How do you do presents?

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I want details. Are there rules?

― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 5 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Father's side: they are divided up at some undetermined point. The youngest opens ALL hers first, then on up the ladder one by one. This seems weird to me, but it's the way we do it when we're in Texas. Mother's: presents are chosen at random by anyone within arm's length (often someone will be the unspoken self-designated elf, which duty may be transferred in a similarly unspoken arrangement). In each case presents are opened one by one and appreciated by the family at large as they are revealed. And in each case the rules are clear: nothing before you wake up that morning! (save for a pair of xmas pajamas my sister and I both received when we were younger).

― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 5 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Our old tradition had our parents hiding them throughout the family room every night. And one of the eight nights we had to give them something. That sucked!

― bnw, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hi Tracerhand, :) It sounds like an orderly way of doing it and everyone can enjoy seeing what the other person gets. We usually did simalar. My nephew usually did the honors of being Santa and passed the gifts one at a time. Gale

― Gale Deslongchamps, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

We just rotate, I usually distribute them from under the tree. One opens one gift, another opens his or her gift, etc.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

every other year it changes...oldest to youngest or vice versa. since i'm in the middle of the family that comes over for the holidays it works.

― kevin enas, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

We rarely exchange presents (on xmas and new year).

― helen fordsdale, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

After the queen but before tea, no system or order just swapping.

― Ed, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I give people great presents. People give me shite presents. I like it this way, I feel it adds to my social status.

― dave q, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Everyone got an unmarked white envelope with a twenty dollar bill inside unless it was from the Grandparents in which case the envelope contained two fives.

― RS, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

On my mothers side we do a charley brown christmas on my fathers side we hand out by alphabet.

― anthony, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I get some presents in the morning from 'Father Christmas', and yes I know that's a bit childish but a) my mum likes to do that sort of thing and b) I get stuff in the morning hurrah! Then I get the rest of my presents when everyone opens theirs at about 5pm when whoever cooked the Xmas feast finishes the washing up.

― DG, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

no presents until after christmas dinner = family rule. Now it's just me, my Mum and my sister it doesn't takkke that long anyway, then we can get onto the boozing with the neighbours (god, I'm starting to feel christmassy! this isn't right I can't stand Christmas)

The funniest thing was when all at my now deceased grandparents my Mum would keep to the family rule and so Fil (sister) and I would be waiting for our presents, however, my Mum's idiot brother and wife would be round with incredibly spoiled child who had opened all her presents except for the ones from us in the morning. She would be literally in tears as we opened all our presents while she just had the one or two and would continue sulking long into the night. Ahhh happy family memories.

― chris, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I blame the fact that my mum is Jewish and doesn't understand Xmas for the fact that we always open ours right after breakfast (though as kids we did have to wait until the grown ups had finished their twelfth coffee) and me and my brother open our stockings (yes I know we are both in our mid twenties but my mum insists) as soon as we wake up on Xmas morning. Which these days what with alcohol and all is usually about 11 am. Oops. Maybe this is why I am now so lacking in patience and demand instant gratification.

― Emma, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

In the morning but not ultra-early. It used to be ultra-early in the salad days, too nervous to be asleep...etc.

How do you do labelling and stuff? Do you hand presents directly to the receiver to avoid all the mess?

― Laetitia, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

we open presents after the parents have screamed at me to get up and I have been phsically dragged from my bed, repository of blissful slumber. I always let the team down.

― Menelaus Darcy, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

it is always: get up around 10, have brekkie with toast and scrambled eggs and champagne for the non vegans, and just the toast and champers for the vegans, then divide pressies into piles and all open at the same time (we are democratic). then The Queen and the making of the dinner, but JOY! Santa always leaves extra pressielets on the dinner table for us to open, so more pressies! and then more bouze and then the falling asleep with cat snoozling on top of one. joy.

― katie, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Our breakfast is ALWAYS always: "ambrosia" - sliced oranges w/inside section skin peeled off to expose quivering orange meat, covered in shredded coconut.

i ask this q becuse my uncle's got a new fiancee, she's coming this year, and apparently the "one by one" tradition we've got is producing an anxiety - she's used to everyone just sort of tearing in, without the spotlight glare of mutual approbation and attention. of course to us this seems "tacky" but immediately i feel tacky for even feeling that way!

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Formerly: Christmas eve, open presents at Dad's parents' house. Christmas morning, terrorize mother until she gets out of bed, open presents unbearably early, eat mega-sized apples and oranges from stocking for breakfast, start having the big fight about what will be worn to grandfather's house. Everyone arrives there from 3 to 4, we open presents when all have arrived. Smallest child indentured to pass them out.

Now: cheques arrive randomly in the run-up to holiday.

― suzy, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

First thing in morning - open pressies left in stocking at end of bed from Santa
Second thing in morning - open pressies under tree from Santa
Third - open pressies from parents
Fourth - open those from sibling
Fifth - have shower and get dressed
Sixth - rellies start to arrive
1pm - open pressies from rellies
2pm - Have Chrissie dinner
After dinner everyone goes for a walk
Then start eating again and keep on eating until Boxing Day evening.

― toraneko, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

We do it on Christmas Eve. I refuse to do it any other time now. And it's just whomever's presents are pulled out first. Since this year I will not have a tree, it might be more orderly.

― Ally, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

On Christmas morning, get up before or around 7 (or be forced up by brothers), empty stockings, be sleepy. Wait for Mom to make coffee and Dad to drag himself out of bed, then open the other presents. The brothers often rush, so Mom and Dad say "Slow down and give Maria or the other parent a turn!" but they don't open theirs because they're too busy supervising, so there's traditionally a pile of presents left under the tree by the time the kids are done and hopeful staring at labels is in vain. After that Mom and sometimes I clean up. She puts things in a pile under the tree or a garbage bag for wrapping paper because they're all over the floor. Dad makes breakfast. Then we eat. The day varies from there.

― Maria, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

All presents are in room. Open them around 8.30 (used to be 5 am, when I was very young). We have never opened presents communally in mia familia. I would not like opening presents in front of other people.

Wrapping up presents is a trial. I like to get people gifts that come in nice square boxes.

― james, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh and about 10am I play new CD's and check the internet! So, I will be on ILE on Christmas Day. Dedication! :)

― james, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

r U a tearer or a patient dismantler? i knew an amish family for whom the wrapping became more important than the presents themselves - all would try and outdo each other with fabulous paper, which was carefully preserved upon opening and KEPT for next year [!] - appreciative "oohs" and smiles for receiving a gift with much-beloved and remembered wrapping paper!

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It depends...some people use really nice paper...and I think, hmmmm...that'd look good in a collage, so I open it carefully. But usually, it's just rip, rip, rip!!! (has anyone ever accidently thrown away a present with the wrapping paper? I always check, just in case! :)...Also, sometimes a nice stick-on bow has been used, so I give them back to my mum so that they can be used again...recycling! hehe!

― james, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm a fan of brown paper, there's something about brown paper parcels, also you can draw on them and be creative on the gift, furthermore a roll of brown paper is very cheap.

― Ed, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

+ brown paper = guilt-free tearing and gnashing, nums.

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 7 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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