Dear companies: Stop shipping Christmas toys in their original packaging PLEASE

For most of the year, no one thinks twice about the way items are shipped and delivered to your home. Come November and December, however, it’s all parents can think about. Because having little kids means getting extra super crafty about how we hide their Christmas toys—and some companies just don’t get it.

In a viral video that parents everywhere can relate to, a dad is seen absolutely panicking when he arrives home with his two young daughters to see a giant Barbie dream house box sitting on his front porch. It’s absolutely unmistakable as to what’s inside, and his girls immediately know what it is.

Related: Why we are doing a ‘no toy’ Christmas

But because it was supposed to be a Christmas gift, the dad tells them to “close your eyes” and even tries to say it was delivered to the “wrong house.” Quick thinking, dad.

But the bigger issue is that this happens ALL THE TIME. Because little kids are always home, and the ones who are school-aged probably have their 12th sickness of the month and are also home! And because we all primarily shop online these days for many reasons (convenience, the pandemic, crowd anxiety, etc.), when are most packages delivered? DURING THE DAY.

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I’ve heard similar stories from multiple parents I know personally (usually related to Barbie deliveries, funny enough). And it’s kind of crazy that companies like Amazon will ship a notebook in a box big enough to house the Statue of Liberty but will let something like this go willy-nilly and box-less. (Yes I know Amazon has many individual sellers that likely have control over how things are shipped, BUT STILL.)

Amazon does currently offer an option for families to receive a “Letter from Santa” for these exact instances. The letter explains he delivered the toy early with the help of delivery elves, so it wouldn’t be late. If this has happened to you and you’d like to receive such a letter to help cover your Christmas toy tracks, you can find the form to fill out here.

Obviously, I don’t expect all companies everywhere that sell and ship Christmas toys to change their existing shipping methods to accommodate stressed-out parents just trying to keep the Christmas magic alive. Holiday-related capitalism means things need to get sent out as quickly as possible. I get it.

But it would be nice to not have to worry, that’s all.