Are you worn out at about 8:00 am every Christmas morning and ready to go back to bed? The answer is probably yes, but you know there is no chance of hitting the hay. You have a busy day of cleaning up, putting toys together, rummaging through the house looking for batteries, and then being fully present to play with your kiddos. It’s the life of a dad on Christmas. And it is a good life, exhausting, but indeed good. If you are an old hand at this fathering gig, then you are most likely well equipped when Christmas morning rolls around. In fact, you may be able to add some important items that I left off this survival kit list. If you are a newer dad, then please take note of this list as it will make your Christmas morning go much smoother. Is being prepared on Christmas morning that important? Nah, not really. I mean, its Christmas! Your kids are going to have a great time no matter what. But being prepared may just save some much-needed energy for yourself to enjoy the day.
This survival kit comes from my own experience as a dad and the knowledge that I have gleaned from other great fathers. This should not be a comprehensive list as so many of you have methods, tips, and tricks that I am not aware of. If you have a great idea that can help dads be prepared on Christmas morning then hit me up with your unique tip on the socials. I love learning from other men when it comes to being equipped as a father in all aspects. I am not the expert, but collectively we are all an expert.
The Dad’s Christmas Morning Survival Kit:
1. Coffee
There is a reason this is numeral uno for me. I remained disciplined from drinking coffee until I was in my early 30’s. I watched my parents and what seemed like every adult as I was growing up become addicted to coffee. They had to have coffee every morning or they weren’t going to make it. I did not want to rely on an external source of energy, so I fought it for years. When I started my construction business our first work was installing a few miles of a pipeline. The job was hours away. We started before the sun came up and called it a day after the sun went down and repeated every day until it was done. This was August and the temperature was over 100 degrees. That second morning I had my first cup of coffee! I am addicted now. I drink coffee every morning and evening. So, Christmas morning definitely begins with a hot cup ‘o joe. If you are a coffee drinker, then get it ready the night before. Set the timer or be ready to just hit the start button first thing when you get up. You have a long day ahead of you, especially if you have little kids. You will need some extra energy and your family deserves to not have a grumpy dad on Christmas morning.
2. The Bible
Reading from the Bible or a book/story is a tradition that I love seeing from fathers. Christmas is a season of joy and peace. It is great to start the morning off with a reading from the patriarch of the home. A tradition I began many years ago was to read the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2 in the Bible. I do this before we open any presents to set the tone and remind us of what Christmas is all about. When we celebrate Christmas with my parents and siblings, my brother-n-law, Patrick, reads the Christmas story to all the kids from a book with pop-up pictures. He is very charismatic and animated as he captures their attention. I love that he enjoys this so much. He began doing this before he even had kids of his own. Many families begin Christmas morning or Christmas Eve with a reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” or some other sentimental holiday favorite. No matter what you believe, Christmas should never be about the presents. If you do not already, start this year by establishing a tradition that reinforces what Christmas means to your family before the tornado of wrapping paper touches ground.
3. Pocketknife
Do not, I repeat, do not show up to any Christmas gathering without a pocketknife. Inevitably, someone will open a gift and ask, “Does anyone have a knife?” Do you want to be the man in the room that has to make up some lame excuse as to why you, as a MAN, does not have a pocketknife on him? My Grandpa Max would rip you up and down if you were caught in that situation. Grandpa made it his life mission to make sure I understood that every man should have a pocketknife on him at all times. He personally owned a plethora of knives. Every time he saw me, he asked me if I had a knife in my pocket. If I said, “No,” then I got scolded, but he would then give me one and tell me that better not happen again. The scolding was worth it because I amassed a large collection of his pocketknives in this way.
This one is high on the list for a reason. Have a pocketknife ready to go on Christmas morning. The other night we celebrated Christmas with my parents and siblings’ families. My sister opened a gift and then asked the inevitable question. My dad, brother, and I shot our hands to our hips and stood up so fast that you would have thought we were drawing pistols for an Old West gunfight. Be the hero. Have a knife.
4. Trash Bags
This one comes from my father-n-law, Grandpa John. I learned about his trash bag rule the very first Christmas I spent with my wife’s family. He does not allow wrapping paper to touch the carpet, at all. You will get yelled at if you unwrap and do not immediately place the paper into the big black trash bag that he sits holding open the entire Christmas present unwrapping festivities. I used to think, “Is this guy for real?” That is, until I had kids. Then I understood Grandpa John’s Christmas paper obsession. He was right. The wrapping paper all over the floor becomes a nightmare. Thank you, Grandpa John. I too now have a trash bag ready on Christmas morning. I’m okay with the paper hitting the floor. I let the child experience the joy of the gift, but the paper gets in the bag fairly quick. You should definitely have a trash bag or two ready to go.
5. Batteries!!!
There is nothing worse than seeing the excitement in your child’s eyes disappear when they realize that you did not think of the batteries that were “not included.” If you are a young dad, then you will only make this mistake once. Trust me, we have all frantically tore the house apart looking for batteries on Christmas morning. You might end in success, but you will not be watching tv later because every remote and all other things in the home that once had batteries now do not. Go right now and look over your gifts and make sure you have every battery that you need. If you do not, then head to the store while they are still open. You’re welcome!
