Gifts are placed beneath the tree as soon as they are wrapped. For us, Santa is the only one who sends stocking stuffers and the one or two major things they requested on Christmas Eve (not wrapped). We told that if nasty youngsters open gifts before Christmas, Santa will send them coal! The earliest reference to a gift-giving tradition on Christmas Day comes from a German church service book written around 1450. It says that "on Christmas Day all the parishioners go to church and bring with them gifts for the priest and other servants." In England, it was not considered proper behavior for adults to open their gifts on Christmas Day. The tradition began to be adopted by parents who wanted to allow their children some small gift beyond what they were given out at Christmas Eve services. In America, it is common practice for families to open their gifts on Christmas Day. This allows those who receive gifts time to think about whom they would like to receive them from and what type of gift they would like to receive too. Almost every family has a gift giving tradition associated with Christmas. What's important is that you find something fun to do each year with the kids that helps keep the spirit of Christmas alive even when you can't be together physically.