One way we make Christmas special is by surprising our children with the perfect presents. Maybe it’s something you found months ago, or maybe you’re just starting to hit the shops in search of that ideal present.
Whatever the case may be, you don’t want them to find it before Christmas morning – that would spoil all your hard work, wouldn’t it? But have no fear, here are 17 sneaky ways for how to hide Christmas presents.
If you're struggling with finding the perfect Christmas presents for your kids, here are some great picks:
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Hide Christmas presents with a purloined letter
Are you familiar with the short story, The Purloined Letter, by Edgar Allen Poe? In it, the protagonist hides an important letter from the authorities by leaving it on the desk, in plain sight. The authorities search his home high and low but never think to look right under their own noses.
Why not pull this same, literary trick on your children? They’re not going to look out-in-open. That would be too obvious, and that makes it a great hiding spot. Depending on what the gift is, consider leaving it with similar items already in the house. It will blend in and not draw much attention.
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Hide presents in the car trunk
If the outdoor temperatures permit, and if your child doesn’t have access to the car trunk, this can be an easy way to hide Christmas presents. You don’t even have to wrap them!
And even if your child can get in and out of the trunk, you can still leave Christmas presents there. Just hide them along with bottle returns, reusable shopping bags, and tucked away behind spare tires.
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Old boxes in storage areas
Your child might look in the storage area, but she’ll probably be looking for specific box shapes, and even wrapped up items.
Why not hide presents in old, tattered boxes that you’re already using? It’s even better if you label them with a permanent marker with something like, “Bedding”, or “Grandma’s porcelain”.
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In your luggage
If you can lock your luggage and suitcases, this is a perfect place to hide Christmas presents from your children. They might think to look there, but without the key, they’ll never see the treasures inside.
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With all your intimates
Most kids aren’t too keen on rummaging through your panties and bras. So, if they’re squeamish, take advantage of that! Smaller Christmas presents can be tucked inside your intimates.
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In another home
If you live in a smaller home and don’t have many options for hiding your Christmas presents, ask a friend or family member if they can keep your gifts out of sight. Unless you visit them frequently, they won’t even have to hide them.
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In the dirty clothes hamper
Now, this might sound a little cruel or off-putting, but if the Christmas gifts are boxed up and small enough, you can easily hide them in the laundry heap. Children won’t think to look there for their brand new Christmas presents.
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Behind your books
Did you buy your child a book? Why not hide it on your bookshelf? Or, if there’s space behind all your books, you can keep the gifts hidden there. Just remember where you hide them!
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Attic spaces
Attics are a prime real estate for Christmas presents. If your attic is dry, you don’t have to worry about the damaging effects of humidity. Otherwise, make a small investment in plastic bins to keep everything protected from the elements. If it’s a dark, dusty place, your child probably won’t want to venture up there.
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Sheds
Outdoor sheds, like attics, are a good hiding spot. Hide Christmas presents in big, black garbage bags or in unused tool boxes until Christmas day.
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At your office at work
If possible, hide your Christmas gifts at work. You can rest assured that your child will never find them there!
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Wrap Another Toy
If you know your child will look for, and maybe even find their Christmas presents, play a harmless prank on them. Wrap an old or new toy and leave it where they’ll probably find it. If they do, this might end their hunt – at least for a while.
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Empty detergent bins
One popular tip for hiding Christmas presents is to leave them in the cleaning supplies closet, but you can take it one step further. Why not save your detergent bins and stow away gifts in these bins?
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Old shoeboxes
If you’re like Carrie Bradshaw and are a bit of a shoe-shopaholic, you probably have a bunch of empty shoeboxes at your disposal. Hiding Christmas presents there is an easy dupe. If you don’t have any, you could even ask retailers to set aside empty boxes for you.
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Socks
If you’re gifting small items, such as jewelry, phones, and cases, you can easily tuck these Christmas presents into your winter socks. Like your intimates drawer, your child probably doesn’t want to rummage through your socks.
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Homeware boxes
Do you still have the cardboard box for your crockpot, iron, vacuum, or dish set? These are great places to hide Christmas presents. And if you still have the instructions and packaging that was originally in the box, these can be good ways to cover up items if your children do peek inside.
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Washer and Dryer
If your children aren’t responsible for laundry duties, they probably don’t go near the washer and dryer machines. That makes them an easy hiding spot for medium and large size gifts.
As you can see, hiding Christmas presents from your child can be an easy and fun way to reinvent spaces in your home!
