Comments on: Patience is a virtue at Christmas time

By: BJaxon62

BJaxon62 — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 00:19:57 +0000

As a child, I used to snoop a bit. However, the one time I actually found the unwrapped gifts totally ruined the surprize just as you stated.

From then on I’ve been a MrZ type. I will open a present early if asked though. ;o)

Have a great holiday!

By: Leeny

Leeny — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 19:23:26 +0000

I love the surprises too much! Well, these days it’s lists which aren’t all that fun but I’ve never been one to snoop. The anticipation is half the fun.

By: Mary Jo

Mary Jo — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 07:48:34 +0000

I hate snooping but GAH! I make Matt keep things hidden away or not even tell me he has them because I get sick trying to stay away. I have a secret santa waiting for me 10 feet away and it’s killing me to not look at the post mark on the package but I want to wait until everyone in the group opens them the same day. I always loved waking up and coming down to see the massive pile under the tree… it made it so special. Matt luckily isn’t too crazy like that so I put his things out first, then after I go to bed he puts my stuff under the tree to surprise me.

By: Kym

Kym — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 03:57:25 +0000

Not a snooper at all. Did it a couple of times and then lost the edge to do it again. As a child I had hurt feelings about snooping, I saw presents that weren’t mine, and on Christmas I was totally devastated. Never told anyone why I was so sick to my stomach. So now I don’t snoop just incase…

By: Bunny

Bunny — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 23:12:44 +0000

I don’t think my husband and I have given each other a “surprise” wrapped-under-the-tree gift since our first Christmas. Now, we either buy something together or pick out something for ourselves. I would really like to be surprised. But, my husband is not about the surprises. He has most everybody else’s gifts to him figured out by Christmas anyway.

By: Jem

Jem — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:25:18 +0000

And also, um, I am now called the “Christmas Nazi” because I don’t let anyone open their presents til 1pm to keep the excitement a little longer. I won’t be able to do that this year ’cause we’re going to his family’s for Christmas.

By: Jem

Jem — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:24:36 +0000

I NEVER snoop. I hate knowing anything, which sucks ’cause my boyfriend is much like you – hes already given me one of my presents. Grrrrrrrr. (Although he claimed it was ’cause he didn’t want to give me something worth twice what hes given the rest of his family in front of them.) I literally have to talk him out of not telling me.

By: Cara

Cara — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 20:54:15 +0000

Surprise me. Absolutely. I was raised by a mother who said ‘I buy gifts for you because it’s fun to give them to you.’ (As an adult I hear, ‘develop no sense of entitlement young child.’ You are not entitled to this stuff.) And then ‘If you spoil my fun in giving it to you by finding it ahead of time, I am taking it back to the store.’ She meant it. We knew it. We did not peek. We were allowed to occasionally lift the box and check it out, but she would deliberately add noisy things, over package, etc. etc. So, we couldn’t figure it out anyway. As an adult, I am relieved my husband has finally learned to (1) wrap the gift and (2) wait until the day to give it to me. I obviously bought in to my mother’s version of things! Not quite as far as Mr Z, though. I will give him a list of things I want. Because I could totally end up with that lighthouse toilet mentioned earlier if I didn’t.

By: cagey

cagey — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 20:41:22 +0000

Sure, I would snoop as a kid, but ultimately found it to be disappointing. I’d rather not know, which drives my husband crazy. He buys me a gift, brings it home and wants to give it to me right away.

By: Monica

Monica — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 20:26:31 +0000

When I was a kid we got to open a few presents before Christmas. I never wanted to waste the one or two we got to open, so I would come home after school and unwrap ALL of mine, then carefully rewrap them. (Yes, I was this evil and devious starting around the age of EIGHT!) I was never busted.

I still hate surprises. I like to be able to plan ahead – especially those crappy presents that you really have to work hard to fake a believable “why yes, this is exactly what I wanted” smile while everyone stares at you.