Elmck Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 One person one gift at a time at our house (it takes a while) we do make exceptions if the little ones need a nap or someone needs to leave to go to a spouse's family gathering. I really enjoy watching everyone open. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyreejames Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 It’s a free for all in this house, lol. I would love to do the one at a time but DD8 never opens everything so we would be sitting all day [emoji4] 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budgetsRsexy Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 With my family it’s always one at a time but with my DH’s family it’s a free for all. Normally I would like the one at a time more but my husband’s family is huge so it would take forever so in some ways the free for all is better with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilikefree Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 I try to buy the same amount of gifts for each of my boys then they each open one at the same time. It'll be different this year, though. Our oldest moved out and into a small apartment since last Christmas and has already told me he doesn't need, nor has the space for, anything this year so it'll just be our youngest, my husband and me on Christmas morning. I will still get our oldest son stuff, but it will be stuff he needs and gift cards or cash. At my dad's house, where both my sisters and their families meet up in the afternoon, it's just kind of a free-for-all. It's chaotic but we've vowed to scale down this year because we all have accumulated more debt this year and are spending less on gifts so hopefully it will be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coastiwife Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 We start with one each and then my 3 sons turn it into complete chaos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanShotFirst Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Immediate family is parents first, then my sister and I take turns opening one at a time. If we have matching or similar items the packages are numbered the same for each of us and we open at the same time. Extended family when we did it at either set of grandparents’ house: grandkids first, then grandparents followed by a free for all with the aunts/uncles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenn_A Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Free. For. All.. Lol... 6 kids, 5 grandkids, it's a mad house.. Lol.. Sent from my SM-G935V using GottaDEAL mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy0504 Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Mostly free for all, but as the kids have gotten older,moved out etc it has been more of a whenever you get out of bed/to the house type of deal for me...I,of course, am watching and smiling for each child and will only open mine when they are done or mostly done... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanyon71 Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 It depends, when it's with Family usually all the kids get theirs then they open them, then adults. With us our daughter opens her's and then my wife and I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara3117 Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 We open one at a time at our house and with my family. My husband's family is bigger so it ends up being more of a free for all as the little ones get restless. Here's one for you... Do you put the gifts in one big pile or do you separate by recipient? My husband and I debate this every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy0504 Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 I don't separate anything, my kids will search for theirs and as they see their siblings they may pass it to them or leave it alone for them to find...I do try and use at least 3 different wrapping papers, one (sometimes 2) for each child...makes it easier for me in case I don't stick name tags on right away...my daughter finally realized I did this last year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kash Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 We do it one at a time, so everyone can see. Yes, some years have taken longer than others. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bopeep Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 It's a free for all in my house, and I take pictures of it all while it happens . As far as separating things, I used to put everything in a pile, and it got divvied out before they started opening. When the grandbabies came, I started separating them because I hated that they had to sit there and wait. I was sure they didn't understand and I couldn't stand ANY disappointment. Funny, I never thought of it that way when my own kids were little. LOL The oldest grandsons are old enough to read a little, especially their own names, now, so I might put them all out again and let them be the ones to hand them out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenkishaa Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 One at a time. The kids first, Our parents, then us. It might not be in that order all the time except for the kids. The kids ALWAYS go first lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tn20 Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 On Christmas morning,it is generally just my immediate family (DH, myself, our 4 boys, ranging from 2-16 years old). I wrap each kid's gifts in their own specific wrapping paper and leave them under the tree. Stockings are a free for all, but actual gifts are opened one at a time, with each kid getting to open 1 present an hour. We have found this to be nice because it gives time for them to actually enjoy and explore each gift. Instead of opening a gift, putting it aside and moving on, they unwrap a gift, it is taken out of its packaging, assembled if needed, and played with. Plus, it extends the excitement of opening gifts... Instead of it all being over in a whirlwind, they get to hang on to the excitement for several hours. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmck Posted October 10, 2018 Author Share Posted October 10, 2018 We open one at a time at our house and with my family. My husband's family is bigger so it ends up being more of a free for all as the little ones get restless. Here's one for you... Do you put the gifts in one big pile or do you separate by recipient? My husband and I debate this every year.