It took Scott and Katie Reintgen's precocious three-year-old about ten minutes to undo hours of hard work by sneaking downstairs at 3 a.m. and unwrapping every single present under the Christmas tree
The North Carolina couple told USA TODAY they were jolted awake a short time later on Christmas morning when their toddler loudly asked for scissors so he could cut open his brand new Spider-Man web shooters.
As they walked down the stairs, they saw a shocking sight: wrapping paper scattered on the floor and gifts clearly visible. It was hours before her other two children woke up, waiting to see what Santa brought them.
“We simultaneously couldn't believe something like this could happen, but also could completely believe that our middle child would be the one to do it,” said Scott Reintgen, a New York Times bestselling author of fiction and fantasy.
He I posted a photo After the debacle
The perpetrator in the Reintgen household told his parents he unpacked everything because he “wanted it to be less confusing for everyone,” his father said, He added that the boy was a “complete joker.”
“I think he went about his business and went about the task from present to present of seeing what was inside,” Scott Reintgen said.
He often wakes up at night and goes to see his parents. In order to fall asleep again, he has to be put back to bed. Scott Reintgen said he was surprised at how brave the toddler was to walk down the stairs without anyone but the family dog to witness and go to town with the gifts.
“It was like the Grinch,” Katie Reintgen said, laughing about the ordeal. She said they tried to create the magic of Christmas for their children, and then after the adventure at 3 a.m. they realized, “Oh my God, this is part of the magic.”
It was mom who came to the rescue. After they put the child back to bed, Katie Reintgen hurried to pack everything up as best she could with the scraps of paper she had picked up from the floor.
“Some of the presents were half-wrapped and the backs were against the wall,” she said.
The eldest was none the wiser when it came time to open his presents, even as his younger brother kept interjecting, “I told you you'd get this” and “Open this.” The little girl cared all she cared about was the candy cane Santa had brought her.
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Scott Reintgen said the couple talked to the 3-year-old about the feeling everyone can have on Christmas morning and how everyone should have the joy of opening their own presents.
Aside from the lack of sleep and all the chaos, the Reintgens said the family was still able to enjoy the vacation, and they were pleased with the reaction on social media. Next year, Katie Reintgen said, the presents will remain out of reach on the night before Christmas.
“We still had a lot of fun. It’s not that it ruined the day – it didn’t even come close,” Scott Reintgen said. “It was just a funny thing that we’ve been able to tell for a long time now.”