Gift Opening Christmas Eve vs Christmas Morning

We opened big gifts on Christmas eve, and had stockings or small gifts from Santa Christmas morning. That way she excitement/ anticipation lasts a little longer.

when I was growing up - we'd open family and other gifts xmas eve, but santa would still come on Christmas morning? Just a thought? we kept this up til way after I stopped believing in Santa (my parents just made xmas morning all about me - I was an only child - it was gifts from them to me)

My husband's family does this. They open all of their gifts on Christmas Eve and then Santa comes and puts gifts in their stockings so they open their stockings on Christmas morning. Santa fills their stockings. If there is a gift that Santa gives that doesn't fit into their stocking then he just leaves it next to the stocking.

My husband's family solved this problem by allowing the child to open their family and friends presents on Christmas eve. The Santa presents appear the next morning. This has the additional benefit of spreading out the present opening over two days. (I actually let my little girl open a present or two a day one Christmas when we were stuck at home during a blizzard. It worked out so well that I am thinking about doing it this year. You don't get the too many presents at one time to play with overload syndrome.)

Best Wishes,

A.

We always opened one gift on Christmas Eve and then set out the milk and cookies for Santa who came in the night and more gifts appeared and we opened the rest in the morning. How did your parents explain Santa coming early to your house? You were at the beginning of the route and he had a long night ahead. Later the kids may wonder why their friends don't get them too at that time.

We have the same tradition. Christmas eve at our home and Christmas day at the in-laws. We let the kids open a few gifts on Christmas eve and then Santa presents are there on Christmas morning. The kids have no idea what they are getting and Santa still visits (I think my boys 13 and 11 know whats up). I also have a girl who is 5 so they better not tell her. She still believes and I hope for little while longer my boys will too. =) Traditions are what this time of year is all about so keep them and add a twist here and there and everyone (most of the time) is happy.
Merry Christmas to you and your little angel.

Hi N.,
I too grew up with presents Christmas eve but my partner opened up presents Christmas morning after mass. So, we compromised. "Family" presents go under the tree beforehand and we each choose one to open Christmas eve. We only bring out the big present from Santa after the kiddos have gone to sleep. This way, they have the fun of giving to eachother but still have the surprise factor of Santa Christmas morning. Have a great Christmas!

Santa is so busy that he sent out a letter asking if there were any families who would like to get their gifts the day before. Since your family always did he decided to keep the tradition with your new family. So he comes the night before. :)

It's important to keep tradition alive. Good luck :)

What is with all this Christmas Eve opening??
Wrapped presents under the tree (as soon as it went up) added to the anticipation of Christmas morning. We loved seeing the beautiful wrap and bows. We went to Christmas Eve service at the church (which reminded us about the true reason and spirit of the season) and opened presents the next morning. When we were little the rule was that we could get into our stockings (newly delivered the previous night - another great surprise) but no presents until Mom and Dad were up (anytime after 8am). That way we got to enjoy things a little early and they got to sleep in. When we got older we were allowed to pick any present under the tree and open it on Christmas Eve, but the big event was Christmas morning. My Mom set out a buffet of food at noon and we snacked for the rest of the day on all kinds of goodies. Everyone has their own traditions so don't be afraid to make you own.
Merry Christmas!
Dee

We usually spend Christmas Eve with my husband's family. So, what we do is eat supper while we "wait" for Santa. Then after supper, we opened all the presents. When I had kids, the "wait" for Santa turned in to "while I was cooking, Santa must have come because look at all these presents". Easier to do if the kids aren't right there, I know. Can someone distract your daughter while Santa "visits"?

Growing up we opened one gift Christmas Eve, it was always a pair of pajamas. We had to bathe and put them on, or Santa would not come. We even had to do it as teenagers. My mom only put the pjs and gifts from family under the tree. While we were sleeping on Christmas Eve Santa would come. I do the same with my kids. The only gifts under the tree are from family and the pjs. On Christ mas Eve they will open the pj's. We also meet at my parent's for a gift exchange, hot cocoa and the tellig of Christ's birth. They do get to open the gifts they recieve there. Then we drive around town to look at Christmas lights, this usually causes them to fall asleep in the car so that we don't have the bedtime struggles. When they wake up Santa has been here. It is very magical for them. I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't have to worry about them being distracted for Santa to come either.

we also open gifts on christmas eve, the kids know those gifts are from us and family, i hide one gift each for them and put it under the tree after they go to sleep. that's their gift from santa.so they know they get gifts from the fmily and a gift the next day from santa.

