Silly question, wrap the box or wrap them ready??

[RoxieHart]

Okay so DD will be about to turn 2 around Christmas time so she will be much more aware of the fact she has to unwrap things, will have new toys, etc etc (so excited!! Providing I'm not screaming in labour on Xmas day )

So was just wondering what do you do? Do you wrap up toys still in their boxes or do you set up the toys and wrap them up so when they unwrap them the toy is just there?

Just curious? Last Christmas she was about to be 1.. I just wrapped everything in the boxes, but is it more exciting the other way? Lol

 

[leoniebabey]

if it's something that needs building or is big i dont wrap it, everything else is wrapped in boxes

 

[embojet]

I'm thinking of taking some things out of the packaging before wrapping this year. They want to play straight away, but it takes ages to get toys out of the ridiculous packaging, find the right batteries etc.

 

[monkee12]

If it's a big toy i.e house or kitchen etc then we build it and leave it standing unwrapped and uncovered for the morning, smaller ones I wrap x

 

[FAB mama]

For his first Christmas (just turning 1) I set out most of his toys already out of the boxes and those were the "Santa" presents. I wrapped a few from us separately, but he didn't really understand unwrapping at that point too much. I think seeing them all sitting out ready to play with was exciting to him at that age. I also think it goes along with the Santa's workshop idea. I mean why would Santa package something in a Fisher Price box anyway?

This year he's getting a train set so I will set that all up for him ready to go. I might wrap some things but not all the others. I'm not sure yet. With his birthday right after Christmas I don't want him to be sick of opening things by then.

 

[shambaby]

We wrap stuff in the box, except for one present - the santa present - which is set up, ready to play, and unwrapped. This tends to be whatever is the biggest / most awkward to wrap! Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with expecting a child to have the patience to wait a couple of minutes while you / they get something out of a box, and most toys will be very difficult to wrap, and may be prone to the paper tearing due to the odd shapes. And I like nice, neat, square parcels.

 

[Kate&Lucas]

When he was smaller and everything he got came with those awful twist tie things, or even worse was screwed into a bit of plastic in the box (wtf is that all about??!) what I'd do is take the stuff out, put it back in the box loose and wrap the box. Made life sooo much easier.
I've always left a couple of presents unwrapped to, maybe like a playset set up for him or something, just so there's something bright and exciting soon as he walks through the door. This year he's getting a big box of Legos, I'm sooo tempted to spend Christmas Eve building it all up

 

[shambaby]

When he was smaller and everything he got came with those awful twist tie things, or even worse was screwed into a bit of plastic in the box (wtf is that all about??!) what I'd do is take the stuff out, put it back in the box loose and wrap the box. Made life sooo much easier.
I've always left a couple of presents unwrapped to, maybe like a playset set up for him or something, just so there's something bright and exciting soon as he walks through the door. This year he's getting a big box of Legos, I'm sooo tempted to spend Christmas Eve building it all up

Oh, you should so do that! Make a big santa's grotto or something! Hayden is also getting a box of lego, although not sure yet if it's going to be his santa present (we just leave that one unwrapped, and which present it is depends on which is the most awkward to wrap!). We could have a little competition...

 

[Kay_Baby]

I think it depends on the item. Last year we built and stocked his kitchen before I wrapped it but everything else is in boxes. Sometimes we might have had something out the box to set up/put batteries in and then put it back in the box to wrap it up. We tend to have a battery, screwdriver and sicisors handy though.

 

[Kate&Lucas]

Yeah it's a great idea in theory but I think mine will end up looking like Santa drank too much brandy

 

[060509.x]

Last year I wrapped everything in their boxes but her baby and pram, this year everything but her kitchen will be wrapped in their boxes. The kitchen will be set up waiting for her.

 

[Amarna]

I don't wrap awkwardly shaped things. And Santa's gifts are taken out of their packaging and rewrapped because as someone else pointed out it doesn't quite make sense to me for Santa to package something up with twist ties, branded packaging, etc. if it's being made in his workshop. But perhaps I'm overthinking it. Everything else gets wrapped as is.

This year DD is getting a Playmobil house which I'll probably set up and leave unwrapped.

 

[jd83]

When he was smaller and everything he got came with those awful twist tie things, or even worse was screwed into a bit of plastic in the box (wtf is that all about??!) what I'd do is take the stuff out, put it back in the box loose and wrap the box. Made life sooo much easier.
I've always left a couple of presents unwrapped to, maybe like a playset set up for him or something, just so there's something bright and exciting soon as he walks through the door. This year he's getting a big box of Legos, I'm sooo tempted to spend Christmas Eve building it all up

I do the same with the stupid twist ties and screws, taking them off and then putting toy back in box loose. Huge gifts we tend to just set up with a big bow on them. Last year, they got a dress up wardrobe for all their dress up clothes, and I put it together and set it up with a large bow all around it for them.

I bought the boys a huge box of Lego Duplo this year, I like your idea of setting up something really cool from Santa May have to try that one out

 

[Vicyi]

I usually wrap them in boxes, if they need batteries though, i take them out, put the batteries in (take out the horrible ties!) and then put back in the box to wrap, makes it so much easier on xmas morning not having to run round putting 1000 batteries in toys while them all shove them repeatedly in my face! lol

 

[Scout]

I wrap 2 or 3 gifts that are from me, and I wrap them in their box. Most of her gifts are from Santa and those are all set out, not wrapped and not in any boxes. I suppose if I wrapped Santa gifts I would unbox them and then wrap, altho I can see where that might be difficult with some gifts.

 

[dizzy65]

We rap everything in boxes

 

[xprincessx]

I wrap the box, I don't like the shape of presents not in a box, not to mention they're an arse to wrap. I also don't have time or patience to sift through presents on christmas eve (or any other time really) to untie all the crap before i wrap lol (i wrap christmas eve, nowhere to keep them where they won't get damaged beforehand!)

 

[DanielleM]

I build some things like a wooden garage last year but most things are wrapped in boxes. I think the unwrapping and spending ages getting out the boxes prolongs the morning lol, plus boxes are easier to wrap lol

 

[Mrs G]

Hi
Have you ever seen Arthur Christmas? Really lovely Xmas film, anyway, the girl had asked for a bike and Santa (obviously?!?) leaves it under the tree, tied with a big ribbon, then trails the ribbon up the stairs and attached it to the girls bed so when she wakes up she follows it downstairs to her presents!! Super cute! Did it last yr cos dd had seen the film and she loved it! For the price of a reel of ribbon it saved a hell of a lot of awkward wrapping!!
Xx

 

[catty]

We wont be wrapping things that take a while to set up. i am going to put his train set under the tree already on as i think that seems quite xmassy. i might not bother wrapping his stocking things this year.