Christmas Gifts.

We all know that this coming weekend brings Christmas.  Christmas morning, the kids will wake up a whole lot stinkin' earlier than normal and want to partake in their presents and gifts.  Some gifts will be from Santa, some will be from their parents.

Since in the land of Boltonshire procrastination is important, we will probably not wrap a single gift until the night before.  I would like to wrap presents and put them under the tree before hand, but curious kids and tempted toddlers would more than likely want to enjoy them prior to the festivities.  While the choice has always been pre-emptive, we've never had an issue with kids opening presents, but I do clearly remember one time when I was a kid it happening.

< Christmas flashback > It was Christmas circa 1987.  My little brother Brandon (4 years old) wanted a Sword of Omens.  Somehow he knew which gift was his a week prior to Christmas under the tree.  So he peeled off some of the paper and saw that it was in fact a Sword of Omens.  He carefully placed the paper back and hid the ripped end.  How the heck a 4 year old had that much self control, I'll never know.   Needless to say, my step mom found out and while she was upset (because he said the cat did it), it being Christmas and all he still got to open it on Christmas morning. < /Christmas flashback >

So for this reason, I'm against leaving presents under the tree too soon.  So my kids can thank their Uncle B.

When I was a kid, Santa brought the most expensive main gift.  Because he obviously loved me more than my parents.  These presents were presented next to our stocking and unwrapped.  It was the first things we dived into those early Christmas mornings.

The parents gave us complimentary accessories that went with the main gift, and we always wondered how the heck they knew what Santa was bringing.  The story was always they had some sort of correspondence via the phone.

< A.D.H.D .>I'm going to tell the kids I Skype with Santa.  You know, just to keep up with the times.  Hey is there a Skype with Santa?  I suppose I could Google it.  If there isn't, anyone want to go into business next year?  I can totally pull off Santa;

Not Dumbledore

< /A.D.H.D >

The first Christmas I was around KC and MaddSkillz, I noticed 97% of MaddSkillz gifts were from Santa and all were wrapped.  I was confused.  I'm assuming this is how KC and her brother were raised as well.  I specifically remember saying that I would want some credit and appreciation for the hard work that is going to end up being bestowed to the big guy.

It wasn't that I was trying to be a d-bag about it, I just want my kids to understand that parents work hard too.  The 20 plus hours of over time a week aren't just to pay off mommy's vacuum.

Is stuff like this going to register in their toddler minds?  No.  It's just something that I felt ALL the credit shouldn't go to Santa at Christmas.  Parents should have a noticeable hand in Christmas in my opinion.

So our first Christmas as a family, we smooshed both our traditions together. Santa brought the main expensive gifts (because he obviously loves the kids more than we do)  which were wrapped , while the parents give the accessories to the main gifts we knew about from our skyping with Santa (it already exists dag nabbit).

How do you present gifts on Christmas?  Do you use what you're parents did or create your own way of presenting?

Have a great week my friends.....