Opening gifts at kid's party

almostjennifer · April 2010

So, I had no idea that this might be a breach of etiquette to allow your child to open the gifts at his/her birthday party, but I just read an article in this month's Real Simple that said just that.

Do you let your kids open gifts in front of others?

kevschickee2 · April 2010

We didn't open them at Halees and I felt odd not doing it. If we had time we would have. I plan on opening them at Danicas. I think that is part of the fun of gift giving is watching them open it.

xbrooklyngrl · April 2010

I don't care about etiquette but I don't do it because I hate it. Hate sitting through it and hate putting someone else through it. No one cares. So no, we don't. LOL

DevonPow · April 2010

We don't, and I have actually been to only 1 party where they did. I just don't see it working - his party is only 2/3 hours long and I don't want to take half of that time opening gifts, DS would be totally distracted and want to play with each gift as he opened it, he would freak if other kids tried to touch brand new toys, other kids would get upset that they weren't getting new toys...I just see it being a bad thing. When he is older so kids understand more (plus he has fewer people at his parties) then we may open gifts.

Also, at this age DS would be totally overwhelmed. His party is next week and we are having 12 kids. He will have at least 15 gifts (the kids coming plus parents, etc). He is 3, to open 15 gifts in one day would be overload - we have him open them over a few days.

OctoberBrideNYC · April 2010

We don't open gifts in front of everyone for my DD's bdays. I'd rather just focus on having fun with the kids and cake and stuff. Then we make calls and send notes afterward thanking everyone after we open them later or the next day.

wellfleet04 · April 2010

I think this is regional. I have NEVER been to a kid's birthday party where the gifts were opened at the party, and I've been to a TON in the last 3 years. But on the Nest, it always seems to be the norm to open the gifts at the party. Personally, I prefer NOT doing it. It's boring for the other kids and can be stressful for the birthday boy/girl to have that much attention on them, have to be polite, having to keep moving to get them all opened instead of stopping to play, etc.

jerseygirly · April 2010

My family is all over the board with this one. I've had a bday party for one of my sons where we didn't just because it ran late and all the kids were playing but another time we did because everyone kept asking. My family (not immediate) are all actually big fans of opening presents at parties because they get excited watching the child open their present (and think they were offended the time we didn't open presents). My brother usually doesn't because his son's friends want to rip open all the toys in a frenzy and makes it difficult for him to enjoy them. I've decided that I'm just going to play it by ear at each bday party and see how it's going (also depending on child age). I see us opening them from here on out for the most part...

cokt · April 2010

We did at DS's 1st birthday, but did not for his 2nd birthday. If there is a ton of people I think it can be overwhelming for the kid and doesn't really give them time to appreciate each gift. This year, we opened them the next day and he wanted to play with every single toy as he opened it. If we had rushed him through opening them all at the party, I don't think he would have enjoyed it as much.

jerseygirly · April 2010

My family is all over the board with this one. I've had a bday party for one of my sons where we didn't just because it ran late and all the kids were playing but another time we did because everyone kept asking. My family (not immediate) are all actually big fans of opening presents at parties because they get excited watching the child open their present (and think they were offended the time we didn't open presents). My brother usually doesn't because his son's friends want to rip open all the toys in a frenzy and makes it difficult for him to enjoy them. I've decided that I'm just going to play it by ear at each bday party and see how it's going (also depending on child age). I see us opening them from here on out for the most part...

Let me clarify that this is for family bday parties...we haven't had a 'kid party' yet but all the kid parties I've been to, they don't open them...

almostjennifer · April 2010

It must be regional. I have never been to a kid's party where gifts were brought but not opened. I'm in the midwest.

kevschickee2 · April 2010

almostjennifer:
It must be regional. I have never been to a kid's party where gifts were brought but not opened. I'm in the midwest.

Most of the parties we go to the gifts are opened also. I am in Mass

BJKL · April 2010

almostjennifer:

It must be regional. I have never been to a kid's party where gifts were brought but not opened. I'm in the midwest.

This

DevonPow · April 2010

kevschickee2:
almostjennifer:

It must be regional. I have never been to a kid's party where gifts were brought but not opened. I'm in the midwest.

Most of the parties we go to the gifts are opened also. I am in Mass

LOL, I am in Boston and of the 30+ kids parties I have been to in the past few years only one had presents opened. I guess it is VERY regional

OctoberBrideNYC · April 2010

BJKL:
almostjennifer:

It must be regional. I have never been to a kid's party where gifts were brought but not opened. I'm in the midwest.

This

I'm on the CT/NY border in Fairfield county and all the kids' parties that I've been to (and that's A LOT) none of the kids open the presents. I never considered that this might be a regional thing, but I guess it is!

Heidisean · April 2010

I am in PA and we ALWAYS open gifts at parties (unless it is at Gymboree or a jump house place) where the limit is 1 1/2 hours and the kids are jumping and eating cake the entire time. So far Giada had 3 bday parties but all were at our house. We do a big shin dig of about 50 people and she opens all her presents. HMMM!

buffalo_buckeye · April 2010

I've never been to one that didn't open gifts (I'd say we have gone to about 15 parties in the last 3 years).

katie277s · April 2010

almostjennifer:
It must be regional. I have never been to a kid's party where gifts were brought but not opened. I'm in the midwest.

Ditto. Every kids party I've been to gifts have been opened. DS always opens his gifts at his party.

Andrewsgal · April 2010

I am torn with this one. I actually don't like opening them at parties I think it is a HUGE waste of time and would rather the kids enjoy the party. I also know some people like watching kids open the presents they bought. I live in TX and the parties are like 50/50 some do some don't

Sunflower777 · April 2010

wellfleet04:
I think this is regional. I have NEVER been to a kid's birthday party where the gifts were opened at the party, and I've been to a TON in the last 3 years. But on the Nest, it always seems to be the norm to open the gifts at the party. Personally, I prefer NOT doing it. It's boring for the other kids and can be stressful for the birthday boy/girl to have that much attention on them, have to be polite, having to keep moving to get them all opened instead of stopping to play, etc.

Must be regional, because I have NEVER been to a party where the kids don't open their gifts in front of the guests. But then, we've never been to a kid's party with so many guests that that would be an issue.

Chrisy-Wyobride · April 2010

At a "big" party (more than a few kids) no, I don't. We usually don't have time (I limit the parties to a couple hours) & I like avoiding the potential conflict. This is standard practice in the circles my kids are in....only rarely (at home, small party) do the kids open the gifts during the party. I live in Colorado!

cbidt*sgirl · April 2010

DevonPow:
kevschickee2:
almostjennifer:

It must be regional. I have never been to a kid's party where gifts were brought but not opened. I'm in the midwest.

Most of the parties we go to the gifts are opened also. I am in Mass

LOL, I am in Boston and of the 30+ kids parties I have been to in the past few years only one had presents opened. I guess it is VERY regional

I'm in Boston too..our group OPENS presents. I would never be able to get my in-laws to leave if we didn't open. they wait until they see their present opened to leave.

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