Yup! My parents worked to get bikes together and other gifts done on Christmas Eve go to bed at 2 or 3, my brother and I would wake them at 4. Told go back to bed. Five am we got them up again. Yes, they looked like them. LOL
Exactly! I was based with my cousins (and their 4 kids) when I was in college, living in the dorm and spending weekends and holidays with them. Christmas eve was super busy—first came the early evening vespers service with the whole family, then home for dinner, reading of “The Night Before Christmas” and the bible story, then put the kids to bed, start the yeasted apple kuchen to rise in the fridge, then go get the baby sitter so we adults could attend the Christmas Eve midnight service, then home again, take the baby sitter home, fill the stockings, put out the “Santa gifts”, and (FINALLY) go to bed at around 2AM. We made sure that the stockings were FULL of entertaining little toys and “nibblies”. The kids were strictly forbidden to do anything more than get their stockings and play quietly with their stocking gifts until the adults were able to crawl out of bed (after a whole 6 hours of sleep). My cousin would pop the kuchen into the oven while we washed up and got dressed, then we’d gather around the tree, eat hot kuchen, and open presents. Then we’d gird our (metaphorical) loins and start cooking the big Christmas dinner. Finally, after eating, there were naps all round. What a day … I loved every part of it!
The rule here is that the unwrapped things Santa leaves and your stocking (because Santa leaves that too) are fair game until both Mom and Dad are up and have had coffee.
Santa used to leave stocking on the kids beds after they fell asleep. The kids could have them whenever they woke up but under the tree presents were off limits until we were all up. That way we could get a little more sleep after being up half the night assembling presents.
saylorgirl 11 months ago
Yup! My parents worked to get bikes together and other gifts done on Christmas Eve go to bed at 2 or 3, my brother and I would wake them at 4. Told go back to bed. Five am we got them up again. Yes, they looked like them. LOL
LeslieBark 11 months ago
Exactly! I was based with my cousins (and their 4 kids) when I was in college, living in the dorm and spending weekends and holidays with them. Christmas eve was super busy—first came the early evening vespers service with the whole family, then home for dinner, reading of “The Night Before Christmas” and the bible story, then put the kids to bed, start the yeasted apple kuchen to rise in the fridge, then go get the baby sitter so we adults could attend the Christmas Eve midnight service, then home again, take the baby sitter home, fill the stockings, put out the “Santa gifts”, and (FINALLY) go to bed at around 2AM. We made sure that the stockings were FULL of entertaining little toys and “nibblies”. The kids were strictly forbidden to do anything more than get their stockings and play quietly with their stocking gifts until the adults were able to crawl out of bed (after a whole 6 hours of sleep). My cousin would pop the kuchen into the oven while we washed up and got dressed, then we’d gather around the tree, eat hot kuchen, and open presents. Then we’d gird our (metaphorical) loins and start cooking the big Christmas dinner. Finally, after eating, there were naps all round. What a day … I loved every part of it!
nosirrom 11 months ago
The rule here is that the unwrapped things Santa leaves and your stocking (because Santa leaves that too) are fair game until both Mom and Dad are up and have had coffee.
Ellis97 11 months ago
I always thought a stocking present was just a little bonus gift.
oish 11 months ago
The over ripe oranges desiccated in stockings by the roaring chimney with care along with melted chocolates and new underwear
leemorse9777 11 months ago
How do you keep a 3 year old occupied ? Syrup on their fingers and give them a feather.
dbrucepm 11 months ago
Santa used to leave stocking on the kids beds after they fell asleep. The kids could have them whenever they woke up but under the tree presents were off limits until we were all up. That way we could get a little more sleep after being up half the night assembling presents.
Stephen Gilberg 11 months ago
Wow, an OTH with no nonhumans.