What's the best part about Christmas morning with kids? Is it the excitement on their faces? The heartfelt "thank you mommy/daddy/Santa!" when they open their gifts? Or could it be the blissful silence that settles over the house as they contentedly play with their new toys?

As TODAY Moms reader Nicole Powers Sakaitis said, "I hope never to hear 'I'm bored' anytime soon."

Now that's a gift that keeps on giving! On our TODAY Moms Facebook page, we asked how your kids reacted to opening their holiday presents, and got some adorable stories. Here are some of your sweetest and funniest replies:

Amanda 'Long' Stone My parents bought my son a box of cars fruit snacks (he is a little crazy about fruit snacks). He took off the wrapping and excitedly screamed "Look! I got a box!!" And didn't even care what was inside :)

Nikki Cousinaw Our three year old came out of her bedroom to see the presents under the tree and promptly did a facepalm. Hah. It was HILARIOUS.

Colleen Steves My two year old was amazed by every present and said "tank you" several times. I thought my heart would explode.

Michele Merritt Holloman My kids were blessed with a very good Christmas, however when my 11 yr old opened her portable dvd player she almost cried---she will use this to watch movies in her hospital bed when she has her 12th surgery next month---many thanks to her Mommom who helped :-}

Jennifer Stutts-Pruski My kids were very happy. It was even sweeter to hear them keep saying "Thank you!!!" to Santa and me. My 7 year old son even waited for his 3 year old sister to wake up before he tore into anything!

Michelle Alvarez Dean My 15 month old son wasn't quite sure what to do with the wrapping paper, almost like he didn't want to make a mess. I think his favorite gift was also the least expensive, a broom and dustpan!! He's been sweeping since he got it and as soon as he sees me sweep he grabs it. Love him!!

Jessica Smith Bolyard After an hour of opening presents and playing with them, my nearly three year old daughter, looked at me and my husband and said, "It is Christmas YET?"

Daryl Ayala My son got almost everything he asked Santa for. This is the 2nd Christmas out of 4 that my husband has been deployed and I always try and make it extra special for our 3 year old. His birthday was just 8 days prior so I saved a lot of the really good gifts for Christmas. Mostly Cars items, of course, but what I think his best present was: a t shirt saying 'I'm the BIG brother'!! It was the perfect way to announce my pregnancy :)

Jamie Bishop Every year my sister in law buys all of the kids pajamas to open on Christmas Eve. Last night my 2 year old sat in my lap as we opened it together and as soon as she discovered what they were she lost it... she ran from person to person SCREAMING I love pajamas and jumping up and down. Cutest Christmas moment ever!

Teresa Curtis Kaspar Best reaction was son spending seven hours yesterday putting his new Legos together and he was not going to stop until they were complete!

Heather Thomas Rowa Our kids did not get their "big gift" yet this year, but they didn't even mention any disappointment about it. They have been so thankful and it warms my heart! (the gifts were sold out)

Lori Frownfelter Our little boy will be three in January and he just loved tearing open the packages and yelling OH WOW! Then he wants to play with it and we had to coax him to open the others. When he was done he had just really gotten the hang of it all!...! He really loves everything. Our 14 and 22 year daughters had so much fun helping get things ready for him and each other. We all had a great Christmas. Our oldest daughter and her husband and. our first granddaughter came over in the afternoon to spend the rest of the day. It was a beautiful Christmas!!

Our present to you: More TODAY Moms stories
Dealing with the holiday gimmees
Most unusual requests to Santa 
Why being a Jewish mom at Christmas isn't so bad

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Reality check: 80 percent of all college freshman say they've never had a conversation with their parents about managing their money. What's more, almost one in four of these same teens say it's just fine to blow as much as $500 without checking in with Mom and Pop.

(I'd love to have their allowance, but that's another issue).

The findings are hardly a proud parenting moment. The truth is too many kids are flunking financial literacy and one big reason may be that we've failed to teach our children essential "money-smart lessons."

If you're concerned about your kids' future spending habits, there's no better time to start your money talk than these next few weeks. the "official" holiday shopping mania has begun. Newspapers will be filled with coupons and penny savers. Television ads for holidays "deals" will air non-stop. Teen magazines will feature those supposed holiday "must have" items. Lots of pressure to spend, sure, but this is also the perfect opportunity to let your kids know that money doesn't come easy. It's the time to set clear expectations and limits for your family's spending during the holidays. Here are a few ways to use the holiday season to boost kids' money smarts.

Monitor TV Consumption
Television commercials are relentless in trying to get kids to buy, buy, buy. Research shows that media affects our children's money attitudes and increases materialism. During the next few weeks retailers will be pushing products and urging your kids to spend. Beware of those advertisements! Do take time to explain to your kids the real intention of those advertisers.

