How do you "do" Christmas?

[poky]

I start putting presents under the tree about a week before Christmas. I don't wrap Santa gifts, just put them in and under the stocking Christmas eve after O is sleeping. Dh and I also have stockings with gifts inside. In the morning we go through Santa stuff first then open gifts one at a time. I manicly collect the trash into bags I have off to the side as presents are opened. After we have breakfast. Usually waffles or pancakes. We then spend the day eating yummy stuff, watching movies and playing. I usually make a pizza for dinner. We leave the tree up until new years day then pack it away.

This is almost exactly how my family did it when I was growing up. We often ate breakfast between the stockings and main gifts, but otherwise, yeah.

[ladymoreta]

I like to wrap presents early and have them under the tree. After the first few days, the kids left them alone. We use a different wrapping paper for Santa presents and put them out after the kids go to bed on Christmas Eve. They got a train table this year, though, so that wasn't wrapped, but the rest of the Santa presents were. We let them unwrap and play with Santa gifts, then we did stockings. DH and I fill each others'. After that, we take turns unwrapping gifts from each other. Growing up, my family did the free-for-all and DH's took turns. I like taking turns much better!

[MDPhDWife]

I like to wrap presents early and have them under the tree. After the first few days, the kids left them alone. We use a different wrapping paper for Santa presents and put them out after the kids go to bed on Christmas Eve. They got a train table this year, though, so that wasn't wrapped, but the rest of the Santa presents were. We let them unwrap and play with Santa gifts, then we did stockings. DH and I fill each others'. After that, we take turns unwrapping gifts from each other. Growing up, my family did the free-for-all and DH's took turns. I like taking turns much better!

This exactly! All the way down to DH's tradition of taking turns opening gifts which we've adopted in our nuclear family. DH even wears a Santa hat when he passes out the gifts.

[BonBon]

Gwendolyn, it's so nice to see you again!!

This year was rather muted since we were still really sick. Christmas Eve, we make a nice dinner, watch Christmas shows while snuggled with blankets and eat popcorn and sip hot cocoa. We check out where Santa is on NORAD, and read Night Before Christmas. Then off to bed! Then DH and I scurry around getting everything finished up. The first few years were rough; it took a while to learn to plan ahead! Santa gifts have their own special paper with Santa on it. No one is allowed into the great room (where the tree is) until the tree is lit, and music is on. Then we snap photos as the kids walk in. I love to see their faces! We take turns opening gifts so we can ooh and aah over everything, then eat cinnamon rolls (once a year treat). They play for a bit, then we travel 2 hrs to spend the rest of the day at my mom's house. (thank heavens for portable dvd players!)