Ferne McCann is counting down to Christmas – especially as this year will be her second daughter Finty's first one – but the star has one strict rule she abides by every year.
The former TOWIE icon, 33, has opened up about one of her unique Christmas traditions – including the strict rule she has for when the children can open their presents.
The reality TV star, who welcomed daughter Finty in July 2023 with her businessman fiancé Lori Haines, revealed she has a pre-breakfast gift ban in her house.
The children, including her six-year-old daughter Sunday, can only open their gifts once they've all had breakfast together.
Ferne has teamed up with One4all Gift Cards to chat about traditions old and new. She revealed: "The funny thing about Christmas is you don’t realise how unique everyone’s celebrations are until you become a blended family and you find yourselves having to decide which childhood traditions you want to carry on keeping the magic alive.
"We’ve got this one rule we always stick to – no opening presents until after breakfast. It builds up the excitement, and, trust me, it's worth the wait just to see the kids light up knowing Santa got their letter in the post."
But the subject matter of when is the right time to open presents on Christmas morning is a huge debate with many strangers online disagreeing with Fern's choice.
Online trolls have previously blasted parents who make the same decision as Ferne, and argue that it's "not fair". One thread on Reddit sees users around the world debate the 'right time' to open presents.
One user shared: "Late morning for me but first thing for my kids. Anyone making children wait until the afternoon is just cruel."
Another agreed, writing: "Always the morning. Always! Waiting til after lunch seems so mad to me." A third added: "As soon as you open your eyes start unwrapping."
However on the other end of the debate, users shared why they decide to wait until after breakfast to open gifts. One shared: "Morning, after we are all dressed and breakfast. It was a 'rule' my mum made up to ensure grandad had done what he needed to do down at the farm for the animals and could be up with us to open presents."
Another commented: "After breakfast around 9.30 – 10 the kids can’t wait any longer than that!"
Meanwhile, one user posted: "Teaching our children to pace themselves and take notice of the gifts they get seems to have reduced the rabid little monsters’ effect, but maybe we're just lucky."
Ferne's other traditions include "popping satsumas into the kids' stockings" – one tradition her partner had never heard of. One4all Gift Cards found that 74 per cent of Brits plan to embrace new traditions and guests for 2023.
Ferne added: "As it’s Finty’s first Christmas, we’ll be introducing a new tradition where we enjoy a Christmas carol get-together."
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