Our presents we opened on christmas eve were from mom and dad, not from santa. I have put most of the presents for my kids under the tree now and saved a couple to be from santa to put under Christmas eve, and the stuff for stockings. Our gifts from santa were never wrapped, that was how we knew santa had come as a child. I do the same with my kids now.

My mom always had to work on Christmas day, so we did presents on Christmas Eve. My parents did something similar to Jamie's- when we would go out on Christmas Eve to look at the holiday lights, my mom would always "forget" her purse and have to run back inside. Santa magically came while we were gone, and my sister and I never caught on. I loved the tradition- it let Christmas be more about spending time as a family, not all about gifts.

Growing up, Santa came on Christmas Eve. The family would all open gifts and then when we heard Santa's sleigh bells, we would all have to go into a back room while Santa brought his gifts. The younger you are the more plausible, but I remember how excited we would get when the bells were rung.

Have fun.

Our tradition when I was young used to be pick one from under the tree on Christmas Eve, then the rest in the morning.

Something is so magical about having the surprises Santa left under the tree out and waiting for them on Christmas morning, watching them barrel down the stairs with excitement to me is priceless. Let her open a few from Grandma/other relatives or even from you but save the Santa gifts for Christmas morning. They get one chance in life to be young, feel the magic and be full of that excitement. We all know Santa leaves the stuff while they are sleeping, hee hee.

I don't put out anything until Christmas Eve and they are in bed. It is like the tree turns into something more magical while they slept. My kids love waking up and having them all to unwrap then.

we put gifts under the tree that we have bought/ made for other people/each other and save the ones from santa (and stockings) for christmas eve.

my children are now 10-16 and they still love it. also once they hot 9 or so I appoint one an elf (its our secret! :) )
and that elf stays up late -or pretends to sleep until the youngers are- and we sneek around planting suprises and wrapping the santa gifts. and snacking.. I always have special elf snacks that the youngers don't know about.

We opened the gifts under the tree Christmas Eve as well, but Christmas morning we opened gifts that Santa left in the stockings. You could try that. Usually what was in the stocking was goodies and cheap stuff but when you are a kid it it never matters.
Hope this helps!

We open gifts fromthe larger side of the family on christmas eve and then open santa presents on christmas morning. It has helped with the stress of toy and stuff overload

Since our first child's first Christmas, we have said that Santa just brings one gift for each child. We've told family that so they don't say something otherwise.

This helps move focus from Santa and presents to family and the birth of Jesus. (And, when things are lean the kids don't see a difference from Santa, and when things are great the extra comes from mom & dad).

I was also raised doing opening gifts Christmas eve and those were all the family given gifts. and then the only thing that we woke up to on Christmas morning was the Santa gift and stocking. That's the same sort of situation that we're continuing with our daughter. That way you don't have to explain really anything since Santa comes with his gift when he visits everyone else. I know of some families that only do the tree on christmas eve too, and this way we get to have the tree up and all the decorations for longer too.
Happy holidays,
K.

My (now 11 year old son) goes to visit his biological father every other year for Christmas. Therefore, we sometimes have our celebration up to a week sooner than the actual date. I think you have a few options here. 1. Open all but Santa's gifts on Christmas Eve, then have round 2 Christmas morning. 2. Just explain that the elves (or Santa) made a special early delivery so that your family can continue its traditions. (That is what we tell our children). The most important thing to remember is that Christmas isn't about a date on the calendar; its about spending time with the people you love, remembering those who cannot be with you, and absorbing the joy that your child's beautiful smile brings to your heart!

Family gifts christmas Eve and then santa's unwrapped gifts on christmas morning. That is how I grew up and it worked quite well so we weren't getting everything all at once.

AT our house Santa only fills the stockings. I wanted my kids to get the real feeling of Christmas and know who to thank for their gifts. This would be an easy way for you to open presents on Christmas eve and then let Santa fill the stockings for christmas day.
Good luck and Merry Christmas.

I was raised opening gifts on Christmas Eve as well and then Santa comes on Christmas morning! That way you can open all your gifts on Christmas Eve and then Santa can put his gifts under the tree Christmas morning. Just a suggestion

we would always go to Church Christmas Eve and while we were waiting in the car (supposedly becuase my Mom was still getting ready to go, haha) she would put the presents under the tree. If you don't do church then maybe you could make it a tradition to drive and look at Christmas lights or go on a walk to look at them.

