My wife likes to tell the story of when they were little and on Christmas Eve they would eat and then open presents. Every year before they opened presents the adults would do all the dishes first. While the kids sat there, practically leaping out of their skin with anticipation, the adults slowly washed all the dishes by hand, wiped the counters, and put away the leftovers.

What kid with presents under the tree does not sit with anticipation as the time to open their presents gets close?

Why do they do this?

The joy they will receive from the gift they earnestly expect.