You weren't supposed to open that yet!

[Akasa]

So about a week and a half ago I sent out packages of presents all wrapped for xmas to family. The package that arrived at my parents all the presents went under the tree. The package that arrived at my sisters got unwrapped.

Really? You unwrapped them 2 weeks before xmas? I'm glad you liked them, but YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO WAIT!

[MaggieTheCat]

My husband did that last week with a package his sister got for us. He told me that he was expecting some packages that were addressed to him that were gifts for me, so I should make sure not to open anything with his name on it. Except we were also expecting the new WoW expansion, Cataclysm, which he had ordered for both of us. So on Tuesday, two boxes arrived with his name on them. I figured the smaller one was Cataclysm and wasn't sure what the bigger one was, so I asked him if it was something I should ignore. He didn't recognize the name of the shipping company, but then I told him that his sister had said she sent something to us and it was supposed to arrive around that time too, so the mystery box was probably from her.

Well, he went ahead and opened it anyway, even though I told him it was probably from his sister! It wasn't a big deal, but sheez, have a little patience.

[gremcint]

It's rare that I can't wait for a gift. In fact I like opening them all at once on christmas day rather than sporadically over the month.

[HYHYBT]

I'd usually rather not get them at all.

[telecom_goddess]

I'd usually rather not get them at all.

why is that? I don't really get many gifts myself...that's just the way it is...although I do go out of my way to get xmas gifts for my kids.

[Ginger Tea]

why is that?

May I be so bold as to hazzard a guess, seeing as it would be my answer

When I was a child Christmas was all about toys and other gifts, same with birthdays, as I grew up and out of toys, it became less and less about the commercial aspects and being of no religion, to me, Christ wasn't part of Christmas, it was a purely commercial event, just like Valentines day.

And when I had my own disposable income, I could buy what I wanted when I wanted. Lessening the appeal for both events.
Someone might want to get me the latest Dr Who box set, too late I bought that myself (ok this one I bought on my birthday but only on impuls after work as they had a copy for £40something not £70+ like the others were when they first came out) and I don't do my birthdays anymore, I found going out drinking on my birthday no different to going out any other night out and no longer tell anyone when it is if asked (except for any online registration that says its a mandatory piece of info and I could always, but don't lie)

[HYHYBT]

That's more or less it; I like *giving* gifts, though as opportunity presents itself, not on a schedule*... and while I appreciate the idea in receiving them, even when they're something I would want they're still usually not what I'd have picked (if that makes any sense.)

*for example, my present to Mom is a replacement for a favorite item of hers that was ruined when the water heater went bad. I'd have rather given it to her when it came in a month ago... except Christmas is at the end of December, not the beginning of November. So it sits, doing nobody any good at all. Meanwhile, for the same reason, I have to come up with gift ideas for people who don't need anything I know of and am capable of providing, because it's expected and because they'll probably have gotten me something.

[MaggieTheCat]

I said screw it and did homemade gifts this year. Mostly homemade candy, and homemade body scrub for the girls. Most of my family is older than me (I'm the baby, I was born 13 years after the youngest of my two brothers) and have had their own homes for a long time and don't need stuff like kitchen appliances or whatever. My husband and I just bought our first home, though, and there are still things we want that I know people will get us. So even though everyone in my family said, "Don't get us much/anything, we don't need anything" I made a gift box of homemade candy and goodies for everyone. I figure everyone (at least in my family) likes homemade treats and it's not like it's going to take up any room in their houses for very long.

[blas87]

My brother and I knocked over the tree multiple times as kids because we wanted to see who had more presents.

My parents refuse to believe nowadays that it's the pets who knock over the tree. It hasn't been knocked over once this year, and guess why? Because the cat died last spring, and she was the one who aways instigated the fight that kocked the tree over with the other cat.

[Mytical]

I pretty much grew up with Christmas not a religious holiday, but being about bringing a family together. Never about the toys or anything, but of course that was because there were church mice that were wealthier then we were .