Let’s talk about when your kids open up their birthday presents.
Recently I have seen some pretty heated debates on this topic. From one end saying that it is completely and utterly disrespectful to not have kids open their birthday presents at their party to the other end where parents say that they don’t want the kids at the party to feel left out so they open up presents afterwards. (I am sure there are many other reasons)
This past May, Carter & Sophie had a joint birthday party and we tried them opening up their presents after their birthday party was over. It felt weird. Do I think it’s rude, no. But to be honest, I don’t know if we will do it again.
Back in March I asked one of my friends, why…? Why do your kids not open their presents at their birthday party? It was something that I had noticed within our group of friends and both Kris and I were left wondering a few times if we missed the “kids no longer open presents at their birthday parties” memo. However, there really wasn’t a distinct answer just “I don’t know – they just don’t”
So for the future, if Carter & Sophie pick out a gift for their friend and they really want to watch their friend open the gift we will ask the parents before hand if we can figure out a time or day. But really to each their own.
What about you? Where do you stand on this topic?
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We’ve done it both ways. Due to the location this year, we didn’t. Like you, I’m not sure we will do it again. I like C being able to say thank you in person.
It’s definitely a time sucker. I can definitely that being a point in the decision making process. Pay for 3 hours somewhere – which isn’t cheap – and then spend 1 hour opening presents. Not to mention the birthday boy/girl loosing interest and wanting to go and play too
We tend not to open presents because it takes away from time spent with friends playing. We feel like towards the end kids have lost interest. We like to be able to know what came from who in order to thank them and opening them up at a party is too chaotic. Cards get lost, kids are into the next present before knowing who the previous one was from.
I didn’t have my son open his gifts during his bday party. I specifically said on our invite “your presence is the best present” so people didn’t feel obligated to buy a gift. I would hate for anyone to feel bad if they didn’t bring a gift or didn’t spend a lot of money!
I have wondered the same thing! It is totally a time sucker, and can be exhausting /frustrating with little ones. BUT sometimes, I want time sucking. Is that terrible? Sometimes I just need an extra distraction. We have my littlests party this coming weekend and I’m still trying to figure out what we will do!
Oh my goodness I was just talking about this very topic with my husband I hadn’t seen or heard anything about it, but I did notice this trend at the last several parties we have been to! In fact my 5 year old daughter was really bummed as we were leaving a party this past Saturday and we are all friends so I said to the mom “If it isn’t an inconvenience and it doesn’t create a huge domino effect can she show her the present she got?” I was really sensitive about it giving her an easy out. She had no problem with it since most guest had left anyway and we simply let her peak in the bag to see what it was so that they could enjoy the moment together. I personally am old school in that to me it feels like a formal business exchange to drop your gift on the table and then leave without enjoying the exchange together (it’s more like paying your dues). ON THE OTHER HAND I think part of the reason it’s becoming a trend is because birthdays are becoming so huge, so it’s like a wedding. Lots of guests and a rigid schedule. I don’t feel gypped at all when I go to a wedding and do the present drop off style, so I guess it’s the same thing. For now I’ll keep letting my kids open their presents at their party. They get to say thank you in person and kids learn a lot from observing someone else get to have something special and be the focus. Either way is cool though. No judgement here. Sorry my comment was longer than your post. Oops. I had already been thinking about this.
We’ve done it both ways.
Wow I don’t have kiddos (yet) but this definitely opening my eyes to the different things that come up during phases of life. I know I was so relieved I didn’t have to open our wedding gifts in front of everyone, and I feel super pressured during Christmas when I have to open gifts in front of my in-laws so I can kinda see that argument.
When my kids were younger I had them open it at the party but now that they’re older I let them make the decision