A Christmas Intervention

Now that we are getting closer to the gift-giving portion of our holiday celebration, I feel that I need to give my two cents on a debate that has been coming up quite frequently:
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Opening your presents early
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In the house of Skinny Tie, you just don't do it. Some of my friends do it, my sister does it, I think the guy next door does it, the street kids certainly do it, but I don't. For me, even if it's shaped like a freakin' 12 inch Subway Sub, complete with Subway wrapping paper, the wrapping stays on until the 25th!
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I compare the joy of getting to open all of your presents on Christmas morning to the anticipation you feel right before you go on a much needed vacation. The lead up makes the reward all the more sweet and if you blow it all the night before, all that's left is the Walt Disney World Christmas parade and leftovers ... because you probably ate all your Christmas finest the night before too!

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But I tell you, it's harder each year to live by these standards when you surround yourself with people who always want immediate gratification like when watching Flightplan, "is the Air Marshall going to end up being the hijacker?! He acts shady!!! Huh huh huh?" Just fucking wait for it okay? Oh, and by the way, no need to see Flightplan any longer. Sorry.

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Presents to me are a lot like that, they have their traditional time and place and you know what, someone went to a lot of trouble to get you that XBox 360 and his name is Santa and he wants the big reveal as planned on Christmas morning dammit!

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Of course there are those that instigate this type of behavior. The saddest being the ones who bought you the present but can't stand you not knowing how fabulous they were in picking it out for you and will stop at nothing short of spelling it out until you open it. "I'm just afraid it won't be your color. I hope it doesn't spoil! I hope it fits your head. It's not supposed to chafe like the others. I hope you like Charo!!!" Grrrr.

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But all of this is not to say that I don't begrudge the time honored tradition of opening just one present early should the peer pressure get too high or the scenario allow for it. Just hope you don't pick the big present because from there all that will be left to open on Christmas will be socks.

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Merry Christmas everyone!