*My mother/Santa always put our gifts under the tree without any evidence they were a commercial product, no boxes, no labels, nothing. They came straight from Santa's workshop. I did the same for my children.
I had friends who insisted Santa's gifts should be wrapped as gifts with paper and ribbons.
The whole scene with tree and gifts looked so much more festive without gift wrap.
How Santa put the gifts under the tree at your house?
Later, I realized they might go on a Santa search. Before I actually knew for sure they tried to find gifts, I decided they might look. So, one Christmas, I put everything in the trunk of the car. When the children complained they could barely sit in the back seat with a dozen groceries bags under their feet and in their laps, I told them Daddy had left lawn chairs in the trunk.
This went on for several weeks. Finally, my son told me to give him the keys and he would put the lawn chairs in the basement himself. They also complained mightily to him and he just took it...lol.
I don't think they ever found gifts due to my leaving them around or by their searches.
My younger daughter, more than the older son and daughter, had what we called "a guilty look." We could read her face. One Christmas morning, I had my son go and get her so we could all go in to the lit tree at one time. As he brought her back, he told me she was smiling as her picked her up from her bed, probably the baby bed. She had seen and played with her toys.
Did any of your children or siblings get up and play with or look at their toys before everyone else was up?
My husband hid all of the presents up in the attic. One year after the kids were outside playing with some of their outside toys we realized one of the toys must have fell out of the bag and been left in the attic. I kept the kids distracted outside while my husband went inside, down in the basement, got the ladder, climbed up into the attic, and hid the present way back behind the tree. He then put the ladder back in the basement and came outside. We were out there for just a little while more, and when we came in none of us could believe that my son had missed seeing his present behind the tree.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I would wrap all of the presents while the kids were at school and then squirrel them away up in the attic. So when we brought them down on Christmas Eve, they were all wrapped.
My friend, who had one sister and two brothers, told me that their gifts were never wrapped, but in 4 separate piles of toys and each kid knew what they had wanted for Christmas. She said it was amazing to come into the living room and there would be stacks and stacks of toys.
susie,
DeleteSanta left one gift somewhere, and Mama sneaked it into the tree near the trunk. It was mechanical pencils for the two or three oldest.
So, I understand how kids don't see their gifts. After that, we spent other Christmases searching in the branches.
We knew Santa never wrapped gifts but left for stacks of presents for us. To me, it just looks more like Santa made them. Just me, I guess. My daughter wrapped all Santa gifts for her children.
All the toys at once were magic.
Thanks for sharing that story.
One time my two siblings and I found 3 of those large dresser sets (mirror,comb & brush) of all places, in the bottom of the clothes hamper! Haha
ReplyDeleteMom must have wrapped all the Santa gifts in just paper (no bows or ribbon) because when I recognized her handwriting “From Santa” I realized there was not a Santa!
My Grandmother had a pair of sleigh bells. She’d sneak outside and jingle them several times and mom would tell us to hurry and get in bed! Oh the memories! BTW I’m 76!!
j,
DeleteThat is a funny memory about recognizing her handwriting! I am glad someone else had the idea of ringing bells. Those are great memories, aren't they. Thanks for the age as it helps me place you in time.
We used to wrap the santa presents just to slow them down a bit!I don't think the kids ever found them early.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was nursing I often worked night duty Christmas eve & I would tie little bells to my shoelaces, so the would ring softly as I walked through the wards - the patients loved it! hope you have a lovely Christmas day.
Jan,
DeleteThe wrapping does slow kids down. Funny. I am quite sure the patients loved your jingling through the halls. That is such a good idea. thanks.
I merely denied the discrepancy, like climate-deniers
ReplyDeleteHappy christmas to the both of you!
Urspo,
DeleteOh, yes! My mother had an answer to anything that happened that might make us not believe in Santa. Thank you.
My ex husband and I overslept one Christmas and the four kids woke us up and asked how come Santa had not been there. We sleepily went out to the car trunk and said he put the presents in the car....oops!
ReplyDeleteCindy,
DeleteYou are quick on your feet with answers like that.
My mom and dads room was off limits all the time, so ni different at Christmas. I got creative with my kids and even hid gifts under their own beds.
ReplyDeleteSam,
DeleteThat is good to have your bedroom off limits! I think it is funny that they would not find anything under their own beds.
Santa never wrapped our gifts either and same with my 3 kids. However, Santa never brought much- maybe one thing each and some candy in the stocking. Mom and dad bought the majority of our gifts and maybe one from my maternal grandparents. My GD got a new bike this year- when she moved in August, they donated her bike. I got her a chest/wardrobe to put her American Girl doll clothes and a Big Wheel for the 2 year old. Santa brought him a ukelele and he was thrilled. We've never really celebrated Christmas with a lot of gifts but we do buy things throughout the year and I know some folks only buy toys/games birthdays and Christmas. Years after the fact, my middle sister and brother admitted they often unwrapped their Christmas gifts and rewrapped before Christmas- Mom and Dad never knew!
ReplyDeleteNan,
DeleteMama and Daddy never bought us a gift for Christmas. It was all from Santa. We never got toys during the year. Same with my children. I can see a two-year-old with a ukelele! I cannot believe your siblings rewrapped the gifts so well your parents never knew. funny.
My gifts from Santa were never wrapped. I was a young teenager (13 or 14) when I first snooped and found one of my presents; it was something I really wanted, but finding it sort of ruined Christmas Day. I never snooped again.
ReplyDeleteDonna,
DeleteI am heartened so many people got Santa gifts unwrapped. Too bad about ruining your Christmas. Thanks.