Opening presents - During or after the party?

[*LittleMissSummer*]

Always when i/we recieve them.

If people are bored by opening of presents they shouldn;t have come, simple as that.

[feeb]

At our wedding it was the next day, we went back to reception centre to pick up they clear room and put away safe for couple.

AT DS1 3rd birthday it was after as it was only a few hours, so many kids arrived at same time, was busy crazy and chaotic and stopped bits being lost, things being broken or massive fights over things.
All the other kids partys we have been to have been the same open when get home.

If only a few people dropping over to house open when given

[*TripleJ*]

we open them at the same time but it does cause issues between siblings now so i think after the party from now on

[~Hestia~]

If we're talking about kids parties I think it depends on the situation. For Moo's first birthday we were in a hall with stacks of other kids. So we took them home and unwrapped them the next day. This was because we didn't want anything getting lost or broken. But his second birthday was just a low key thing at home with family, only kids were 3 of his cousins. So we felt quite okay with Moo opening his pressies as his guests arrived, nothing was going to get accidently thrown out etc.

I've been at parties where the kids pressies have been opened and then all the kids are playing with it and bits are going everywhere...I'm always worried they're going to lose crucial pieces

No matter when the gifts get opened I always send out a personal thankyou card so hopefully the giver can see how much it is appreciated and enjoyed anyway.

[Freya]

To be honest, its the way I was raised, we NEVER opened gifts at the party. For a two reasons.

1. Alot of kids want to play with everything thats opened, including the birthday kid, and it detracts from the party to have 20 kids screaming to play with the opened presents. And they all do it up to a certain age. I also think it distracts the birthday child from the party as well, I know if I opened a kick butt present Id want to play with it then and there too. Its rude to ignore guests.

2. It can make people feel uncomfortable because some party guests may have spent more than others on said party gift. Some people may not have the money to get something fairly expensive, while others might have the financial means or the personal reasons (ie immediate family, godparents, close friends, whatever) to want to buy something bigger or more expensive.

We've been to parties where presents were opened at a specific time during the party or as they arrived; and while it doesnt matter to me how someone else runs their party, it does make me uncomfortable and most of the time causes issues amongst the kids (generally the younger ones ie under 10).

[Rouge]

I don't really care. Is that bad of me? If its a HUGE party I tend to have a present opening session, this way thanks can be given. With the kids we generally open after, mainly because it's harder to keep track of who gave what when everyone is excited.

I wouldn't say one is ruder than the other. And I wouldn't be offended either way.

I don't understand why it causes issues with kids. I'd be pretty disappointed in my kids if they behaved badly over another child's presents. Maybe that makes me a bad mum

[HotI]

At my DDs 1st bday we opened some gifts during the party and others were saved til the next day. She was pretty overwhelmed and as part of the excitement for littlies is the unwrapping i decided to wait til she could focus and enjoy it. we sent photos by sms of her opening the present to the person who gave the gift.

i don't really like the idea of everyone sitting around watching the unwrapping, especially for kids, but it doesn't really bother me if people unwrap during or after.

[Boo Boo]

Wedding - after
Adults Birthday - there and then
Kids birthday - small - there and then but if a larger party with entertainment and things happening and not really time for a present opening session then after and I sit with child and write a list of who gave what and then send out a thank you note. I have found that when my children open presents at their parties the card gets displaced from present and I don't know who gave what so I can't thank them. I hate not sending out thank you notes, it makes me feel very very rude. I was brought up that during the week after any presents (christmas or birthday) had been recieved a personal thank you letter had to be sent out by myself, so I guess it has been ingrained in me. I also feel mildly offended if I don't receive a thank you note from other people, but that is just me....

[little_O]

Wedding/Engagement: After the event, normally the next day or when we got back to our parents house.

Baby Shower/Kitchen Tea etc: I prefer to wait to the end when there isnt as many people there and i have a general rule that i dont say who got it for me when i open it.

I agree with wanting to see someone open the gift, as that is the exciting thing, but i also dont want to make anyone feel bad about what they've given/afford etc so thats why i dont say WHO it is from.

[Shanti]

I ask them to open the pressie before we leave