Hi! how wonderful that you like to keep family traditions! I faced the same dillema, also. I just put most my presents out before Eve, and then wrap a few from "Santa" in different shiney paper. Then it doesnt matter when he came, just THAT he came! Also, my family tradition is that we all open 1 present early, which is our new christmas pajamas!

I grew up opening presents on Christmas Eve as well but my husband's family is all about Christmas morning and I have really embraced that. Our kids go to bed knowing what was under the tree and wake up to see their "santa" gifts sitting open for them to see and overflowing stockings and they love it!!! I wouldn't have it any other way now but for you maybe you could open a couple of presents Christmas Eve, like pjs, slippers, a warm stuffed animal something like that and save the rest for Christmas morning. If you really want to open presents the night before then have some fun little story ready for your daughter about how Santa delivers to some people earlier on Christmas Eve than others.

We have always opened presents on Christmas eve, mostly. We have family presents under the tree all month as they get wrapped and then we sort and open all of those after church on Christmas eve. Then we do Christmas morning, where each kid gets a Santa Present. This is something 'big' - not necessarily in size, or in money, but something that was really wanted. It does tend to be the most expensive and then I as a parent only give Julia little things on Christmas eve. So Santa comes and brings this big present and fills the stocking -- with candy, fruit and little things like chapsticks and socks and hair bows.

I personally like this because I think it makes Christmas and present giving about family...which is how I like it. Julia learns to shop for others adn to think about what they would like....and to be appreciative of the family that buys for her, and how that can be a sign of love. Santa is great....but I appreciated it even more once i was 'too old' for Santa...because I knew my parents put a lot of thought and time into those presents and I was always so pleased that they managed to get something that I absolutely wanted....and sometimes didn't even know i wanted!

Hello,

I was raised the same way. We save one "bigger" present and the stocking for morning, which are from Santa.

let her open the gifts from you on x-mas eve and open the one from santa x-mas morning. I don't know but at our house santa brings just one gift and not the best one. I think it is important for kids to know the things they want don't just magically appear. We work hard to buy gifts for our kids, why should santa get all the credit?

Why don't you try just opening all family gifts on Christmas Eve and save Santa gifts for Christmas day that way she has something to look forward to on Christmas morning?

Maybe you could open all the family and friend gifts on Christmas Eve and then Santa still comes during the night. That way you have two days of fun. My family did this when I was growing up...

N.
I have a wonderful suggestion for you. We open everything at my parents house christmas eve but i usually hide a couple different presents and pull them out and put them under the tree after my little boy who will b 3 just before christmas goes to bed. This has worked well in the past. Good luck to you and yourz.
J.

When I was growing up we opened 1 gift on Dec 6 which is St. Nicholas Night in Holland. (My dad had spent time there as a youth and wanted to carry on the tradition.) We opened gifts from each other on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day we opened gifts from Santa. This spread out the exitctment some and still let Santa make him delivery. good luck with this but most of all have fun. and remember the true meaning of Christmas. P.

Hi N. and Happy Holidays!

When I was younger, we did the Christmas eve thing with my grandparents at their house and Santa gifts were always Christmas morning at our home. Now that I have a child of my own, we try to do the same type of tradition. The problem is we are a military family, so none of our family is anywhere near us! We have solved it by letting our daughter open "grandma" gifts that they have sent on the eve and "santa" gifts are waiting Christmas morning. I think maybe I will adopt the new "tradition" that one of the previous posters happened on by accident - opening a family gift or two a night for a few nights prior - sounds like a great idea! Sorry I don't have any suggestions for putting the santa gifts out early...to me that is just part of the magic of christmas for kids and I wouldn't want to take that away from my daughter. Hope you find a suggestion that works for you!

Me too! I loved having Christmas on Christmas Eve...to meet the Eve is as much of a holiday as Christmas Day! We'd pile over the grandma's house, have a big dinner and open the presents. For me, there was no Santa leaving presents under the tree...but he was a fun story none the less.

Now for my kids, we pile over to grandmas house, have a big dinner and open presents. We save out a few for Christmas morning and say they're from Santa. We leave them next to the fireplace and, for them, its real.

HTH!! Merry Christmas!

How about putting gifts from family and friends out early, then putting gifts from Santa under the tree after she goes to bed on Christmas eve?