View Full Version : opening presents during or after birhday party?
Just curious about some thing and would love some opinions.
What is your opinion on opening presents either during the party or after? This would be for kid's birthday parties and what are your reasons for either choices? Also what happens to present opening in parties your kids have been invited to?
FiveInTheBed
24-02-2010, 16:20
At our house they usually gets ripped open as soon as it is handed over - that way the guest can see the kids reaction (usually Yaaaaaaaaayyy!!!:smiliedance:) ...and gives the child a chance to say "ThankYou!"
I've been at paties where they were collected on a table and opened later when everyone left...
A personl thing a spose
We always do it there and then and every party I have been to - which is alot, haha they have done the same. I know my kids get excited to give other kids pressies and they love to see them open them.
crazymuma
24-02-2010, 17:16
At our house they usually gets ripped open as soon as it is handed over - that way the guest can see the kids reaction (usually Yaaaaaaaaayyy!!!:smiliedance:) ...and gives the child a chance to say "ThankYou!"
I've been at paties where they were collected on a table and opened later when everyone left...
A personl thing a spose
:iagree::iagree:
I actually think its really rude to save the presents until everyone has gone home - I like to see the excitement as they open them and then say thankyou.
We have a rule though - they open and say thanks but presents are then to be put aside for playing with later to save losing bits and peices out of everything.
mummyrissa
24-02-2010, 17:31
At my daughters 2nd birthday we hired out a play centre for a private party because it was strictly 2hrs we decided to open pressies at home because there wasn't a lot of time to eat and play etc. And we had over 50 people attending so there were heaps of presents - quiet over whelming for a 2 year old.
I have been to quite a few other parties n they all differ.
We haven't been to many, but the presents have all been done at the party. Presents were either opened as each guest arrived, or all at once towards the end before everyone leaves.
nothanksbye
24-02-2010, 19:39
we always do them after and I take off the name tags.
a few years back DS got a huge present , it was very expensive. and then he got all normal pressies.
The friend who gave him the big pressie, said at school that DS had to play with him as his present was the best!
So ever since , we dont tell ds who gave what.
Also protects us from the ..I already have that comment lol.
Sheer Bliss
24-02-2010, 21:05
I think at the party is best. When the kids are little, we put them on the table and do it later on, but while the guests are still there (except the christening as time got away on us!!)
With the bigger kids being older now - as they get handed over is a good time IMO.
~BEXTER~
24-02-2010, 21:12
Every party I have been to and held has had a table set up for all the presents and they usually get opened after the cake, so towards the end of the party.
i think it is good for it to happen at the party so the people can see the kids reaction to the present they brought the child.
Bunnyhugs
24-02-2010, 23:12
My DS opens his presents at the party. I'm happy for the kids to give them to him as they arrive so he can open them straight away.
At our house they usually gets ripped open as soon as it is handed over - that way the guest can see the kids reaction (usually Yaaaaaaaaayyy!!!:smiliedance:) ...and gives the child a chance to say "ThankYou!"
I've been at paties where they were collected on a table and opened later when everyone left...
A personl thing a spose
we do the same thing .. I dont see the joy in opening all presents at once .. *shrugs* ..
I like to stretch the presents out .. :yes:
SassyMummy
25-02-2010, 00:21
One of the best things about giving presents is seeing kids open them and look excited and happy, and thankful.
I'd never wait until after the party to have DD open her gifts.
At hte moment, she gets to open them as soon as she gets them. For a proper birthday party with lots of kids and organised activities and stuff, I might organise them on the table until a set point in the party or whatever so she's not spending the whole time opening presents... but I would never wait until afterwards.
There and then! It's so lovely watching kids open presents as soon as they are given to them :) The excitement and joy and "Thank you's" are just so sweet.
My daughters father and stepmother had a birthday party for her last year. All presents were put on to the gift table and she didn't open anything until everybody left...that's their preference and that's cool...but it's not for me. I think little ones should be able to rip open their cards and gifts when they want to and if that's the second they are given to them then so be it. All part of the fun :)
I think it all depends where the party is. If it's at home, they usually get opened towards the end of the party & if it's out someone (like play centre, maccas, bowling etc) they get bought home.
Bewtween friends kids & the million school parties my older 2 have been to over the years, this has always been the case too. Most people take them home to open.
Your child can still say thank you when they get the present, they don't need to wait till it's opened.
The other thing opening them at home stops is 'I've already got that/I don't like that' which can be very upsetting for the present buyer to hear.
~Temet Nosce~
25-02-2010, 07:23
Open them at the party :yes: then the people that gave them can see the child's reaction and they can say thanks for each individual present. With dd's 1st bday we opened them after everyone had had a bit of a play, at her 2nd bday they were opened as each one was given, mainly because dd started opening them as soon as they were handed to her lol.
missie_mack
25-02-2010, 07:28
At our house they usually gets ripped open as soon as it is handed over - that way the guest can see the kids reaction (usually Yaaaaaaaaayyy!!!:smiliedance:) ...and gives the child a chance to say "ThankYou!"
I've been at paties where they were collected on a table and opened later when everyone left...
A personl thing a spose
:iagree::iagree::iagree:
We recently went to DS's bestie from kindy party and they didnt open the presents.DS had picked out the present and wanted him to open it and got upset:o
At DS's next party,I am going to open them while everyone is there so he can thank everyone individually
sweetseven
25-02-2010, 12:55
I prefer, collected upon arrival, but opened at end of party, whilst guests are still there. A good time, is just after the cake.
That way, they are not disrupting the party, but the guests get to participate in the excitement of opening presents.
Fuchsia!
25-02-2010, 12:57
:iagree::iagree:
I actually think its really rude to save the presents until everyone has gone home - I like to see the excitement as they open them and then say thankyou.
We have a rule though - they open and say thanks but presents are then to be put aside for playing with later to save losing bits and peices out of everything.
I agree!
sweetseven
25-02-2010, 13:00
On a similar note, when my children were given christmas presents from granparents at an RSL christmas party, and didn't have time to open them there, (We had to race off to another appointment as soon as the party finished.) I saved them up until christmas day, and we took them over to the grandparents house so they could open them there - in front of grandparents.
In this case, the grandparents didn't even know what they were. They had paid for the childrens participation in the RSL party, and part of that included an age/gender-appropriate present.
nothanksbye
25-02-2010, 13:04
I think it really depends on the kids as well.
Another reason we dont open them in front is we have some friends who are very broke.
They usually buy a card only. This would be so embarrassing for their little man as lets face it, a 7 year old does not understand tact.
I love love to see a childs reaction to pressies too so i totally get the idea...
Fuchsia!
25-02-2010, 13:07
My son doesn't have much tact, but i have drummed it into him to say thank you and say he loves it, even if he has it already or he doesn't like it.
But yeah, each to their own, i just get a little miffed when i have gone to the effort to buy a pressie and don't get to see if they like or not.
nothanksbye
25-02-2010, 13:11
My son doesn't have much tact, but i have drummed it into him to say thank you and say he loves it, even if he has it already or he doesn't like it.
But yeah, each to their own, i just get a little miffed when i have gone to the effort to buy a pressie and don't get to see if they like or not.
Yeah me too..
My son is pretty good too...but sadly some of the kids are not like that and will say things like...my present was better, yours is terrible...
Ugh just dont like it at all.
I miss doing the big pressie opening ceremony though.
mummyrissa
25-02-2010, 13:27
My dd went to a party last year where the presents were opened after at home. The mother actually went to the trouble of taking a photo of the child opening each present and then sent out a thank you card for coming to the party and for the present.
I thought that was a nice idea :)
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.1.9 Copyright © 2012 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.