[/quote We usually separate by family and for the last few years everyone gets their own wrapping paper so it's a little easier to find gifts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starbeck96 Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 I try to buy the same amount of gifts for each of my boys then they each open one at the same time. It'll be different this year, though. Our oldest moved out and into a small apartment since last Christmas and has already told me he doesn't need, nor has the space for, anything this year so it'll just be our youngest, my husband and me on Christmas morning. I will still get our oldest son stuff, but it will be stuff he needs and gift cards or cash. At my dad's house, where both my sisters and their families meet up in the afternoon, it's just kind of a free-for-all. It's chaotic but we've vowed to scale down this year because we all have accumulated more debt this year and are spending less on gifts so hopefully it will be better.This is how we've done most years too. Like you, things will be different this year and I'm not sure how to handle it..My son got married in March. They live here locally but it brings another family to try to squeeze into Christmas. I also volunteered to work 12 hour shifts Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (I work in our local 911 center) since most of my co-workers have younger children and my youngest is 12. I had also offered to work Black Friday but I've decided against it since I'm working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (the newest employee had said she'd work but I kind of wanted the overtime pay, but the more I think about it the more I want off..lol) I am not sure if we are all gonna try to get together Christmas Eve when I get off or wait until Christmas Day. Or if my husband, daughter, other son, and I will just open gifts alone. My mom passed away last year, so I'd like to do all of our Christmas at my dad's with all of our family, but not sure if that will work or not. We'll just have to see. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berry1014 Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 Its one at a time in our house 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyreejames Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 We open one at a time at our house and with my family. My husband's family is bigger so it ends up being more of a free for all as the little ones get restless. Here's one for you... Do you put the gifts in one big pile or do you separate by recipient? My husband and I debate this every year.[/quote We usually separate by family and for the last few years everyone gets their own wrapping paper so it's a little easier to find gifts I do one big pile with certain gifts being strategically placed. I like to see the kids interacting as they open their gifts; passing gifts to each other, guessing what it might be, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momlori Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 We do one at a time as one of the grandkids hands out the gifts. This way everyone gets to see the gifts and enjoys them. Stockings are a free for all 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Mommy Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 One at a time. The kids first, Our parents, then us. It might not be in that order all the time except for the kids. The kids ALWAYS go first lol.This is how it is in our house. We open gifts and have dinner on Christmas Eve. Christmas day is a lazy day at our house. LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy0504 Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 This is how it is in our house. We open gifts and have dinner on Christmas Eve. Christmas day is a lazy day at our house. LOL! When I was a kid, I remember having a big family dinner on Christmas Eve and then getting up Christmas morning to open presents and eat the leftovers for breakfast...we're so busy now on Christmas Eve that I spend Christmas day trying to cook and I'm usually exhausted by the end of the day... that's it!!!! all I want for Christmas is a lazy day, lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msyves Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 One at a time and of course we have to take a picture for each one. Since the kids get more gifts we let them open a few before we hand some out to hubby or myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colemandawn4905 Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Its a free for all. Wrapping paper every where. lol Im sure we should slow down and enjoy teh unwrapping but i get just as excited as the kids lol 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakotadenise Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 With my immediate family, we open one at a time, rotating ring around the rosie style, so I can take pictures and see their reactions. They gather them/pass them out before opening, so each kids is sitting with their own pile, just waiting inpatiently. LOL At my extended familys Christmas, there is no set order. A couple kids usually volunteer to pass out all the presents, then usually the adults sit and watch all the kids open theirs, and then they go. Its pretty chaotic. But fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelbabymommy Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Christmas morning, it’s immediate family, only 2 children...so I let them open at the same time while I take pictures. I don’t separate anything so they hunt out their gifts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cllehto Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 We always had a different wrapping paper for each of the children. One would be in charge of handing out the presents one at a time. They would hand out one for each child for a couple of turns then mom and dad got a present to open since we had fewer. It worked well. The stockings were opened as people got up so they could play with the contents while waiting for the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevierocks Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 we start with a pickle present .. (this was actually started from an idea from someone on THIS site ) there is a hidden pickle on the tree .. they all go to find it .. whoever finds it first , opens the pickle gift.(this will always be a gift anyone can use , or something with one for everyone in the box) then that person goes to the tree and picks a gift for someone else. , that person opens their gift , then goes to the tree to get a gift for anyone but themselves ot the person who picked them.. and it continues like that for HOURS.. everyone enjoys it and gets to see what everyone else got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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