What’s your Christmas morning routine with toddlers?

[Anonymous]

The kids raid the stockings first (after they finish spazzing out about the reindeer dust and Santa's cookies he (half) ate (so magical to watch).
I put in a few "good" presents into the stockings (and some of the normal sticking stuff things) so it takes the edge off and sorta placates the kids.

Then we eat breakfast - loaded Belgium waffles. I have 95% of it prepped the night before so I don't waste too much time (the kids are so excited). Plus, the dining room is decorated and we eat in there since it's a special occasion, etc.

Dh and I grab a 2nd cup of coffee, I leave the dishes until later, and off to the tree we go...

[Anonymous]

You can’t make your toddler sit and eat breakfast and wait for presents because breakfast is his “best meal of the day.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can’t make your toddler sit and eat breakfast and wait for presents because breakfast is his “best meal of the day.”

What? Uh yeah. Schedules work for most children. My kids wake up and go sit at the table to eat in the morning once they are up and dressed.

[Anonymous]

I grew up with alll the christmas magic (created by my mom) and I remember both the storming of the living room and then having to wait while my dad got the video camera set up, and a fire in the fireplace. So we were allowed to make a run for it, and then were given our stockings to open. My mom would then make coffee and we usually had cinnamon rolls ready since she was always up first. Nothing was touched under the tree until dad was ready and the anticipation is part of what I remember most

Now my own toddlers get a similar experience. I'm not a morning person at all, but I get up and get moving before them so that I can see and be a part of the magic instead of in the kitchen. We let them open stockings immediately, and I set out easy things for them to pick at: fruit, muffins, bagels, and we still have cinnamon rolls. We have a proper brunch after all the opening is done - usually a casserole that I've had in the oven since before they got up (prepared the night before!).

It's one day and the schedule can wait. My kids tell me when they are hungry and my youngest always wants milk immediately, so we make it all work!