When’s the best time to exchange Christmas gifts?

If you’re celebrating Christmas with young children this year, it’s a good idea to plan out when you’ll open the presents. Although your kids may want to open gifts first thing Christmas morning, there are advantages to putting this off till later in the day. Here are a few options to consider before deciding when to open the Christmas presents.

• Before breakfast: most kids want to leap out of bed and start opening their presents straight away. By letting them open their gifts as soon as everyone’s up, you won’t have to hold them back from rushing through breakfast. Afterwards, you can have a more leisurely Christmas brunch. Plus, they’ll have new toys to entertain them for the rest of the day.

• After breakfast: tell children before they go to bed Christmas Eve that they’ll only be able to open gifts after breakfast. Making sure everyone eats and fully wakes up before opening presents can be a good way to avoid meltdowns later in the morning.

• When guests arrive: If you have grandparents or other extended family coming over, they may want to be there to give your kids gifts and watch them open their other presents. Consider putting off the gift exchange until they arrive.

Another possibility? Allow kids to open one gift — or their Christmas stocking — on Christmas Eve. This can be a good way to help them settle down the night before and maybe you’ll even get to sleep in a little in the morning.