Australian families are bitterly divided over when presents should be opened. Some insist on Christmas morning, maintaining the traditional approach despite it meaning children wake at dawn in overexcited states. Others open presents on Christmas Eve, allowing for a more relaxed Christmas Day. A third faction waits until after Christmas lunch, testing children's patience to breaking point.

These different traditions cause complications when families merge through marriage. Negotiations over present opening time can become surprisingly tense, with both sides convinced their tradition is the only sensible approach. Some couples alternate years, leading to confusion about which tradition applies this Christmas.

The morning present openers argue it builds anticipation and excitement. Children going to bed on Christmas Eve knowing presents await creates magic they remember forever. The counter argument is that this leads to children waking at 4am and destroying any chance of adults sleeping in on one of their few days off.

Christmas Eve present openers claim their approach is more relaxed and allows Christmas Day to focus on family rather than materialism. Critics say this removes the magic and makes Christmas morning anticlimactic. The debate has no resolution, with each side convinced the other is doing Christmas wrong.

After lunch present opening is perhaps the most controversial. Supporters argue it teaches children patience and makes the day last longer. Detractors point out that making children wait until mid afternoon to open presents when they have been staring at them all morning is unnecessarily cruel. At least one family is rumoured to have split over this exact disagreement.