think it looks bad the few days there's nothing (or not much) under the tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We put the gifts under the tree on Christmas Eve. Most years dh sets up an electric train under the tree. Packages would get in the way of train operations. You could wrap a few empty boxes and place them under tree for effect. Just don’t forget to remove them when you put the real gifts out. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 I put gifts under the tree as I gradually wrap them. The three cats also put themselves under the tree. Thankfully, the youngest cat has stopped climbing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Gifts under the tree. When I'm on top of things, I like to add a few each day or every few days. When Santa brings stuff that doesn't fit in the stockings, it usually isn't wrapped and doesn't go under the tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We put Gifts under the tree around the 22nd. Festive for a few days, but not a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We put gifts for relatives that we'll be seeing on the 24th and 25th under the tree as gifts get wrapped. Gifts for my dh go under the tree whenever also. All the gifts for the kids get put under after midnight Mass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We put a few under the tree (gifts from the kids to us or other relatives). Otherwise, nothing from us to them. They would undoubtedly be peaked at, shaken, torn, etc. Perhaps when they are a bit older they will have more self control. :001_rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We do not do Santa, but so far all the gifts appear Christmas Eve. OTOH, I've also been concerned about kids unwrapping gifts ahead of time if given too much time and temptation to do so. This year, the youngest is 3 and we might consider putting out a few early and see how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 At our house gifts magically appear Christmas morning. Not because we do the Santa Claus thing or anything, but because we just got into that routine when the boys were young and we did not trust them to leave the gifts alone. It's fun that way because they all have such wonderful looks on their faces when they get up Christmas morning and see all the gifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We used to put all the gifts out on Christmas eve after the dc went to bed. The only packages that might be under the tree beforehand were from the grandmothers. But last year for no reason, we just put them out a little at a time. It was nice not trying to hide them all in my room--no storage space. But dd was a little disappointed that the pile hadn't magically grown on Christmas morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 I put gifts we purchased for those who don't live with us under before but all others are on Christmas Eve. Though this year I won't because dd2 will just tear them up :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Up to now, the gifts have always appeared overnight Christmas Eve, with a few minor exceptions. This year we are going to celebrate Christmas early, so it will be different, but I still think I will do the "sneak them in" thing, just for the suspense factor. ;) I also don't expect kids to fight the urge to check out the presents before they are supposed to. And I don't think Christmas is the time to teach that kind of self-control. I remember when we kids knew our parents were doing Christmas shopping and hiding the gifts in the basement. There were 4 of us close in age, so even though some of us were prissy enough to wait, there was at least one person who just had to sneak down there and look. :P I also remember one of my mom's wise sayings: it isn't fair to set up temptation for a child. Lord knows even a lot of adults don't have as much self-control as we sometimes expect kids to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Between the two dogs and the cat who loves crinkly paper, no package stands a chance! Packages don't go under the tree until Christmas Eve for their own protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 I wait until Christmas Eve or the day before to put our packages under the tree. I leave everything unwrapped and hidden until then. I do this so I don't need to remember how much I spent or the number of packages each dc is getting. It lets me wrap and make things look even all at once. My dc are getting older so I probably do not need to be meticulous about this. Wrapped presents sent from far away relatives just go under the tree as they arrive. Stocking presents do not get wrapped and stockings are filled late Christmas Eve or early Christmas morning. Stockings are just candy, small toy or book, and ornament. Nothing big has ever come from Santa in our house, but the little things in the stocking are still fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We never brought the gifts out until Christmas Eve after the kids were in bed. I remember those Christmas mornings when the kids would sit bleary eyed at the back of the hallway, or on the stairs, so excited for us to finish everything else! That's when they'd wake up at like 6 a.m. ;) Now they sleep on, and we have a lot more time to make everything "perfect." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baseball mom Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Gifts go under the tree as soon as wrapped. Years when things were tight (this year for example) gifts will be wrapped in slightly bigger boxes, multiple boxes etc. to make it look like more under the tree. Santa doesn't wrap presents here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 when the kids were small - things went out on Christmas eve. (dh usually wraps what he actually bought on Christmas eve and puts it out when he's up in the middle of the night.) now - as soon as they're wrapped, they're under the tree. (then I don't have to find somewhere to stash them.) we have seven in the family, and the older ones also give gifts, so we have even more. sometimes they're all small, this year several things are very bulky. I have three who've moved out - so they may just bring all of theirs when they come on Christmas morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We never brought the gifts out until Christmas Eve after the kids were in bed. I remember those Christmas mornings when the kids would sit bleary eyed at the back of the hallway, or on the stairs, so excited for us to finish everything else! That's when they'd wake up at like 6 a.m. ;) Now they sleep on, and we have a lot more time to make everything "perfect." the year I was up until 3am making everything "perfect" - they weren't allowed to wake me up, or come into the living room until 8. (they were hysterical to listen to them whisper) I no longer stay up until the wee hours, but we still don't start opening anything until 8am - and yes, I've had kids sleep. even dudeling . