My dear wife Karen can see exactly what awaits her come Christmas morning.
‘Tis three days before Christmas
And all through the house
My dear wife Karen need not scurry
For once wrapped, I place all her presents in full sight
Does that make me a louse?
OK, enough with the prose. There is a reason you will not find poetry as a category or a tag on this here blog of mine.
Small house. Full closets Front porch tree this year.
And so Karen’s gifts sit jammed between my dresser and the TV stand. You bet, she’s curious. “I think I know what that one is,” she said, pointing at one distinctively shaped gift. I laughed. I uphold certain traditions, so there just might be several more presents in the mountain that will be familiar once the unwrapping commences.
It will be a happy time nevertheless come Christmas morn. We both love giving as much as receiving. Maybe even more.
My gifts, by the way, are nowhere to be seen right now. Karen has the bigger of our two clothes closets. That’s just a guess. I did not search.
The fact is, if I had more space available for hiding said gifts somewhere – no, not the trunk of my car, I thought about that but I don’t want them bumping around in the cold — Karen’s presents would be out of sight, too.
What’s the place-the-gift-before-the-big-day tradition in your house? Hide them or stack them proudly under the tree? Do you open them on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Mark Bialczak 
We would always have SOME under the tree in the weeks leading up to Christmas but there would appear overnight an arse-load of additional presents to be opened… it was magical and now I’m feeling nostalgic.
My boyfriend and I have both wrapped each other’s gifts and placed them under the tree for our first Christmas… but I might have to reignite my old traditions if/when he puts a ring on it.
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This is the perfect time of the year to feel nostalgic, Aussa. If/when BF puts a ring on it, get your old traditions into the mix, and quick!
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Most definitely! We’ve already sparred over The Great Tree Debate– it has to be real, and bonus points if you go chop it down yourself!
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A woman who can handle an axe … I’d think you’d have a ring on it already, Aussa.
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Ha! We’ll see, we’ll see…
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Growing up we always had a big Christmas Eve where all family members would be together and we would exchange gifts to one another. That night, Santa came, and his gifts were waiting under the tree for us in the morning.
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My daughter and boyfriend are visiting this Christmas Eve, so we will be doing that portion of the present-giving that night, and Karen and I will distribute Santa’s goodies to each other on Christmas morn. Thanks, PJ, and Merry Christmas.
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we do family and friends presents on christmas eve and santa does not leave his things for us to open christmas morning until we are asleep of course! i am a horrible peeker, and get so excited about gifts that my family has taken to hiding things from me, and like you and karen, i love to give gifts even better than to receive them.
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So, you are a peeker, Beth! Here’s a post idea for the peeker in you … where are the best places you’ve found hidden gifts over the years? Thanks for you great comment, as always.
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Some are hidden, some under the tree – Steve and I have bought each other a joint gift this year so I may get the children to wrap it!
We open stockings first thing Christmas day but all other gifts wait till after church.
My mum once hid my sisters gift in plain site – then forgot all about it – till about February! It was right there in my mums room but she got so used to seeing it that that’s where it stayed.
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That’s a good one, Rachel, your mum forgetting about your sis’s gift because she got used to seeing it right in front of her. I hope it wasn’t a block of cheese! The stockings first, rest after Church sounds like a wonderful family tradition. You and Steve should get the kids to wrap your joint gift to each other. Give them a taste of the many years of wrapping to come.
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Josh did that for us this morning! He now has a hatred of cellotape!
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Did he tape his hair to his fingers? It can be done in a wrapping frenzy, Rachel.
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Almost!
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None of mine are wrapped, and probably won’t be. All out in the open, and family helped me make some of them without really knowing it for sure. I’m not that great at keeping secrets anyway. Kids tell me never try to play poker. Biggest problem is how to get to everything because it’s all scattered in different areas of apartment and I can’t even get to some of the areas now. We always celebrate on Dec. 26, because I was unlucky enough to be born a couple of hours late for my first Christmas. I think my mom is still mad at me for spoiling her day that year.
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Happy birthday Dec. 26, Angie! That is just a tough day all around for planning birthday AND Christmas presents. No wonder your mom is still steamed.
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A bit of both. Some hidden (only because I am slow to wrap) and others out but not under the tree until Christmas Eve. Christmas morning is our traditional time.
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Ah, the split method of hiding/presenting. Have a great gift-giving and -getting Christmas morning down there in Australia!
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Same to you.
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Usually under the tree, but no gifts this year. Hubby wanted to go buy me a gift yesterday, but I insisted on paying the bills. I told him, “Electricity is a gift” lol
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Indeed it is, Kim, indeed it is.
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🙂
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I do a really lame, perfunctory attempt to hide them (often in plain sight), but my loved ones always are (1) distracted (2) kind, or/or (3) smart enough not to pry. Thanks for this great post, Mark!
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Cooperation at Christmas is a great thing, Ann. Maybe we add to your list (4) smart enough to cover their tracks? Couldn’t resist that one. Thank you for reading and commenting, Ann.
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I’m so glad you couldn’t resist, Mark. Thanks back at ya.
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Traditionally we hide, and open them Christmas morning. But this year my husband and I did not buy any gifts for each other. Yet our house is over run with gifts and wrapping and ‘stuff’. All to be hauled to other locations. Technically I think we are a suburb of the North Pole. It’s the most fun we’ve had. 🙂
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Drive the sleigh carefully, CM!
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😉 Thank you. I will do my best. In case we don’t ‘chat’ again before….Merry Christmas to you and yours. 🙂
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Hide it all in my closet…and I give one gift to my daughter Christmas Eve to open.
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Ah, the one-and-done until the morning approach. And be glad you have the closet space. Thanks, Mer.
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Mine are piled next to me. As far as I know, neither my sister nor my mom have inspected them. But I can’t say for sure given that I’m at work all day when they’re here.
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Yes, you just have to trust the gift-getters. And use plenty of tape to keep their curiosity at bay. Thanks for commenting, as always, my Boise friend.
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