This is done for a couple of reasons. One, it's hard to have kids sit through the present opening process. I myself have been bored out of my wits at bridal showers when the gifts were opened, thank the heavens for alcohol at showers!
Also, if your child gets a gift from someone that he already has or he doesn't like (Dora the Explorer vs Hello Kitty), it keeps them from saying something that might hurt someone's feelings; "I already have this!" or "I don't like Dora!" Children are honest when it comes to what they like. And if your child doesn't say it, another might.
I don't know where you live but sometimes there is compition regarding the amount of money spent. I've seen $50 gift cards to Borders in the same pile as hair accesories (our cousins live in Lincoln Park and some kids have a lot more than others)so that is another thing to consider moving forward.
If you really don't want to open gifts and family members are giving you a hard time tell them that if you open one, you'll feel like you have to open them all and you don't want to spend the party putting toys together, dealing with tears because you don't have batteries and you want to enjoy your son, not have him swallowed up by a toy. This is YOUR day too!
