# How important is it to you that your Holiday present be a complete surprise? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-it-to-you-that-your-holiday-present-be-a-complete-surprise/562993 "2010-12-05T02:38:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-it-to-you-that-your-holiday-present-be-a-complete-surprise/562993/21 "2010-12-05T15:40:06Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I told my SO early on in our relationship that I never wanted to know, how much I ask. So now we have a great time - he buys me things, and hides them and then wraps them and puts them under the tree, and I have a great time shaking them and guessing what they might be and begging for hints, which he won’t give. It’s become a game. That’s really cute. And I’m so glad you told him up front what the game was going to be, rather than getting mad at him when he answered your question! OP, pay attention: your husband doesn’t \*really \*want to know, he wants to play **'mika** ’s game. His mistake was not letting you in on the game first. Now you know. Me, I strongly prefer being surprised, but it’s not the end of Christmas if I find/figure it out early. ETA: But I’ll vote OMG because it’s just slightly closer to the truth. And it’s lonely. Merry Christmas. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-it-to-you-that-your-holiday-present-be-a-complete-surprise/562993/22 "2010-12-05T15:52:12Z")
> [@Vihaga](#): > > I think your poll is kind of lopsided. Yes, the title says “How important is it…” but then the poll only has two very black-and-white answers. I didn’t choose either one. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-it-to-you-that-your-holiday-present-be-a-complete-surprise/562993/23 "2010-12-05T17:15:49Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I told my SO early on in our relationship that I never wanted to know, how much I ask. So now we have a great time - he buys me things, and hides them and then wraps them and puts them under the tree, and I have a great time shaking them and guessing what they might be and begging for hints, which he won’t give. It’s become a game. > > He would prefer just to tell me what he wants. > > But we have an understanding. I told him never to tell me, and he never does. Heh - the “best” was the year DH put my present into a box he’d made out of Lego, so I couldn’t shake it, lest it got broken and I was busted. [![](https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/WShippsBush/LegoBox.jpg) ](https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/WShippsBush/LegoBox.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-it-to-you-that-your-holiday-present-be-a-complete-surprise/562993/24 "2010-12-05T17:42:02Z")
Completely unimportant. In fact my husband and I are not exchanging gifts this year - I’m currently researching vacations to spend the money on instead. Merry Christmas to us in January or maybe February. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-it-to-you-that-your-holiday-present-be-a-complete-surprise/562993/25 "2010-12-05T17:45:34Z")
I prefer not to know, I enjoy trying to figure out what I’m getting it’s a fun puzzle and my family puts hints of each present so each one is a great riddle. On the other hand when I’ve known in advance all it did was bum me out that I couldn’t have it once I knew what I was getting opening presents is only fun if you don’t know what’s inside. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-it-to-you-that-your-holiday-present-be-a-complete-surprise/562993/26 "2010-12-05T19:55:27Z")
I don’t care about Christmas or birthday presents any more. If I want something, I’ll buy it myself. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-it-to-you-that-your-holiday-present-be-a-complete-surprise/562993/27 "2010-12-06T21:50:17Z")
Tell me I’m getting nothing for Christmas and I would be a happy man. Ahead of time would be a good time to tell me this. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-it-to-you-that-your-holiday-present-be-a-complete-surprise/562993/28 "2010-12-06T22:21:41Z")
We tell each other what we want, and then go get it, but generally we leave small presents or stocking stuffers as surprises. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-is-it-to-you-that-your-holiday-present-be-a-complete-surprise/562993.md?page=1)