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 I always put gifts out as I wrap them, mostly because I don't have any where else to store them. I don't put anything in the stockings until the kids are in bed Christmas Eve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 DH prefers earlier. I prefer everything Christmas Eve (or at most, a few things before Christmas), and may insist on it this year because we have a puppy, who is actually pretty good about not chewing up toys, but I'd rather not risk it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 I tried putting the kids' gifts under the tree early, but they protested loudly, I insisting that good ole St. Nick had to leave them on Christmas Eve. They are in their teens and twenties, btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLMom Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 we put the gifts for grandparents, teachers, etc. under the tree early, and then on Christmas eve, the kids' gifts are put under. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 I put them under as I wrap them. When I get around to wrapping things really varies each year. Some years I have a number of gifts ready to put under the tree right after we get it and some years it is a few days before Christmas. This year I got the bright idea to do homemade (hand stitched) gifts, so I am guessing most won't be ready until near Christmas eve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Ivy Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Last year, I had to rewrap far too many gifts thanks to my 18 month old. I'm thinking that I will save myself some grief and just put them out the night before we open (usually before Christmas since we travel). As she (and any other kids) get older, I'll have them out as we get them. I like how it looks. :) I've toyed with the idea of fake presents just to make the tree look good. haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 I used to put them under the tree as I wrapped them (and the ones from family/friends arrived on the UPS trucks) when the kids were older. When the baby arrived on the scene, the Christmas tree moved to a platform that was way out of his reach which limited the number of presents that fit. The grandfolks got older and everybody had less money for luxuries anyway so there weren't as many. Last year was the first year we put the tree back on the floor. ds was too young to have the presents out for a whole month and Dad is too old to fight the crowds at the Mall and likes to place his Amazon order before Thanksgiving to avoid backorders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Ivy Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Dad is too old to fight the crowds at the Mall and likes to place his Amazon order before Thanksgiving to avoid backorders. This Momma is too highly sensitive to go fight the crowds. I have almost all our Christmas ordered via Amazon now, too. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 I've always put them under the tree as they were wrapped. I put effort into wrapping them pretty. Although with a dog and a 4-year-old, I might reconsider this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 We put gifts under the tree when they get wrapped--most of the time. Years ago, I had a business where a lot of people came to my house during the holidays. In those days, I didn't feel comfortable putting packages under the tree. So I put every stuffed critter we owned (lots of teddy bears) we had under the tree. All of them had cheerful Christmas plaid bows around their necks. It looked cute, festive, and fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 We had cats for years so we stopped using ribbons or bows on gifts. They're just plain jane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Gifts go under the tree as they are wrapped. First of all, we run out of places to stash gifts in a small house. Second, I love to sit in the living room and enjoy the tree all month long (nice artificial tree that doesn't die on me). Gifts under the tree are part of that scene. Waiting until Christmas Eve would drive me crazy that I went to all that work of wrapping presents only for them to be torn apart later that day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Christmas Eve. It's much more exciting for my kids to go from nothing to everything. Plus it would drive me mad...my kids would not leave them alone. They would poke and prod and sit in front of the tree all day long. Another thing that drives me nuts is DH always guesses what he is getting. He is so hard to buy for and after searching many hours to find a gift it is deflating to have him walk past the tree and say Oh thats a ...." I have my own office and in December it becomes the Christmas Cave. I wrap, sew and hide things in there and the kids know not to go in. I don't like my kids to even know the shapes of their gifts because its easy enough to rattle a box and pick out what is Lego and what is a book etc. Plus American Girl boxes are pretty distinctive in shape too..especially to a child that has been begging for one...it ruins the surprise. If it has the right shape and sound for something my kids have been wanting...then its pretty easy for them to guess and I am busy enough as it is...I don't need the added work of wrapping and rewrapping in bigger boxes to hide the shape of the first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candicane Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 The gifts go under as soon as they're wrapped. It also prevents the cat from going under the tree and laying on the skirt around the base then messing with ornaments and lights. But, sometimes she still gets under there. Naughty kitty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 A few from oot relatives go under the tree. The rest wait until Christmas Eve. After midnight services, dh comes in with those he wrapped in his church office, and adds to the pile. Last year (and prob from now on) dd went to the late service. I had to wrap everything beforehand (didn't quite manage that). Our stockings hang until everyone goes to bed--I swipe them from the mantel then and fill them, and place on the foot of each bed (or on the floor next to it). We didn't do Santa, but we joke about him stubbing his toe or (a few years) dropping things out of the stockings...Everyone opens stockings as they wake up. When the kids were little, this bought us a little more time for sleep. Kids trooped into our bedroom after 8 to watch us open ours (sometimes we opened them before they got there). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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