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i think bridal showers and baby showers are okay for opening gifts, but it seems weird at a 1st birthday party. my vote is for after guests leave. my focus at her birthday party is making sure she lasts through the whole thing!

I would find it super weird for it to happen as they arrived - it is kind of like saying you value the present more than the company of the guest. I would wait until after if you want to avoid the watch and open part.

I like opening the presents after the party. I think for kids birthdays it would be awkward and boring.

I agree with pps about not opening as guests arrive, and as a gift giver I enjoy seeing the birthday girl/boy react to the presents.

My LO turned one last year and we did a lunch time party, so it was appetizers/run around, eat lunch, do presents, then cake. There were only about 15 people total. She was interested in the presents but did go and hide once or twice. Everyone understood, and then I think they really liked getting to see her explore them or interact with the toys with her afterwards.

I always like to see gifts opened. I think I get some enjoyment out of the suspense/surprise of it, even though the gifts aren't for me. I've only ever been to one party where the gifts weren't opened--it was a baby shower and SUPER awkward because we wanted to leave but didn't know when the party was over since they never opened the gifts, we just kept waiting around until some people started leaving...But every birthday party I went to as a kid, the birthday boy or girl opened the presents during the party.

We don't go to a ton of toddler birthday parties, but at nearly every single one we've been to lately the gifts have been received with a smile and a sincere thank you and put aside to be opened later. I think it's a smart way to do it, at least for the under-3 set. It also keeps my son from seeing a bunch of stuff he'd like to have. I like getting a thank-you note afterwards, though!

Also, I know the party is over despite the lack of present-opening once the cake has been cut. After I've wished the birthday child a "Happy Birthday," I know I'm free to go!

If you know there are some guests who want to see their present opened, I like the idea of inviting them over for another occasion, doing a video chat, or taking photos of the the child opening the gift and sending them to the giver. I like to see my gift being appreciated, but I don't need or really want to see all the other gifts opened (I tend to compare them to mine and then I feel bad because I didn't know the birthday boy loved cowboys so much, or my budget was smaller than some other friend's, etc.). We opened all the grandparents' gifts over video chat and they loved it.

As a guest waiting on the birthday boy (really the parents) to open gifts, hugs and thank yous all over again at the beginning of the party would be such a time waster. Nothing really starts until the hosts and guest of honor join the party. If you guys get caught up at the door with extra long greetings that will push back the rest of the party.

I like opening presents after the party.

I don't know what the protocol is, but our last party we didn't open presents with guests and I really liked it. The kids kinda got to the presents before us, so we weren't able to really know who gave them what, but I find it eliminated some crying (little kids who don't get why they don't get to open presents) and just the stress of opening presents.

@Adira: This is why my family does it during the party. They want to see the kids reaction to the gift. But at 1 and the number we are going to be expecting at her party. Too overwhelming in my opinion.