6. Tools
This one is easy. You just need to make sure you know where all your basic tools are in case you need them. And you most likely will. The tools that you need to round up are, obviously your pocketknife (if you do not own one, [and my head is shaking right now] go get one today and put it in your stocking as a gift for yourself), assorted sizes of screw drivers (don’t forget the micro sized), allen wrenches, wire cutters for the zip tied toys, and maybe a ratchet and socket wrench set for bigger items such as bikes. This should get you through most situations. Oh yeah, did I mention a pocketknife?
7. Pre-Assembly
I learned this one from my brother, Josh. He has turned Christmas Eve into his favorite night of the whole year. He absolutely loves the alone time he has staying up late that evening preparing for his family’s Christmas. After the kiddos are in bed, he puts on Christmas movies and begins pre-assembling every gift that requires it. This is quite a chore and there have been many times that he goes to bed in the wee hours of the morning. But if you ask him, it is well worth it. He chooses to do the work up front and then enjoy playing with his kids all day rather than them waiting on him to put everything together the next day. This may not work for you. And you certainly do not have to have to do this. But, if you have small kids and you have a ton of toys to put together, then getting a head start may not be a bad idea.
8. A Crackling Fire
My dad always has a fire going in the fireplace on Christmas morning. I loved it. The smell, the sound, and the heat from the burning logs is the greatest thing in the world to me. There is something so peaceful, and obviously cozy, about a real fire. It is the perfect backdrop for spending Christmas morning as a family. You understandably may not have the option to have a fire. If not, I have seen many people with faux fireplaces that they bring in just for the occasion. Some space heaters can bring a somewhat realistic fireplace presence. Or most any streaming service offers a crackling fire right through your tv screen. I have ad to use this option before and it is not a bad backup plan.
9. Fully Charged Phone
Back in the day, parents had to make sure the video camera batteries were charged, and a blank video cassette was ready to record on. Now, everything is done through the phone. This one probably goes without saying but plug you and your wife’s phones in the night before. You do not want to have to ask your kids to delay Christmas while your phone charges. I mean, obviously the main purpose of Christmas is posting great pictures and videos on social media. Joking, but seriously, as my friend, Brent, told me this morning, “Having video to look back on your kids running down the halls to the living room to open gifts will be worth much more than the gifts in 20 years.” Amen.
10. Music
My friend, Brent, also shared with me that he and his wife have always kept the same Christmas morning tradition. It is actually a tradition that was passed down from his parents. He and his wife wake up early and make coffee. Then they blast Christmas music from the living room. The song their three boys hear is “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” by Alvin and the Chipmunks. When they hear this song come blaring down the hall they know it is time to open gifts. What a great tradition! My wife has always played Christmas music softly in the background at our home as we open gifts. Music has always been an integral part of Christmas and you might enjoy using it in some as you begin traditions for your own family.
11. Stocking Stuffers for Your Wife
Oh my gosh! Do not forget about your wife’s stocking! This is a great way for her to know that you are thinking about her. We do fun but practical things in our boys’ stockings. This is a great idea for your wife as well. Buy her several small things that show her you pay attention to things that she enjoys. I cannot go wrong with stuffing my wife’s stocking with bath bombs, lotions, nail care items, other small practical things that she enjoys daily. I do not know your wife, but hopefully you do. This is an easy thing for you to do. Although it may take minimal effort, it can go a long way in showing her your appreciation for the hard work she does throughout the year. This is a way to show her that you do indeed pay attention to her in the small, but important aspects of her life.
12. Santa Hat
Having a Santa hat is not that important, but it is fun. We have had one for years and I always wore it as I distributed gifts. In recent years, my boys have taken over this role, and they enjoy wearing the Santa hat. I also enjoy sitting back these days and watching them get excited to take on roles that I have always enjoyed as a dad. It just shows me a glimpse of the future outstanding men, husbands, and fathers that I get the unbelievably great honor of raising.
There it is, your Christmas morning survival kit!
It is so exciting to be a dad at Christmas. I hope that you feel the same. If you do not, then I hope that you stick with us at Man Among Boys as that is our purpose as we do this fathering thing together. I want every father to experience the joy, honor, and purpose that I do as a dad. Raising kids, and in our case, sons, is so rewarding. And it should be rewarding to both you and your sons. Being a dad does not come with a manual. We must figure out how to do it as we go. Some of us have had men in our lives that have shown the way and others of us have not. No matter which of those you relate to, Man Among Boys is here to either build upon your existing foundation or help you start a foundation of fatherhood.
Christmas is such a wonderful time to start over. If you have not lived up to the standards that you would have liked to, then start over today. Decide this Christmas that you are going to level up as a dad. You can do this! I am here to help. Even though I may never meet you, your son is important to me. He is part of a generation of young men that are going to reshape the world we live in. He is part of a movement of men that are going to take ownership, responsibility, and honor in loving their wives, raising great kids, and making positive differences as leaders in their communities. This is what I truly believe. That is why your son and how you father him is important to me. He deserves to have a good dad. Please be that for him.
Merry Christmas from Man Among Boys!
