# When do single people open their mailed Christmas presents? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 19, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691 "2011-12-19T00:50:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691/21 "2011-12-19T20:21:30Z")
I usually go home for Christmas, but for other holidays/birthdays sometimes my mom will send me things and say “Don’t open it until X!”. I’ll nod and mhmm and say “Sure, mom”, then open it the day it arrives. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691/22 "2011-12-19T21:21:39Z")
I do wanna say, that if you are all alone, then eating a birthday cake sitting alone in a hotel room and singing “Happy Birthday to me…” is pretty damn pathetic. I should know…. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691/23 "2011-12-20T05:44:35Z")
I open mine on the day. I don’t celebrate Xmas, and I don’t have a bunch of fond memories of it as a kid, so I wait until that morning and try to make nice for myself. ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691/24 "2011-12-21T12:49:22Z")
Never. I haven’t accepted holiday gifts or cards for about 20 years now. Cards get shredded unopened, gifts get binned unopened. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691/25 "2011-12-21T13:23:24Z")
Mailed presents get opened Christmas Eve. Cards get opened on delivery. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691/26 "2011-12-21T16:12:04Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I keep my presents for the day they are intended. I got a few for my 50th birthday and did not open them until the day. This is my answer too. I opened my mom’s present on my 50th birthday just minutes before she called. ---
**Author:** ![ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691/27 "2011-12-21T17:59:25Z")
I’m single, don’t put up a tree and open my presents (if I get any) when they arrive. It’s the thought that counts, right? ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691/28 "2011-12-21T19:15:39Z")
My grandmother would be unhappy if I didn’t wait until the proper day. I love her and like to keep her happy. ---
**Author:** ![Purple\_Scottie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a698b9/32.png) [@Purple\_Scottie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purple_Scottie)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691/29 "2011-12-22T03:11:19Z")
When I was in training and not able to get vacation for the holidays, I would wait until Chrstimas Day unless the giver specifically asked me to open a particular package earlier. Generally though the years I didn’t get home I’d volunteer for call so I spent most of the day in the hospital anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-single-people-open-their-mailed-christmas-presents/606691.md?page=1)