How early do you let the kids wake you up on Christmas morning?

[HardyGirl]

I remember when I was really little, before I could tell time, that I woould get up at the crack of dawn, and immediately get told, "it's too early", which sucks when you're an excited kid on Christmas morning. My mom eventually worked out a system. She got me a stocking, and told me that I could open and play w/ what was in it before anyone got up, but not to wake her up until 9am. This worked great to pacify me and let her catch some more sleep.

Did you have any set wake up times as a kid and do your kids have one now?

[megoapesnut]

Both of my kids will sleep till 11:00 on any day they don't have to get up for any reason. Christmas morning they are up at 6AM sharp.

[Wise4671]

Cant really remember having to wait a certain time to wake up my parents. I figure the night is long enough for the kids so when ever they come wakin us up is fine Christmas only comes once a year and I think I look forward to it as much as they do I love to see them happy and opening there gifts.

[toys2cool]

i could'nt even sleep that night

[Mikey]

It was hard to fall asleep on Christmas eve so by the time I did I wasn't in no hurry to get up Christmas morning

I usually got up around 9:00 - and that was because I was usually woken up

[SlipperyLilSuckers]

We had to wait until everyone was awake and assembled.

[kryptosmaster]

I was more excited than the kids. I had to wake them up sometimes!

Rich

[Goblin19]

They get up when they get up and all hell breaks loose.

[Hector]

As a kid...on Christmas Eve...my parents would let us stay up past midnight...and we would immediately open one present (only one)...then would go to sleep...get up really early...and then open up everything...

[megocanada]

They get me up about 4 in the morning. I now make sure there is a movie in their stocking so they watch that and then try to wake me up. Doesn't always work tho.

[ODBJBG]

My GF wakes me up at 6 AM.

[megowgsh]

whenever they get up It's their day don't forget.

[MIB41]

When I was a kid, it was typical to get up (and be allowed to stay up) around 4 or 4:30. Now the way this worked, we would have our Santa stuff out unwrapped by the tree and the stockings would be filled too. So that was the magic. To be able to go into the family room with the last embers in the fireplace burning out, see the cookies eaten and see your most favorite toys sitting out waiting for you...plus some in the stocking as well. Nothing in the world like it to this day. My brother and I would have to wait for our folks to get up to unwrap the presents under the tree. That usually happened around 6:30 or 7. My kids are now too old for Santa...... at 21, 17, and 15. But when they were, I typically got them up around that same time. 4:30 or 5 AM. Great memories. I'm ready to be a grandpa...well... maybe not that fast.

[AJ Collector]

When they were young I would always get up before them and wake them up as I recorded Christmas morning from beginning to end! Maybe this year I can pull all that Christmas tape and have it transferred to DVD.
Now at 14 & 19 we all sleep in!

[Adam West]

When I was young; I remember getting up around 6:30 or so. My parents were really good about it and got up when we were up. As a parent, I do the same thing. When the kids are up; I get up. My kids are also a bit older now 16, 13, and 10. We just have a rule that all the kids must be awake before we get up. Usually, the 10 year old will wake up and get the other two up. It is usually around 6:30-7 am. If I'm lucky, I think we have hit 7:30 before. I figure another year or two and it will be 8 or 9. No big deal. I'm not a heavy sleeper and don't really sleep late so the 6:30-7 am wake up works for me.