Organising the Presents - Christmas Catch-up 2

One of the most time exciting parts of Christmas Eve is when we fill the bags the children have put out just before going to bed, around 3am and after Midnight Mass and the Midnight Feast.

This is a wonderful time as the way we choose presents for our children by asking them to make a list of anything and everything they think they might like. WE have a money value that we stick to per person each year, and this can vary depending on financial restraints. The children can put anything their hearts desires on the list, however that does not mean they will get all or even most of the gifts and perhaps not even thing they most desire.

For example we have often had requests for motor bikes, pets, horses and other things that might be lovely but don't suit our family at that time. Also the children understand that if they want a more expensive present as their number one choice then obviously they will not get as much as those who have a lot of smaller and less expensive gifts on their list.

So this year after 18 hours of pure shopping for gifts, no travel time or anything, I finished and had the gifts but as we are in this new house was not able to put them in the places we had in our own home in Tassie.

So we put everything in a pile under a couple of blankets right near the front door and on the other side of the family room, that can't be passed through that way as the Christmas Tree is blocking the door on the other side. Again the only place to put it in this house.

WE left them like this of about 3-4 days and I am pretty sure that no one pecked. Everyone was keeping tabs on the little ones but they did not even try to have a look.

On Christmas Eve during the day I then used my list to divide up the presents into peoples piles and then placed them in large garbage bags with names on them so that when I am  filling the bags in the early hours of the morning I don't have to organise who has what and so save myself hours of time then, when I am so very tired already.

This has worked really well for us the last 3-4 years we have done it. Previously it has really been a chore and the last thing I want to do in the early hours of Christmas morning, knowing I will only get a couple of hours sleep before the children are ready to start the days excitement.

And all done for the night (of course this is only some of the bags that were filled .......and we got to sleep in till 10 am.
What great kids we have!!

Blessings to you and your homes,