Christmas morning is a whirlwind of joy, excitement, and shredded wrapping paper. It’s a magical time watching loved ones unwrap their gifts. Yet, for many moms, the festive chaos can also bring a familiar scramble of hopping up to search for the right size batteries, hunting for a trash bag to contain the mountain of wrapping paper, or trying to remember who gave which gift for thank you notes later.
A brilliant trend circulating on TikTok offers a simple solution to these common holiday hassles, the Christmas morning basket. This easy-to-prepare kit ensures you have everything you need within arm’s reach, allowing you to stay present and enjoy the celebration.
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The Sanity Saving Basket
One TikTok creator, Amanda Pettis (@_amandapettis_), shared a helpful video detailing what she includes in her own Christmas morning basket. Her idea is to gather all the small but essential items that are often needed as gifts are opened. In the video, she walks us through filling a clear plastic bin with essentials for an easy holiday morning. She includes trash bags for quick cleanup, and reading glasses for deciphering tiny print on assembly instructions. Batteries of all common sizes are a must, as well as a pair of scissors, and tape for any quick repairs. To keep track of presents for thank you cards, she adds a notepad and pen. Perhaps one of her most clever additions is a small box filled with various drill and screwdriver tips, preparing her for any toy that requires assembly. This simple little kit doesn’t take long to put together, but helps eliminate the constant interruptions that can pull you away from the family fun.
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Genius Ideas from the Comments Section
The comment section on Amanda’s video quickly filled with other parents sharing their own brilliant additions to the Christmas morning basket concept. These suggestions offer even more ways to streamline the gift opening experience. One idea was to use large, festive gift bags for collecting wrapping paper instead of standard black trash bags. This keeps your photos looking merry and bright, without a big black garbage bag in the background. Another user recommended packing nail clippers, which can sometimes be more effective than scissors for removing clothing tags, or freeing toys from the many bits of plastic that sometimes hold them into the cardboard packaging.
Other helpful suggestions poured in, including using extra Ziploc bags in various sizes to corral small toy pieces and prevent them from getting lost in the shuffle. With many modern toys and electronics shipping with USB cords but no wall adapters, having a few extra charging hubs in the basket can also be a helpful move. Sharpies were another recommended item, perfect for writing a child’s name on the bottom of similar toys, to prevent mixups. One person suggested including a large Ziploc bag specifically for holding all the instruction booklets, keeping them together in one safe place. For larger boxes, a box cutter can make opening gifts quick and easy.
@_amandapettis_ I live for making my life easier! #christmascountdown #christmasmorning #momhacks #momsoftiktok ♬ original sound – Amanda Pettis
More Presence, Less Scrambling
Creating a Christmas morning basket is a small act of preparation that pays off in a big way. By taking a few minutes before the holiday to gather these supplies, you are giving yourself the gift of a more relaxed and enjoyable Christmas morning. Less time spent searching for batteries means more time soaking in the priceless reactions and happy moments with your family.
