How to Find Christmas Presents That Your Parents Have Hidden

Check out the box. If it's sealed tight, don't try to open it—wrapping paper can tear very easily, and if the wrapping paper tears, you will probably be caught. If there is any gap in the paper, you might be able to see the color of the box, and at least figure out where they were shopping.

• If it's almost square and about 5-inches (140 mm) long, it's obviously a CD. Just think about saying anything to your parents about your favorite CD that you want, and that's probably what it is.
• If it's slim, rigid and rectangular, it's most likely a DVD or video game, especially if you hear a distinctive disc rattling sound when you shake it. A similarly shaped present that dips inwards on all but one of the edges is a hardback book, and if it's slightly bendy it's a paperback book.
• If it's a long, soft rectangle that's not too deep, it might be clothes. Soft and roughly cylindrical presents could be socks. If a squishy present is unusually round or otherwise oddly shaped, it's likely a stuffed toy.
• A box that is larger on the bottom, and has a really skinny top, is usually either two similar gifts wrapped together or a game of some sort. If there's a second, smaller box taped to the the outside, it's probably batteries for the game.
• If the box is about the size of a shoe box, feel around the sides of the box, near the top. If there's a lip, you can be pretty certain you have new shoes!
• If it's a very long and thin cuboid, try not to drool; you've probably got some candy. Long, very light cylinders are surely posters, and square flat ones usually turn out to be calendars.

Shake the box. Does it make any rattling noises, or can you feel something move inside when you shake? If it does, try to describe what you hear. If you hear chime sounds, it might be a music box; if you hear thumps, it could be something inside something else. If you hear broken glass, put the box down!

• If you hear broken glass, you may have already broken something inside. Take a quick peek inside the box if you hear this, and if something is broken, go apologize to your parents. It's better to tell the truth now and face the consequences than lying your way out of it later.

Smell the box. Some presents, especially candy and bath bombs, can be identified by their scent wafting through the wrapping paper. Take a sniff at the corners of the box, where there might be tiny gaps in the paper that allow smells to escape.

Beware the large box. Parents are tricky—often times, they will put a small box inside a larger box, especially if the shape of the small box would give up the secret of what's inside.^[4]

• If the box is large, but is not very heavy, you can be pretty sure it's not packed with clothing, books, or other heavier things.
• Some parents booby-trap presents that are already wrapped by putting them inside bigger boxes stuffed with paper, packing peanuts or other things to reduce sound when you shake them. If you can’t guess what a large present is based on its size, this might be why.
• Truly clever parents will nest smaller boxes inside larger boxes if they catch you snooping. You'll open one box, and find another and then another. Your Big Present may actually turn out to be a gag gift, like a magic decoder ring, or some other silly stocking stuffer.^[5]
• Never dismiss a small box. It could turn out to be something valuable such as a mobile phone, jewelry, gift cards or even concert tickets.

Dig deeper. If the paper wrapping the present is slick and shiny, you can try peeling off the taped ends. Take great caution with this, because wrapping paper tears easily. Unless you have more of the same wrapping paper, you could ruin your sleuthing expedition.

• Peel off one end only, if you can. If you manage to loosen up one end, you'll be able to get a peek at the sides of your present.
• Beware of bows and ribbons. Never remove a bow from a wrapped present, as these are practically impossible to put back on looking pristine.

Put everything back where it was. Referring to your snapshots, return everything to its original position, seal up any presents you opened and have a Merry Christmas!

Plan present peeking around your life, not the other way around. If 90% of your activities around the holidays are you disappearing to the basement with a flashlight, someone will definitely get suspicious. Remember to only search when you are sure no one is watching and you won't get caught.

• Similarly, don't search in one of your parents' or siblings' favorite spots, such as their rooms or offices, when they are home. They could go there at any time and you will have great difficulty being stealthy.

Keep your tools or supplies at inconspicuous places where they won't be seen by anyone else. If you have a notebook full of your notes about what you've found, your brother or sister could easily find it and have a ton of reasons to snitch on you. Keep it somewhere safe like under your mattress, or keep it digital, such as in a text editor.

• Be careful keeping a digital log if you use a shared computer.

Clear this page and any other gift snooping pages from your browser history before you log off your device. Even if this is your own device, parents often randomly check their kids' devices and history, so be prepared.

Don't abandon your other hobbies. If your parents know you normally love painting, and suddenly have been producing no paintings since Thanksgiving, they will think something is wrong. Don't make present peeking your new hobby if it means you'd have to abandon another activity.

Keep your grades up. If you bring home an F on a test or a D on a project because you avoided studying or working in favor of snooping, you will likely be punished, which could even mean getting one of your presents taken away. If you can, try to get even better grades around the holidays. This way, even if you get caught peeking at presents, your parents may punish you less or even not at all because of your good grades.

• Similarly, be on your best overall behavior and stay out of trouble.

Try to hide. If you hear someone coming, you've got to think quick- and the best first step would be to find somewhere to hide. You may not be able to get out for a few minutes, so don't choose an overly uncomfortable or creepy spot. For example, if you were hiding in the living room, hide behind the couch or the armchair.

Try to act like you're doing something normal. Quickly put your supplies in an inconspicuous place, and pretend to be playing on your phone or something normal. Make sure it's something your parents will believe that you are doing; if you are in the laundry room and you say you are taking a nap, it is highly unlikely your story will convince them.

If none of those tactics worked, and your parents caught you, apologize. It's better to come clean than to make excuses or try to talk your way out of it. If your excuses don't work, you may get in even more trouble for lying to them.

• Say something like this: "Mom, I'm sorry that I went looking for my Christmas presents. I know you like surprising me with gifts at Christmastime and I ruined it for you. I promise I won't go snooping around again."

Accept any punishment your parents give you without defiance. By looking for your presents, you are taking a large gamble. Thus, if you were caught, you are accepting that you took a large gamble and are accepting the ramifications. This includes any punishments your parents want to give you. This could be as simple as a verbal warning, or as severe as taking away all of your presents. However, if you apologize sincerely, say you won't snoop again, and not talk back while your parents lecture you, they may punish you less.

• If your parents say they will take away presents, don't argue. By snooping, you are ruining the surprise, so you may actually be happier not having any spoilers.