birthday party... opening gifts?

im having a big birthday for jay.. lots of people... it will take him forever to open his gifts.... i have always enjoyed watching kids open thier gifts at parties... i was thinking of maybe chosing a few gifts.. but how do i prevent other people from being offended that i didnt choose thier gift?.. have any of yall allowed thier 1 yoa to open thier gifts at their parties?

You could have your little one open each person's gifts as they arrive instead of doing them all at once.

By the time it was time for Aethyn to open his gifts at his grill out party, he was sooo tied he went to bed...we opened them the next morning by ourselves (and the grandparents) He really wasn't interested anyway...we ended up opening them for him and showing/letting him play with each one as we opened!  At his second party (Family party) He still wasn't interested...we did those too...while he played!  (His 2nd cousin...she's almost 2 helped open them for him- LOL It was cute!) 
When it gets time to open, you could get everyone together and have everyone open the one that they got him all at once...Short and Sweet!  If some people had to leave before it was time to open...the you can have Jayson just open those few! 
That is what we thought about doing...until Aethyn was too tired anyway!  LOL!!
 

Good Luck with the party!  Can't wait to see pictures!

They're so little at that time that they really don't get it and it's more about the paper than anything else!  I never had big parties for my kids at that age, just had family over, but what I would have done is just explain to everyone that we're going to open presents later and we'll send pics.  You could then put a picture of baby opening each person's gift and include it in the Thank You note (if you do those) or just send one big Thank You email with a link to an online album of baby sitting with all the gifts/paper around him, like a tornado hit!

Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll have fun with it!  They only turn "1" once and the best part of the party will probably be watching him try to eat his cake!  My boys made terrible messes and it was the cutest thing you've ever seen.

We opened their gifts for them and took pictures.   They could care a less. 

We had Libby's party yesterday.  She was a little trooper, didn't get a nap until almost 5pm!!  (She has normally had about 3-4 hours by then).  She wanted nothing to do with opening presents, she just wanted to keep putting her sippy cup in the bags!  Russ and I opened them all for her while she was sitting on our laps.  If I could do it over again I would tell everyone we were opening gifts at home, after the party, because it got to be too much.

Don't do it -- there is nothing but moans from most adults and mass chaos from kids. Never been to a party when the kid was under 12 that that was a good idea. In fact -- I haven't even been to a party lately where they open them - THANK GOD

Skyler's 1st b-day party is next weekend due to all the bad storms we had here in Texas last weekend.  Anywhoo.....

With Savannah and (I'll do the same with Skyler)....  I would sit down with he either in my lap, or sit her between her daddy and I.  We were pretty much the ones opening the presents while she just played with the bag, tissue paper, or wrapping paper.  She would play with the loose toys that people gave or clothes with the tags on them.  We opened ALL the gifts.  Yes, she was tired but that's all part of the territory when they are that age.  We followed very up quickly with the cake and iceream!  Make sure you do presents before hand, cuz it gets messy!  Savannah's 1st birthday was very big, much bigger than what Skyler's will be.  We had almost 40 people and had a fish fry, we cooked and fed all the guests.  Skyler's party will be only close family and friends for cake, icecream and presents.  We are not feeding people this time, as it gets expensive and we are trying to prepare for Bryder's birth.

Savannah has always opened ALL her gifts at her parties.  I like it that way.

Ash :)

i say screw it...if they come to the party...they sit through the presents....JK....I would either open them yourself or do all later.....when is the shing ding?

10/11