When you’ve spent ages shopping for the perfect gifts for your family members, especially the kids, the last thing you want is for prying eyes to seek out your hiding place!
With only weeks to go until Christmas, parents are having to think up increasingly clever hiding places to outwit their children, so that the surprise isn’t ruined before the big day.
The trouble with kids is that they tend to start looking for presents – or even if they’re not deliberately searching, they have a habit of getting into everything and finding things inadvertently.
A survey of 1,000 parents of 6 to 15-year-olds revealed that 24% of kids had found their presents before Christmas. A further 12% said their children had found the wrapped parcels before Christmas, but hadn’t opened them until the big day. The remainder managed to keep the presents hidden for a Christmas Day surprise.
Read on for some suggestions on the ultimate hiding spots for your Christmas presents…
Wardrobe
The favourite hiding place for children’s gifts is on top of the wardrobe, as demonstrated by 28% of parents. The top of the wardrobe is ideal because it’s too high for the kids to reach. Another tip: put small presents inside an innocent-looking old shoebox and leave that on a wardrobe shelf. Hiding gifts in the bottom of the wardrobe was favoured by 9% of parents – but having been that kid once upon a time, I wouldn’t recommend this spot!
Bed
Hiding presents under the bed was the second favourite top spot, used by 18% of parents. However, one mum who hid her kids’ presents under the bed said she was found out a few days before Christmas – when her offspring came rushing downstairs, saying “the fairies” had been early and brought them lots of toys! Hiding presents at the back of the drawers under the divan is a much better idea.
Cupboards
Hiding presents in a cupboard was chosen by 4% of parents who were surveyed. The kitchen cupboards were the usual choice, although some parents said they hid gifts in the same cupboard as the vacuum cleaner and other cleaning products, as that was somewhere the kids were never likely to go!
Laundry basket
Parents never expect their children to do their own washing, as the laundry basket has become a hiding place for Christmas presents! It was used by 3% of parents, who considered the kids would never think of looking there. Another 3% hid presents under blankets that were waiting to go in the wash.
Chest of drawers
Smaller presents can be hidden in chests of drawers, particularly in mum and dad’s bedroom, as the children are unlikely to go rummaging in the underwear or socks drawers. Gifts such as toiletries, perfumes, items of jewellery and other small presents can actually be hidden in the toes of socks and pushed to the back of the drawer.
Storage containers
Old storage containers in the attic, tucked away in a cupboard, or in the spare room, are often used to hide presents. If they are labelled “old magazines” or “DIY”, they won’t look very interesting to prying eyes! Some parents leave the containers in the garage, or the car boot, as extra security. Some 3% of parents hide gifts in a locked suitcase – maybe a bit extreme!
When you’re looking for hiding places for your Christmas presents, the quality range of furniture from Let Us Furnish could be the perfect solution! For further information on our wide range of furniture packages, please contact us today. Happy hunting, kids!
The Let Us Furnish team would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!