Every family has a story about a child who ruins the planned magical surprises by seeking out their festive gifts before Christmas day. Perhaps you were even that child yourself! Keep ahead of curious kids with our ultimate guide to hiding Christmas presents.

Wrap early

Wrapped presents are far easier to explain away than a box marked ‘deluxe doll’s house’ as you can claim that they are gifts for other people. It may be worth paying a little extra to get your gifts wrapped if the shop offers that.

Hide Christmas shopping in the attic

If your loft space is not already crammed, then consider stashing your Christmas gifts up there. This is particularly effective if you put them in plain cardboard boxes with an unenticing label like ‘empty jam jars’ or ‘tax 2017/8’. But an uninsulated attic can be prone to temperature fluctuations and may leave your gifts vulnerable to pests. So check regularly to make sure all is well up there.

Conceal Christmas gifts under the bed

Under-bed storage could be a good bet, unless you have very small children who like to hide down there. But remember that the under-bed area can get very dusty, and you may need to clean before you stash your shopping.

Putting Christmas gifts on top of the wardrobe

Putting your children’s Christmas gifts on top of the wardrobe is a classic move. This spot is usually inaccessible without steps – but nosey children are likely to notice that you’ve stashed something unusual up there, and they will ask questions. Putting gifts inside suitcases on top of the wardrobe is a clever move – but make sure you can retrieve them safely.

Keep your Christmas presents at work

For those lucky enough to have their own office, keeping Christmas shopping at work might be an option. Bear in mind though, that your pricy gifts may not be protected by your company’s insurance. So if they are damaged or stolen, you may be left out of pocket.

Use your garage for festive storage

A locked garage is usually secure and items stored there will often be protected by your household insurance. But older children may be in and out of the garage if they cycle. An uninsulated garage is prone to temperature fluctuations, which can damage some items.

Concealing Christmas presents in your storage unit

A storage unit is clean, dry and convenient. Many storage companies will let you hire a storage locker or cupboard for a few weeks. If you are wondering if you have to have insurance at public storage, that depends on the company. Most do insist that you insure your stored goods, including Christmas gifts. This is so that you will not be out of pocket if the worst happens. Store and Insure can insure your stored Christmas gifts by the day, so if you only need to store for a few weeks, you know you’ll get the best deal from us. Get a quick quote to see how we can help you.

Keeping the Christmas magic alive is not always easy, but it will be worth it for the look on their little faces!