Where to hide the presents?

[sskem96]

I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have a camper! I lay everything for the girls out on the bed so I can make sure everything is equal. Whatever dd10 has more than dd7, it goes for her b-day (the 19th). I do all my wrapping out there too. It's just sitting in the driveway all winter, might as well use it! As soon as it's wrapped, it goes under the tree. Birthday stuff stays out there until the big day.

 

[flying_babyb]

I think santa needs to make a map of where they hide the gifts. Time to draw out a plan of the house and mark the gift locations.

 

[eeyoregon]

My two favorite hiding places include putting the gifts inside suitcases that I store in my closet year round and putting smaller items in the plastic store bags and hanging them inside of shirts/sweaters in the closet.

 

[flying_babyb]

OMG thats a goood one!! we have so many suitcases sitting around here.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

First I have to warn people about hiding their presents in their cars--Xmas 2004 my DH moved the presents out to ours to keep them away from prying eyes and they were stolen. Just because they are in the trunk doesn't mean someone won't look--they easily break a window,open the glovebox,hit the button and clear out the trunk!! Take it from someone who has had it happen!!

We hide ours in:

Empty suitcases

50 gallon rubbermaid totes which we have in the garage--I have so many the kids have no idea what each one has in it and they don't really much care!!

The fake tree box--we got a fake tree for the first time this year and the box was empty after we put it up so we just stacked it on top in the garage--well the kids think it's just an empty box so it makes a good hiding spot.

On the beams under our bed--you know the ones that hold up the mattress and boxspring

In the backs of the kitchen cabinets--We have 2 bottom cabinets where we keep our pots and pans that go very far back so you could easily hide a few presents back there out of site--Same goes for shelves very high up--put some items up there then stick some really boring food packages in front of them

We have a central heating system--on ours you can remove the air intake grates--well the main one has a huge space under neath(I noticed it while changing the filter) you could easily put a bunch of packages in there and noone would ever find them----This area is nowhere near the heater it is just an open space where the air gets pulled in so you may want to check your areas before using it to make sure it would be safe

My antique dining table has a drawer on either side which I can hide things in because I always keep a tablecloth on the table so the kids don't realize the drawers are there.

Inside food boxes--I will keep empty boxes and put gifts inside--This works because I am the only one that cooks--I use the big Stove Top stuffing box,Scalloped potato boxes,taco dinner boxes--stuff where the food inside was wrapped---Don't use cereal boxes or hot coco boxes-anything that a kid would want or use

I have an old sweatshirt that I sewed the bottom closed on--I hang it up in the closet and all little presents hide very nicely inside--so even if they go in the closet they don't see them because the sweatshirt is in with all the other clothes!!

I can't think of any more now--I hope this helps!!

 

[flying_babyb]

I like the matress thing but it dosnet work for us who have cat sleep on the grates (and think its there personal challange to shread the paper)

 

[wendy46001]

we put them in trash bags in the garage....
always have to be careful not the throw away the presents...
but works well and no one thinks to rummage thru the trash...

 

[WantToGoNow]

Before they are wrapped, they are in the trunk of the car. This year my ds5 happened to see the gifts so we had to switch out what Santa was bringing with what we were giving. After they are wrapped (last night actually), we put them in trash bags and put them in the basement closet -- they won't go in there. The gifts from us are under the tree. Until this year, we never wrapped the Santa gifts -- but ds5 from watching all the Christmas programs on TV was convinced that Santa comes to your house in the middle of the night so he can wrap the presents -- all the gifts wrapped in identical paper with ribbons/bows.

 

[Along4theRide]

I have a bunch of boxes piled up all around the basement and do my shopping all year long and tend to throw stuff in the boxes. When I wrap them they go right back in those same boxes. Kids play down there all the time but would never suspect anything cause those boxes are always piled up down there and have been for years.

I do the exact samething! The boxes work great! In fact my DD5 asked the other day when I was going to go Christmas shopping!! The funny thing is, I'm done shopping and have already wrapped everything!!

Oh, and my DH keeps all his presents for me in our luggage under the stairs. I know it's there, but what fun would it be to peek!? Besides if he wanted to, he could put his lock on it and I couldn't get into it!

Merry Christmas!

 

[deedeed]

I always keep my presents in a bathroom in the basement that is not finished. My kids never go in them because they know it is gift but this year a friends kid decided at my younger daughters birthday that she would go in and pull them all out to show my kids, I almost threw her out the window i was so mad. I still am. I had to go get new gifts from Santa so I guess I may have to find another place to hide them.Good ideas from all of you. Have a great christmas!!

 

[ksloane]

Mine are kept in my trunk for a while...In the end they go to my uncles though (who lives about 150 yards from us). On Christmas Eve, my brother (I'm single and can't leave my daughter alone) brings them down when I call him and give word that she's asleep.

 

[PaMom001]

If you are hiding presents in more than one place ya better keep track!

Last year after all the presents were opened I needed to go in my closet for something and found 5 more!

I told the kids Santa left a few presents in my room!

Then I kept thinking ... Did I forget more????

Ain't growing old and forgetful a b*tch!! I keep my presents in my closet. DD10 knows that they are there. She claims she doesn't know what she is getting.

 

[texasthree]

They are in my closet behind the luggage covered with a blanket.

 

[tmarquez]

Santa's gifts go up in the attic. DD can't access it.

For those of you who think your kids aren't snoopers...beware! My parents had many great hiding places...as kids, my brother and I found most of them. My mom didn't find out until a couple of Christmas's ago that we knew where she hid things. She was shocked, we never let on until we became adults!

 

[kaysmommie]

My DD6 is a snooper and DS will follow her lead. The presents are all in my walk in closet wrapped and DD goes in there regularly. I have no other place for them. I guess she won't be very surprised as she likes to make guesses of whats in the boxes. I try to hide at least a few presents that are from Santa though.

 

[kissy]

Mine are wrapped and in my room with blankets covering them. My DD3 dosen't go in my room unless I'm in there and DD9 has been threatened with her life if she goes in my room at all! DH's presents are hiding on my side of the bed under a pile of my clean clothes!
My presents from DH usually stay at MIL until christmas eve because DH knows that I'm worse than the kids and will snoop to find thingss!

 

[supersuperwendy]

We have a stall shower in the master bathroom that nobody uses. I stuffed everything in there! I covered the door with a bed skirt and added a shirt and towel and just made it look like a place to hang things! I don't wrap until they go to sleep xmas eve then just place them under the tree!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I have an old sweatshirt that I sewed the bottom closed on--I hang it up in the closet and all little presents hide very nicely inside--so even if they go in the closet they don't see them because the sweatshirt is in with all the other clothes!!

That is the cleverest idea I've seen yet!!

I'm also a fan of the "hide them in things that are always there" philospohy. And luckily my DS6 is not a snooper. The basement closets (stand-alone things for out-of season clothing) are my main spot. - I put them in a trash bag inside those.

 

[FreddyBeach]

If your kids are as messy as mine....

We've considered hiding all the presents under their own beds. I wouldn't be surprised to find Jimmy Hoffa under there!

Mike in the Maritimes.