Do you let your kids open a gift on Christmas EVE?

[Kitty 34]

When the boys were younger we always had them pick out a gift to open the night before.

 

[tinatark]

we're letting our boys open a gift this Christmas Eve - pajamas - with their Nano's included in the folds!

 

[Pin Wizard]

My entire life, gifts have been opened Christmas Eve after dinner. Maybe one year one was saved for Christmas Day. That felt very strange. Also, Santa always leaves unwrapped gifts under the tree, never wrapped!

 

[llij]

Growing up, I used to open one gift Christmas Eve. I started to do it a few years ago with the girls and it has been a lot of fun!

 

[dismom9761]

My kids get one present before bed on Christmas eve and it is always pjs.That is what I did growing up and I wanted to continue it.They get their Santa and the presents from us the next morning.

DH and I have always exchanged our gifts after we put them to bed.That way we concentrate on them in the morning.

 

[DarkSideMoon]

That was my favorite Christmas tradition growing up. my parents used to make us wait until after our church's candlelight service lol, I swear a church service never lasted as long as that one.

 

[aprilgail2]

Santa magically comes and brings the gifts while our DS does his part in the children's Christmas Eve service at church. We open presents that night when we get home from church. This way we aren't up at the crack of dawn on Christmas Day opening gifts and can sleep in a bit. We also found it a challenge to get to Christmas Day services at church if we had to tear him away from his toys.

That is when we opened them too..my family would go to church at like 11pm or something and get home after midnight- I would stay home and wait for them since I stopped "believing " in church before I was 8 so once they got home we would all open our gifts.

 

[Mermaid02]

I know lots of people that do this, but I never did. I prefer making them WAIT IN AGONY!!!

AGREED!!

 

[rnd4life]

My parents never let us open anything on Christmas eve and I have followed that tradition with my boys as well.

 

[Nite0wl71]

When my kids were little they used to open presents from each other, the neighbors and any gifts sent from family that wasn't going to be in town on Christmas Day.

That was all that was under the tree on Christmas Eve so it wasn't hard to stop opening. Santa never put his presents under the tree until very late at night.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

OK, looks like pajamas it is then.

I told DD2.5 that Santa was going to come down the chimney after we all go to bed and leave presents and she went over to the fireplace and squatted down and said, "Well, maybe not..." LOL!!

 

[CathrynRose]

Usually – yeah. But this year my boys (14 & 10) made a sneaky suggestion, thinking I'd never say yes : “Why don’t we do a Jewish-Christmas this year and open a present a night?!?!?” At first I said – absolutely not! Then I thought - gee, that might be kinda fun, why not?!?!? They were floored! (wow, Mom has gone over the edge…don’t question it, just grab a present!)

So, they’ve been opening a present a night, since Sunday. It’s fun watching them go through absolute turmoil on which-one-to-pick! Hehehe!

Now, next year I was thinking about suggesting a Kwanza-Christmas and make them wait until AFTER Christmas, for a present a day until New Years. I don’t think they’d be as excited about that – huh????

 

[tiggerlover]

As long Santa is still coming to our house DS won't be opening a gift on Christmas Eve. Growing up it wasn't until us kids were older that we were allowed one gift on Christmas Eve, so I imagine when DS is a bit older we will allow him to do the same.

 

[Alaska Catdog]

When I was a kid we got to open one present on Christmas Eve. It was always from the same people (Great Uncle Gordon and Aunt Elsie) One year I had the idea that we should open a present up on the day before Christmas Eve which I called "Christmas Adam" (get it? think garden of eden). Well, my parents were so tickled that they agreed! So of course the next year I tried it again proclaiming December 22 "Christmas Snake". To this day my younger brother celebrates Christmas Snake. Which coincidentally is tomorrow.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS SNAKE EVERYONE!

 

[Bbgrizzle]

We have one of Santa's elves living in our air vents all year long. He is there to report back to Santa whether my kids are being naughty or nice. When my kids are arguing, or not doing what they should, we say, "Hear that, elf? Ainslee's not minding!" Then my kids hurry and do what they are supposed to.

On Christmas Eve Eve, my kids set their slippers outside of their bedroom doors. During the night, the elf brings them a gift and leaves it in their slippers. It is usually pajamas; last year is was one of the Disney personalized fleece blankets from the Disney store. Then the morning of Christmas Eve, the kids are all excited that the elf left them a gift and they get to open it. The elf also leaves them a note and praises them about the things they are doing well and gives them a gentle reminder of the things they need to work on.

This is one of my kids' favorite traditions.
Bonnie

 

[lbgraves]

Since Santa doesn't bring any gifts until after everyone is asleep on Christmas Eve, there are no gifts for DD5 & DS7 to open before they go to bed.

 

[Marla Hellwig]

It kinda depended on the schedule for the holiday weekend - some years we did both sides of the family on Christmas Day - which could have been 3 - 4 "Christmases" in one day - or split between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Tomorrow we are doing Christmas with my mother in law, and then rest will be on Christmas Day.

 

[mom23boys]

We buy our children one present for Christmas the rest from Santa.

Our present is opened on Christmas Eve after 4:00 mass and dinner. Also we started with my Inlaws opening their gifts for the Children on Christmas Eve. The kids were getting too overwhelmed and my inlaws have the spot light for Christmas Eve.

 

[funhouse8]

My good friend has always given her kids new pajamas on Christmas Eve, I love that idea and would like to start that idea when I have kids.

QUOTE]

I did the same thing when my kids were little. They loved it!

This is what mine get from us too. We open up the family gifts on Christmas Eve. It keeps them happy till morning.

 

[disneychrista]

My kids have "Christmas" with their dad on Christmas Eve. Then with me Christmas Morning.