Years spent flipping through festive catalogs and browsing holiday Pinterest boards have led me to envision Christmas morning with my kids as a scene straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting, set to the sweet sounds of Michael Bublé crooning holiday classics. Like many parents, I had high hopes that unwrapping gifts with my children would be an unforgettable experience. And while it certainly is memorable, it’s probably not for the reasons you think. Here’s a look at the true nature of Christmas morning with little ones:
Expectation:
You’ll sneak into your kids’ rooms, gently waking them with a cheerful “Merry Christmas!” followed by a warm hug. Then, you’ll throw open the curtains to reveal a serene, snowy wonderland before donning matching robes and heading downstairs for gift opening.
Reality:
Instead, you’re jolted awake by a whirlwind of energy yelling “Get up, get up! It’s Christmas!” so loudly that the baby starts to cry. You glance at the clock, and it’s barely 6 AM. As you throw on an old hoodie, you catch a whiff of something decidedly un-festive coming from your youngest. You hastily dress her in the first clean clothes you find and let your oldest drag you downstairs.
Expectation:
You and your partner will cozy up on the couch with the baby in your lap, sipping coffee while your oldest munches on cinnamon rolls and excitedly explores his stocking. After breakfast, you’ll take turns opening gifts, with your child playing Santa and everyone reveling in the joy of unwrapping presents. You’ll capture perfect candid moments of your kids in action.
Reality:
Your older child is starving and can’t think straight, insisting on eggs instead of cinnamon rolls, but also demanding to open presents “right now!” You compromise by letting him bring his stocking to the table while you whip up some scrambled eggs. As you turn to check on the baby, your older one eagerly shows you the treasures from his stocking. Just as you present his eggs, he decides he’d prefer a cinnamon roll; thank goodness for those Entenmann’s treats!
Once everyone is somewhat fed and caffeinated, you finally head into the living room to tackle the gift pile. Your child dives in with gusto, and as you see the snow you hoped for, it’s actually the aftermath of wrapping paper chaos. When he pauses to hand a gift to the baby, you rush to grab your phone for a snapshot, only to realize it’s still on your nightstand. You mentally bookmark the moment, hoping for a reenactment for social media later.
Expectation:
You anticipate your kids will adore every gift, and your older child will be over the moon when he opens the box from you—not Santa—containing the toy he’s been nagging about since Halloween. Once the excitement settles, he’ll jump into your arms to thank you, making you feel all warm and fuzzy inside about the wonderful person he’s becoming.
Reality:
The baby can barely do more than gnaw on a box, and when you manage to help unwrap something, she couldn’t care less about the toy, opting instead for the empty packaging. You realize you could’ve wrapped her old toys for the same effect and saved some cash because she’s totally oblivious. You miss watching your older child unwrap his big gift since you’re wrestling with tinsel in the baby’s hands. When you ask him if he likes his present, he mutters a distracted “Yeah, sure, thanks,” barely lifting his eyes from the prize. You try to shake off your disappointment by reminding yourself he seems happy enough.
Now it’s time to grab a giant trash bag to deal with the wrapping paper disaster and resume your regular parenting duties—hopefully now sporting that cozy new robe you always wanted. For more tips on navigating the festive season, check out this post on home insemination kit.
To summarize, while Christmas morning with kids can be far from the picture-perfect moments we envision, it’s the chaotic reality that makes it special. Embracing the mess and mishaps often creates the most memorable experiences.