Be a  role model
Take your child shopping with you. I dare ya! Show him how you compare prices. Explain to her how you look for bargains. Use those outings as teaching moments to instill good shopping habits.

Teach bargain hunting
If your kids are purchasing gifts for siblings (or even you!) get them involved in checking out penny saver ads. Have them clip coupons. Tune your kids into the bargains at those dollar stores. Hit the outlet malls, and don’t overlook thrift stores and even garage sales. And tell them to watch for sales! Grandma will never know if her present was ten dollars less because Johnny waited to buy until sales day.

Cut impulsive shopping
Set a household rule that your child must write down any pricey intended purchase, and then postpone buying it for at least twenty-four hours. It's a great way to teach kids to delay gratification and to think before spending. (Profound concept, eh?) A younger kid can draw it  on her "wish list." The wait time could vary from an hour or day to a week or month depending on the child's age and maturity.  If your kid loses interest before the time is up, even she will agree that she didn't really want that item after all.

Teach “Wants vs. Needs”
This is the “Gotta Have It NOW Generation,” so a big step in helping today’s kids become smart spenders is teaching the difference between “want it…” versus “need it.” Get your kids to assess what they already have that is still in good shape and can be recycled; what’s missing and then what's really needed is on the holiday request list.  

One-store shopping boosts consumer skills
Your kids planning to do their own holiday shopping? If so, this is a great way to help teach them consumer skills. Consider choosing just one store that has the best bargains in town to take the kids for their shopping this year. By announcing, “We’re shopping only at this store,” the kids are forced to look for the best bargains in one place and you won’t find yourself driving to multiple stores (and bringing back multiple items). Save money and gas. This is also the time for them to bring their coupons and shopping lists.

Consider after-holidays gift buying
Seriously! I know families who realize the best deals are December 26. Those parents set a rule: "You receive a few items under the tree but wait for that pricier item the day after the holidays." The kids learn to appreciate the value of a good deal, the parents are grateful to save a ton of money, and the whole family enjoys that day-after shopping outing for everyone's special-- and better-priced -- gift.

All the best on your shopping!  

Dr. Michele Borba is a TODAY contributor and author of "The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries." Follow her on twitter @micheleborba.

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Moms with colored lights have more fun.

Holiday decorations say a lot about a mom.

Today, the day so many of us start hanging lights and arranging garlands, is a day of Mommy reckoning – a day when it becomes crystal clear which moms  are relaxed and laid back (read: fun) and which ones are uptight and neurotic (read: not-so-fun).

Just take a look at her Christmas tree. And front lawn. And cookies. 

Exhibit A: A tree with colored lights, hand-made ornaments hung unevenly around the bottom, and that annoying, messy tinsel strewn everywhere.  A yard filled with an inflatable Frosty, an army of nutcrackers, and Santa and all eight reindeer (plus Rudolph!) on the roof.  Sugar cookies with heaps of frosting and way too many sprinkles.

Exhibit B: A tree with white lights, glass ornaments hung in perfect symmetry, and not a sliver of tinsel…anywhere. A house trimmed in pristine white, and no inflatable in sight. Perfectly-iced gingerbread men.

So which one are you?

I admit, I’m an exhibit B. (Some would argue B for bossy. Or bullheaded.) I honestly never wanted to be that way. When I first had kids, I assumed I’d be A for amusing. I love the holidays! Of course I’d be fun and carefree.

With a summer baby, the first Christmas was no big deal. She was a few months old so the holiday decorating was mine, all mine. I trimmed the tree in sparkling, white lights, gorgeous, breakable balls, and perfect plaid bows. Oh, it was spectacular, and I swear my 4-month-old baby girl was smiling approvingly from her bouncy seat.

The next year she was 16 months old, walking, talking and wanting to help. So I put the tree up when she was asleep. Two years later her baby brother came along, wanting to help, too.

My concession: I would “prep” the tree (with lights, bows, glass ornaments) and they could “add” the cutesy homemade ornaments they made at school. 

I was no less of a dictator outdoors. The trees and house were always trimmed in white. When the kids asked, “Mommy, why can’t we have colored lights?” I’d say, “Colored lights are tacky.” One year I was thrilled to find gorgeous, resin luminaries to line our yard. My husband had a day off and was to install them. I drove home from work, excited to see them, and gasped when I pulled into the driveway. For there, along with the luminaries, was a giant, inflatable Santa waving at me.  The kids had huge smiles on their faces. “Mom! Dad got it on sale at Home Depot!”

