Well, I can still do the Christmas question of the day, if nothing else! We’ve missed a few days here, so I think I’ll do a total of 12 days of questions.
Here’s Question 9 — one I came up with because I want to know:
Have you ever peeked at your Christmas presents BEFORE Christmas? If you’ve ever been an accomplished Christmas sneak, what were your methods? Did you get caught? What were the consequences?
C’mon. ‘Fess up.
I’ll start.
One Christmas when I was about 10, I poked around in my brother’s room, of all places, and found his present to me. Later, I STUPIDLY let it slip at the dinner table — do not ask me HOW or WHY; I cannot remember — and my brother nearly burst into tears. After I apologized to my brother, my mom punished me by marching me over to the Christmas tree and telling me I had to choose one of my presents to give back. I cried and cried as I tried to pick which one of the shiny wrapped packages I’d miss the least. Naturally, I gave her back the smallest one. I never knew what it was. I still don’t.
Seemed kinda harsh, maybe.
Another story:
A friend of mine was such an expert Christmas sneak when she was little that she’d UNWRAP already wrapped presents, look at them, and wrap them right back up. She was good at the rewrap, so no one ever knew.
That’s skill, man.
Ok, I peeked once too. I can’t remember how old I was – maybe 10? I found several of my Christmas gifts in my parents closet. One was a blue and white poncho that my mother had knit and another was a watch. I had been dying to own a watch – begging and begging. I let it slip out one day that I found the blue poncho and I knew what I was getting for Christmas. So, on Christmas Eve my mother announced that I would be getting one less present that year. I was sure it was going to be the watch because I wanted it so much. But it wasn’t. It was the blue poncho. Secretly, I was SO relieved!
I was about eight years when i peeked at my mothers “To Buy” list.
Right there was the toy i wanted so very much, a helicopter that went round and round on a thin wire,… with a cardboard run-way too!
Well…that was the most excited i was to be that Christmas because i just did not have fun with it.
When my wife asked me if i wanted to know what gender each of our three children were to be while still in the womb, i said “NO WAY”, i didn’t want to experience anything like that feeling ever again.
I dunno. I still have fun with my kids even though I knew beforehand… 😉
I don’t remember ever finding any, although I wasn’t above looking. The one you want to talk to is my sister. She knew almost everything she was going to get by the time she was a pre-teen. She still does. Maybe it’s because my mother buys her whatever she wants… NAH!
I actually HATE finding out early what my presents are. And I already know every present my wife is giving me this year, just because of carelessness (on both our parts). I usually go out of my way to NOT find out what my presents are.
-M@
I was an expert unwrapper-wrapper as well. It was a total bummer, though. No surpises on Xmas morning. *Boo!* Only did that one year.
Now MH and I play this game where I beg him to give me hints about presents. He never does. If he ever acutally did I’d be LIVID. I’m the Surprise Princess. He threatens to actually tell me every once in awhile. I just put my hands over my ears and go “LALALALALA”. Didn’t even want to know where we were going on our honeymoon until the night of the rehearsal dinner.
Will want to know the sex of our children beforehand, though. More practical for planning, I think.
And can someone back me up? STOCKINGS ARE NOT TO BE FILLED UNTIL CHRISTMAS EVE, RIGHT? MH has already put some stuff in mine and keeps shaking his and saying accusing things about the lack of loot therein. Most annoying.
Anita — Whatever happened to the blue poncho?
Did you ever get it?
M@ — Oh, NO!! ALL of them?! Maybe she’s got something up her sleeve you don’t know about.
😉
I’ll back you completely on that, WG! WHAT is he doing?!
NOT UNTIL CHRISTMAS EVE, TEF!
(Ah, the wee clashing of Christmas traditions — one of the many joys of newlywed bliss, no? 😉 )
No, never – what was the fun in that?
Stockings are filled Christmas Eve only. Then they are hung on people’s bedroom doors, bedposts, whatever.
If I may chime in on pre-knowing the baby’s gender- no one was ever traumatized by a unisex nursery they can barely even see/comprehend. You and the grandparents will also buy the little love WAY too many clothes, most of which he/she will never wear.
Plus, you will deprive yourself of half the fun of day-dreaming about what the baby will be like. I do think this is a very important psychological thing – it keeps you from totally planning their little boy/girl life in excessive detail, which you will do, if you know the sex in advance.
The only reason I’d advise this is if there was some medical advantage in knowing.
Just my two cents worth…
I think I peaked a few times as a kid… My wife though – she STILL peaks!
Yes, I eventually got the poncho later.
I have mixed feelings about knowing the gender of the baby before it’s born. In some ways it would be a cool surprise. But on the other hand, it would be nice to plan ahead a little. I tend to be a planner anyway.