When Do You Open Birthday Presents
Times have changed. Back in the day we had birthday parties at home and opened the presents towards the end of the party after eating cake. Nowadays this is rare. Many kids have parties outside the home and there’s no time for present opening. In fact, many parents feel it’s better manners to open them either on the child’s actual birthday or after all the kids leave. Personally, I just find it too stressful to deal with gifts at a kids’ party.
Hey - those aren’t your birthday presents!
When my son was two and three, we had his “kid” birthday party on the same day we had the grandparents over for a celebration. Each year the same two kids insisted on opening my son’s presents, which of course upset him. I asked them to stop but they didn’t. Their parents were around but doing other things. It was so stressful I decided I’m not doing it anymore.
Is it bad manners to open up birthday gifts in front of guests?
I don’t think it’s bad manners, it’s gone on for years. I do believe the party flows better when we don’t worry about gifts. After cake kids are hopped up on sugar. Rather than open presents it’s a better idea to send them outside to play a game or let them run around until it’s time to go. I also think the other kids get bored watching one child open a tower of presents - plus all the kids want to play with the new toys and chances are the birthday kids isn’t wanting to share just yet. My vote is for saving the present opening for another time.
The “family party”
The exception is the family party when grandparents and cousins come. We always have a barbecue for our son’s birthday since it’s in late spring. Grandparents and aunts and uncles like seeing kids open presents. We always save this until the very end just before everyone goes home.
When do you open birthday presents?
What do you do? Do you feel it’s impolite to open gifts in front of others or is it just a matter of preference? Take our sidebar poll (to the right) and add your thoughts in the comments.
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POSTED IN: Kids Birthday Party Ideas, Party Etiquette, Party Gifts
5 opinions for When Do You Open Birthday Presents
jen
Apr 5, 2008 at 8:04 am
Oh, I agree! Opening gifts at the party is way too stressful. We did at my daughter’s second party because some of the other parents insisted. It ended in tears - mine, my daughter’s and at least two kids that I remember….
Eliza
Apr 5, 2008 at 9:21 am
I’ve actually never been to a party where they didn’t open a present there. (yet) if that had happened I don’t think I’d ever attend again, as I love to see the expression on a child’s face when they get a gift. As for the “rude” children that must open one as well…we normally make an invisible circle that no child can pass or they all must freeze until that particular child goes back. It’s always worked for us. But we haven’t had one in a few years, we like to keep them at home.
Wendy
Apr 5, 2008 at 10:26 am
Wow, I’ve never even considered opening presents at a time other than the party, nor have our kids been to a party where it wasn’t done right then and there. Our preference is to open at the party, but before we serve cake. That way if anyone’s feeling sad, we can announce “who wants cake!?” Our kids generally have small parties at home and we’ve never had any issues with opening gifts.
feefifoto
Apr 7, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Since I had kids I’ve never been to a party where presents are opened. It’s too stressful for small children and their friends, not to mention the parents trying to run interference. In fact, the past few years it’s become a trend at our school to have book exchanges or cd exchanges so the birthday honoree doesn’t end up with piles of unneeded stuff.
Irish
Jun 23, 2008 at 3:54 am
My child who is 7 years old, recently went to a birthday party for a classmate turning 8 at one of those arcade places where they get tokens to play games and receive tickets for prizes. There were only 9 other children there for this certain party. I chose to stay there to supervise my child but distanced myself from the actual party itself because there are ALOT of other adults and children (not within the actual party my child was invited to) just running around. The party was scheduled for 2 1/2 hours. About an hour into the party the children ate pizza and cake then headed back out to play more games. No present opening. This was fine, thinking maybe because there still was over an hour and half to go, the presents would be opened later before we left. The tokens my child received only lasted the first hour and I ended up spending money to keep him occupied until it was time to leave. Finally an half hour after the party was schedule to end according to the invitation and 3 hours later, I had my child ask if his classmate could open the gift we got. The parent got her child and he opened the gift and we left. As did other parents that came to pick up their child from the party at the time stated but sat there and waited. I guess my whole point is that I felt this was rude on the parent giving the party by not opening the gifts. I understand that with it being an arcade and the children wanting to play. It still is rude. There was enough time to do the gift opening and still have plenty of time to play especially when there was only a certain amount of tokens given to the guests (which don’t last very long) and expect them to stay until the end of the party (or longer) to be with their friend. The whole point of a birthday party for children is cake, ice cream and PRESENTS. There are other occasions where it is proper to hold off on opening the gift until later at home. Let children be children, their growing up to fast as it is already. Don’t make them wait, let them tear into that gift and share in the joy as it was to go out and purchase that special item just for them!
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