'AITA for wanting my kids to open their Christmas presents as soon as they wake up?' UPDATED
"AITA for wanting my kids to open their Christmas presents as soon as they wake up?"
Some background, my husband has a daughter from a previous relationship. She is now 7. We have been together for 5 years and now have a 3 year old and a 1 year old.
This year is the 7 year old's mother's turn to have her for Christmas morning, and we will get her at 1 pm on Christmas day. Our son can visibly see the presents under the tree and keeps trying to get to them.
My husband is insisting that we wait for our daughter to come home from her mother's house for all of the kids to open their gifts together. I feel that this is unfair because our son is 3.
He knows what presents are and is excited to open his gifts. Why should he have to wait when the 7 year old doesn't? She gets to open gifts at her mother's house as soon as she wakes up and then comes home to open her gifts at our house as soon as she gets here.
Our 1 year old doesn't know the difference, but our 3 year old is getting impatient and curious about what's under the tree. My hsuband says, come on you have to wait. My husband is now saying that he's done with Christmas day and that it's on me to make the turkey that HE committed to making for our dinner tonight. AITA??
Let's find out.
tessie96 writes:
NTA. BUT! Be careful with this one. I would let your son open one or two but save some for when the 7 year old gets there. If he opens them all now then he’s gonna have a meltdown when she’s opening hers and he doesn’t have any.
flowmebojo87 writes:
I disagree. OP would be the AH. How’s the 7 year old supposed to feel when she shows up to find Chtistmas is over, and her Christmas is an afterthought? Make the little kids wait… 1p isn’t late at all. Have a nice family Christmas then. Sounds like OP has also ruined it with her husband with her attitude.
aggravating78 writes:
NTA. Your kids should get to open presents on Christmas morning as well, especially ones from your side of the family. Save your own personal presents for when their sister arrives. It's good for little ones to spread their present opening throughout the day so they get to appreciate each gift without being overwhelmed.
As for the turkey, stand firm and wait for your husband to cook it. You can offer to help but he's got to follow through on his commitment. He's not in a good head space if he's making this a big issue.
I also cannot wonder why there is not a solution to have both families together on Christmas, so that this whole issue never happens in the first place? Since it seems like that issue was never brought up by either the ex or husband, especially since they must live close enough for the ex to be able to get the daughter there by 1 pm. NTA.
Zombies8meMom OP responded:
So bio mom actually moved into a house that is one block away from ours! 🥳 the original Christmas plan was to have brunch with bio mom, step dad and their 2 littles as well as bio dad, myself, 7, 3 and 1. Those plans drastically changed when bio mom cycled. No need to get in to more detail as bio mom is a good person with a few things she's still working out.
But if things were all good, brunch would have happened and we would have all been together. Bio dad and I have worked tremendously hard to make life easier for not only 7 but for bio mom and step-dad as well.
Edit from OP after reading the comments:
Thank you all for your input. We have decided to let the younger kids open 1 or 2 gifts for Christmas' to come. The rest of the gifts will be put away and out of sight until big sis gets home. We alternate Christmas mornings with bio mom, so we only need to do this every other year.
Also, having 7 sit in the corner and open gifts by her lonesome was never an option, nor was it a thought. We want to make everything as easy and fair for all 3 of our children in any way that we can. This is why I reached out to this massive forum! Have a Merry Christmas 🎄