https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:13:58 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-903500 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 10:45:19 +0000 regberadaisy 903500@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I left it as a game time decision and we did not. The party was feeling too long so I axed that portion and went straight to cakes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-903485 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 10:40:09 +0000 HabesBabe 903485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're going to have a biggish party (MIL comes from a big Catholic family, so there will be plenty of great-aunts there)-- about 40 people total. I think we'll do presents after; it'll take too long and LO won't have any reactions yet. Thanks, all! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-902072 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 17:04:33 +0000 cyndistar3 902072@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We opened them at the party, everyone was laughing the whole time because both of my children are extremely expressive, it definitely wasn't boring! Both times they did most of the opening we only had to get them started on most of them and they did the rest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-902029 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 16:46:15 +0000 luckypenny 902029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>After. I think it's boring for guests and takes forever! I don't want to sit through that as a guest either </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-902005 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 16:36:56 +0000 travellingbee 902005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I get not wanting to open presents because it takes too long etc. but I have to admit that I have been disappointed the last few kids parties I went to and they didn't open up gifts. I like seeing them react to the toys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901990 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 16:31:06 +0000 Ree723 901990@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it depends how many people you have there. We had a very small party so LO had three presents to open. The three yr old and two yr old at her party had a great time opening LO's presents for her. We didn't make a production of it though. The three yr old asked if he could open E's presents and I took that opportunity to say 'sure, it would be great if you helped her!'. The whole thing took about three minutes. If we had a bigger party, we would have skipped it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901978 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 16:26:20 +0000 swurlygurl 901978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Interesting... I've never been to a party where they didn't open presents, I didn't even know that was an option! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901889 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 15:47:39 +0000 twinmama 901889@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Bubbles!</p> <p>If we were having a big, friends included, party, I would probably wait until after. That's what our friends have done.</p> <p>BUT since our party is going to be just family, we will definitely be opening presents :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901835 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 15:31:12 +0000 pregnantbee 901835@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't open at the party because I worried about people who didn't bring presents. Didn't want them to feel left out. We opened them later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901798 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 15:16:46 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 901798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>After! Just make sure there is a sticky note pad and pen available for gift givers who didn't bring a card or otherwise tag their gift. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901752 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 15:07:16 +0000 GrapeCrush 901752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We ended up not opening up during the party... Sort of. Mainly because majority of the guests left before we could even get a chance! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901742 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 15:05:24 +0000 chopsuey 901742@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How is your baby already 1?! We didn't open presents during. Just took them home and opened them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901726 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 15:02:42 +0000 heffalump 901726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We opened during, I know I love seeing what everybody gave. Older kids all helped in opening the gifts, they loved it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901710 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 14:59:14 +0000 woodentulip 901710@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have actually always asked for no gifts, and honestly hope that people don't bring them. We have too much stuff as it is. But for those who have brought them, we haven't opened them at the party to respect those who followed our wishes!</p> <p>We have been to several bigger kid parties lately (3 year olds) and nobody has opened any presents there either! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901705 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 14:56:33 +0000 mrsjazz 901705@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had too many people and it would've taken up a huge chunk of time. Plus, all the kiddies were having fun in the playroom. When we opened the toys later LO was not that interested. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901700 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 14:54:54 +0000 wahine08 901700@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It takes up so much time! People get bored. I vote no. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901677 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 14:48:49 +0000 T-Mom 901677@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For DD we didn't open gifts for pretty much the reasons you stated. For DS we had a much smaller group of family and went ahead and opened gifts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/1st-birthday-party-open-presents-during-or-after#post-901665 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 14:42:45 +0000 HabesBabe 901665@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So, C's first birthday is in about 2 weeks and I'm trying to figure out what to do about presents. I think that presents should be opened for older kids' parties, but not so sure about a 1-year old. 1) She won't be opening them anyway; I will. 2) She won't really have a reaction (good or bad) to anything besides the wrapping paper. 3) It takes a reeeeeallllly long time and is kind of a buzz kill (especially for the kids who have to stop playing and watch this baby eat ribbons and bows). As you can tell, I am leaning against it, but the hubs is indifferent. He thinks we can maybe do it, but not make a big production out of it and just have anyone who wants to watch, watch (the party will be at our house with a small-ish yard).</p> <p>So bees, did/will you have your LO open presents during the actual party? Why or why not? </p>