Opening gifts

drglitter · January 2017

How does everyone's family open their Christmas gifts?

My family does one present at a time, very orderly, with everyone watching. I kind of thought that was normal.

Christmas with H's family was an eye opener. These people are quiet, reserved, polite people. MIL basically said "Go!" and people started ripping open packages. There was wrapping paper flying in the air. They're Christmas savages.

Yesterday I found a beautiful glass ornament with a peacock feather in it in the stuff we brought home. I texted H to ask if he knew whose it was because I assumed we'd brought it home accidentally. Apparently it was his, from his aunt. I was sitting next to him, and never saw it.

climbingsingle · January 2017

Everyone is distributed their gifts by the person designated "santa" that year. We don't start opening until all gifts are given out. But then everyone opens at the same time.

banana468 · January 2017

We try to have some kind of order with my parents but now that I don't live there, we're opening gifts an hour before guests show up. Because of that, we may have a few people opening at a time.

With my IL's, sometimes it seems too drawn out and very one at a time. Ideally a compromise between the two is better for my senses.

drid · January 2017

Both my family and FIs family are one at a timers. Its nice being able to ooh and ahh over everybody's gifts.

cupcait927 · January 2017

We always opened them one at a time when I was growing up with my dad as the designated present distributor. H's family does the same.

drglitter · January 2017

drid said:

Both my family and FIs family are one at a timers. Its nice being able to ooh and ahh over everybody's gifts.

Exactly! And I was super excited about the gifts we were giving this year and didn't even get to see some of them get opened because they all happened at the same time.

ILoveBeachMusic · January 2017

DS2 had somehow become the designated Santa. Gifts are handed out and opened one at a time. When kids were little H handed out the gifts.

short+sassy · January 2017

Growing up, we also opened them up one at a time. If there was a same sized gift from a relative, one for me and one for my sister, then we would open them at the same time since they were probably the same thing.

Now, it's just me and my H. We still open them one at a time.

@drglitter, cracking up at your term "Chirstmas savages".

lnixon8 · January 2017

I was so happy this wasnt another "I hate people watching me can I just ask for only unwrapped gifts at my shower?"

southernbelle0915 · January 2017

I would find that really weird too. How do they thank people individually?

My family is like yours, one gift at a time. Unless my sister and I got identical gifts, then we'd open those at the same time. We started with Santa stuff, then breakfast, and then family gifts.

drglitter · January 2017

southernbelle0915 said:

I would find that really weird too. How do they thank people individually?

My family is like yours, one gift at a time. Unless my sister and I got identical gifts, then we'd open those at the same time. We started with Santa stuff, then breakfast, and then family gifts.

They just kind of got the attention of the gift giver and thanked them. They're not a big family, but, there were 10 of us. I could see how it could work (maybe) with like 4 people.

I especially found it weird that nobody really focused on the kids opening their gifts. Except me, because I was just sitting there staring in awe at the carnage. The kids are the best part.

SP29 · January 2017

We would rotate between one person at a time, and one present at a time.

Generally with small groups, one person at a time. If it's a larger group, everyone gets one present, opens it, and then waits for everyone else. Allows you to ooh and ahh still.

spockforprez · January 2017

Things are a bit different now but I'll tell you how it was when I was younger (before my siblings and I all got married). There was a designated Santa, usually my mom. She would find a present and hand it to the recipient, who would open it with all watching. Then she would find another present and repeat. As much as possible, everyone got to open a present on every round. Sometimes when we were kids that didn't work as kids tend to get more presents than teens/adults but generally it was kept fairly even. I had never experienced the "everyone open at the same time" until H's family. I really, really don't like it. You often miss out on people's reactions to your gift, or can't connect with the person who gifted you to say thank you properly because they're focused on opening their own gifts. Plus watching others opening gifts is a perfect activity if you're nosy... it's often the only part of wedding/baby showers that I like!

The most bizarre thing I've ever heard of is my brother's friend from the Marine Corps who stayed with us one Christmas. He said their presents were placed under the bed and they'd all wake up on their own and open presents by themselves. What the heck?!

lovesclimbing · January 2017

Growing up, we opened stockings on our own as soon as we got up (although usually, it was all us sibs together because we'd wake each other up). Then, we'd have breakfast and then sit down around the tree. We never did Santa. Each person in turn, usually oldest to youngest, would grab a gift from under the tree and open it and then we'd start over again with the oldest. I hate the idea of opening all at once. Half the fun is seeing what other people got and how they react to what you got them.

MairePoppy · January 2017

Each person places their gifts in front of each recipient. At first, we try to go one at a time so everyone can see, but we end up working on our own pile of gifts, thanking the giver before we open the next gift. We have other guests who join us for Christmas Dinner in the early afternoon, so we have to finish before they arrive, so there may be a bit of savagery toward the end.

When my kids were young and still believed in Santa, they'd come downstairs to a room full of presents. We made sure the gifts were equal in number so they could take turns opening the gifts. Back then we all got up early so there was plenty of time to open their gifts from Santa before our guests arrived.

Jstump2 · January 2017

I really like how husbands family does this. Every gift gets a slip of paper (to:H from: wife, to: mom from:dad, etc.) the papers are then put in a small container and the designated "santa" pulls one slip at a time. Then the person opens the gift and another slip is drawn until all the presents have been given out. It is a lengthy process but we pause and have a buffet to graze on. It has turned quite fun where sometimes your "gift" will just be a wrapped clue about your actual gift but you have to wait for your name to be drawn again to find out what it is!

cupcait927 · January 2017

Jstump2 said:

I really like how husbands family does this. Every gift gets a slip of paper (to:H from: wife, to: mom from:dad, etc.) the papers are then put in a small container and the designated "santa" pulls one slip at a time. Then the person opens the gift and another slip is drawn until all the presents have been given out. It is a lengthy process but we pause and have a buffet to graze on. It has turned quite fun where sometimes your "gift" will just be a wrapped clue about your actual gift but you have to wait for your name to be drawn again to find out what it is!

That is such a neat idea!

cowgirl8238 · January 2017

When we were younger my family would do the whole savagely rip into the piles of gifts with wrapping paper flying and clothes going overhead like that scene from "A Christmas Story". Once we got a bit older we would take turns playing Santa each year. Everyone would get one gift and we would all open them at the same time but then pause and ooh and aah over everything.

My ILs will typically start out with one person opening at a time. Sometimes you do your whole pile then the next person goes, but I'm not a huge fan of this style. Other times its just a go around the room. Usually by the end everyone is opening at once though as there is a growing number of family (yay marriages!) and no one wakes up early enough to finish before other guests arrive. Then we start over with their gifts.

Keisha84 · January 2017

The kids go first and they are one at a time. The order is youngest to oldest. We do Kris Kringle among the adults, so we hand out presents and each person opens. Then we do the spouse gifts and any other gifts someone got. We also open gifts after breakfast so there is no rush because people are hungry

ernursej · January 2017

Stockings are a free for all on both sides. Presents on H's side are presented a few at a time and then people open simultaneously. On my side, you watch people open each present and present opening is rotated. I've learned to just go with it when I'm with H's side.

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