Sherri Humphrys’ face lights up as she recalls one of her favourite childhood holiday traditions. It took place in secret, weeks before Christmas.
“We lived on an acreage five miles out of town so when mom and dad went to town, we knew we had time,” she said with a smile.
Humphrys and her sister would grab the key to their dad’s office, open the door and proceed to open – and play with! – their Christmas presents. One year, they found Walkmans.
“We put the batteries in and we actually listened to the Walkmans for about a month before Christmas. It was awesome.”
Unlike a lot of adults who gave into the urge to peek, Humphrys doesn’t have an ounce of snooper’s remorse.
“None! None! We had a great time. We thought we were getting away with something and the joy was in the acting on the morning to try to pretend like this was something new, like we wanted Walkmans and yet we had already worn the batteries down to nothing!”
Humphrys is now a mother and the principal of an Edmonton elementary school. Some students there confess to snooping too, but most regret peeking.
“It’s kind of disappointing because you know what it is,” 10-year-old Lindey Mitchell said.
“Especially if you don’t want the present, it’s even more disappointing!”
Mother of two Melissa Wojdanski has gotten creative to avoid the snoopers in her family. She hides her gifts in the garage, underneath a carpet and coat, behind a snowblower.
“I have hidden them in my closet. I have hidden them in the washing machine and the dryer,” Wojdanski said.
She goes to great lengths to protect the Christmas surprise from her two sons, aged three and five, and even her husband.
One year, her husband ate all of the chocolates she had planned for his Christmas stocking.
“I had to go out and buy all the chocolate again for the stockings!”
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