"The Only Way To Open Presents At A Birthday Party..."

You know how it goes. Your child tears into the presents, doesn't read the card, and you have no idea who to send thank-you cards to after the party.

It's not just you. Typically, opening presents is one of the most hectic times at a birthday party. Many parents don't even bother opening presents at the party, they wait until afterwards.

Here's how you can keep the wonderful tradition of opening birthday party presents, without tearing your hair out...

1. Set up two chairs and have the birthday child in one. (Leave the other chair empty for now.) Also, place a wastepaper basket next to the birthday child's chair.
   
   
2. Have all the children get the gift they brought and sit on the floor in front of the chairs.
   
   
3. Call up the children one at a time and have them sit in the chair next to the birthday child and present their present.
   
   
4. While the birthday child opens the present, snap a photo of the two children in the chairs.
   
   
5. After the party, you can use the photo as a reminder of what each child gave. For a nice personal touch, you can even include a copy of the photo in the thank-you card for that particular guest.

That pretty much handles all the problems associated with presents at a birthday party. It also turns the presents into an "event" that the kids enjoy. That way, you don't have to plan an elaborate game or other activity to keep the kids busy.

Digital cameras and computers make it easy to make your own thank-you cards with the photo of the birthday child and guest printed right on the card!

Enjoy this tip and I hope it makes your child's next birthday party run smoother than ever before.