Initially  I didn’t react well (think horror and rage), but Santa eventually found a home on our balcony porch. I think that was the year I finally, sort of, mellowed out.

So what is it about the need for decoration perfection that so messes with our mommy psyche? Why do some of us feel the necessity of a no-hair-out-of-place holiday? You can blame what blogger Christy Miles calls the Martha Stewart/Pottery Barn effect. Flawless, staged holiday scenes from TV and catalogues have warped our expectations.

Miles says her mom played a role in expecting perfection.

Writes Miles:

My mother spent days arranging decorations in the house; she was Martha Stewart before anyone had heard of Martha Stewart.

I was never permitted to touch the “good” tree upstairs, but I was allowed to decorate the “other” tree in the basement. I call it the consolation tree. (Usually my mother would come down later and rearrange all the ornaments again anyway.) Secretly I fear I’ll never be good enough to put together the good tree.

Come to find out, Martha Stewart herself was pretty un-kid-friendly when it came to holidays, according to daughter Alexis, who recently wrote a tell-all book “Whateverland,” about her no-fun childhood and how Martha made her wrap her own presents at Christmas.  (Now, for me, that wouldn’t work. Not if you want the gifts to look just…so.)

Miles found a solution: she let her kids take over the tree-trimming and has made it a hot-cocoa-sipping, super-fun tradition, regardless of what the end result is.

My tree looks disheveled and a little tipsy, kind of like me after the neighborhood holiday party–OK, all of the neighborhood parties–and the complete opposite of any tree ever featured in Pottery Barn. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As my kids (and I) get older, my quest for holiday perfection has lessened, too.

Our house and tree, which we will put up this weekend, are still illuminated in all-white lights.  But the kids, ages 9 and 12, hang all the trimmings (OK, I still give some direction). The handmade ornaments of yesteryear are a source of joy for all of us.  What I would give, now, for a tree FULL of baby handprints and cotton snowmen and paper plate wreaths accented by bowtie pasta…Sigh.

The fancy luminaries and inflatable Santa will come out of storage and make an appearance on our lawn. This year we might even add a Frosty.

Are you a perfectionist when it comes to holiday decorating?

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What's more disturbing: the fact that retailers are already trumpeting the "hot toys" for Christmas, or the fact that one of those hot toys is a plastic dog that poops out putty?

Oh yes. The British Toy Retailers Association chose "Doggie Doo" as one of its top 12 must-have toys for 2012. Kids can "feed" the plastic daschund a Play-Doh-like substance and squeeze its leash to make it "poop," complete with fart noises. The object of the game is to collect the most poop. As one commenter on The Globe & Mail's website said, "If your kids are THAT obsessed with it, I've got a yard full of unclaimed dog bombs they're more than welcome to pick up."

Made by Goliath Games, "Doggie Doo" has a list price of $24.99, and in some places it's already flying off the shelves. On PetMyWeiner.com -- a site that, surprisingly enough, is safe for work/kids -- the game is on back-order "due to overwhelming demand."

One buyer on Amazon raves, perhaps sarcastically: "How could having a dog defecate in your hand not be the most fun you ever had?! So clever it's like the creators know the hidden ambitions of every human being and have instilled all that into one simple toy."

Everybody poops, we know, and kids' fascination with all things excretory is nothing new. But will you welcome a plasticine-pooping pup under your Christmas tree? Are there other toys your kids love that you can't stand? Do you try to steer your children's holiday wish lists in certain directions (away from the drum set or the super-expensive doll, for instance)? And despite your best efforts, do you have relatives who relish giving your kids the most obnoxious, loud toys they can find? (If so, keep them away from this post....)

Get it all out in the comments.

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Now that the holiday shopping season has officially begun, what’s your shopping strategy? Did you wake up at 4 a.m. on Friday to score bargains, are you going online today for “Cyber Monday” deals,  or are you one of those amazingly organized people who finished their Christmas shopping last August?

Or – and here’s another option to ponder – are you trying to cut back on your holiday shopping this year, either to save money or simply because you don’t want to overwhelm your children with a ton of presents?

The TODAY Show reports that Cyber Monday, as today is known in the retail world, is expected to set sales records as more shoppers turn online (beats fighting crowds at the mall).

Here are some cute shopping sites to check out, suggested by the editors of Lucky magazine.

If you do brave the mall with your kids, here's an interesting post on how to turn the holiday madness into a teaching moment about good manners.

For a different take, The New York Times’ Motherlode blog has a great piece on how to give your children experiences, not just presents.

What’s your holiday shopping philosophy? Are you going big, or scaling back this year -- and why?

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