[who_it_is]

Christmas morning at our house can best be described as controlled chaos. We try to have the kids open one gift at a time and then try to stop and open boxes, put things together if it's not something with a million little pieces that will take until next year to assemble. We generally open about 1/2 of the gifts, stop for breakfast and playing and then finish after we eat. The whole deal generally takes us about 3-4 hours depending on number of gifts.

After we are dresses we head to MIL's house where it is pure chaos. The kids are each given their pile of gifts and are allowed to rip through them. Not my idea of how it should be done at all and very overstimulating for DS I'm hoping this year, we will be able to manage a more controlled gift exchange at MIL's, but I can't say I am entirely hopeful.

What does Christmas morning at your house look like?

[kimmiejo]

we do Christmas morning at my parents house, it's my parents and the 4 of us first thing in the morning. I generally try to give each kid one present at time and try to control the mess and chaos at least a little bit. It isn't easy that's for sure. Once the kids are winding down on their gifts the adults usually open their stuff one at a time.

Then my sister and her family come with another pile of gifts and the whole thing repeats and then we eat brunch and all need a nap

[MomtoCarly&Sofia]

Well our girls are still little, so I'm sure things will change a bit over time. But for now, this Christmas they will have one gift set up when they come downstairs ( because it takes a while to set p and we don't feel like doing it Christmas day), we will do stockings first, then do all the gifts. They have four each so it shouldn't take too long. They'll each open one at the same time. Then we'll do breakfast. After breakfast we'll set everything up.

[cfm]

Low key here. Stockings, kids take turns opening presents one at a time (they only have 3-4 each), we snack on pastries, etc while doing the presents. Anything that needs to get built/played with i gets done while I start making lunch. My Mom comes over, we do a few more gifts (just one per kid) and we eat.

naps!

Head to Dh's side of the family. About 30 people! We have dinner and then there is a bit of gift exchanging, but not much. One little gift from Grandma for the kids, Godparents to their godkids...

[BelloFiglioLA]

We don't really have a routine yet. We will get up and Levi will open presents at home. Afterwards, my parents are having brunch. We will eat and open gifts there. My brother always has people over to his house but I don't know if we are going yet or not. SIL's family is big and my bro's house is small plus it's like an hour away. I'd rather just relax.

[3xCrazy]

We put the kids stockings in their room to keep them occypied and hopefully get a bit of a sleep in. Once they wake us up, we give them one present at a time they ooh and aah over them, then they play while FH or I cook breakfast. After that its just like any other day. We might go next door and have a bbq lunch with my brother, not sure. Oh and this year, my dad is coming up and bringing my mum as well for dinner. I cant wait! I dont get to see them often

Boxing Day we are going to MILs for another bbq lunch with them and BIL and his fiance.

[momtothe3rdpower]

I can't remember what we did last year, but maybe stockings first is a good idea while mom and dad make coffee and put egg bake in the oven. Then one gift at a time, and if they kids want to stop and play instead of open, fine with me. The kids only have like 5 or so presents so it won't take tooo long. Our family is all too far away to visit, but we will do phone calls through the day to all of them. We make a ham dinner with all the fixings and neighbors know it is open door here if they want to stop by and get food. Kids will play outside most of the day, neighbors hang outside/ect. is the whole suburban thing here.

[cfm]

Jealous of you ladies that get to hang out outside on Christmas day!

[erinpb]

Kids wake up and they get to do stockings first. Then open one gift at a time. After they open all the presents, my parents will come over and we'll have breakfast. I'm making french toast casserole. Then we'll do presents with my parents. Again, one at a time. I like seeing what everyone got and their reaction. My parents will leave, we'll spend the afternoon relaxing, maybe taking naps (hoping!), and then we'll go to my in-laws for dinner. It's chaos over there because everyone just rips into their gifts all at once. It drives me nuts! I never get to see what anyone gets.

[~MamaTutu~]

Up until this year, MIL has insisted we wait for all the family to arrive around 10am before opening gifts, which was tough for DD last year. This year, DH and I have decided our kids can open stockings and gifts from Santa when we first get up. Then gifts from family can wait.

[momtothe3rdpower]

Cfm, you can spend time outdoors on Christmas too, just need to bundle up When we go to MN for Christmas, we would get all bundled up and do a walk through the woods in back of my parents' house on Christmas Day, ride the horses too. and then if would feel so great to go back indoors when we were done!

[cfm]

Ack, now I'm even more jealous! I would love to go for a ride on Christmas day, even if it's cold.

[LOUSEE]

We open all our presents on Xmas Eve except stockings and the "santa" gift (Jax will get those Xmas Morning).

Xmas day is just our immediate family so lots of relaxing and playing with out new toys!

[LJD3Tdance]

The Santa gifts get to be opened, or played with immediately, later on in the morning we open other gifts one at a time.

[3xCrazy]

Originally Posted by cfm

Jealous of you ladies that get to hang out outside on Christmas day!

thats one thing that I LOVE about being Australian. Its summer at christmas so most families spend the day at the beach. I remember when I was a kid we would go to the beach and have a bbq breakfast/lunch then we would all go down to the beach and go on my dads boat for rides on the inflated ring or toboggan. Every one had a water gun as well so there would be huge family water gun fights. It was so much fun!