Amazon has been accused of ruining Christmas after the online retailer sent out purchases intended for under the tree in their original packaging.

The thud of gifts landing on doorsteps with only a shipping sticker attached to them has been matched by the noise of customer complaints – particularly from the parents of young children – on Facebook.

The firm has previously been accused of wrapping purchases in too much packaging, but now in an effort to cut down on waste the company has gone in the opposite direction.

It has led to numerous complaints being posted on Amazon UK’s Facebook page.

Among them was one from Charlie Gemmell, of East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, who posted on the social media page that a blaster gun toy intended as a present for her son had arrived in the original box. Ms Gemmell said was forced to admit that Santa did not exist after the boy spotted it.

In her posting, she thanked Amazon for ruining the “Santa experience for my six-year-old son” who had written a letter to Father Chritmas requesting the gun, which retails new on the site from about £70.

She added: “I ordered it from you and you delivered it… No packaging, which is surprising since you always over pack everything. My son opened the door this afternoon thinking it was his wee friends coming out to play and saw this. No way I could lie my way out of this one.

“You have ruined my last Christmas with my eldest son. I hope no-one else experiences this.”

Paula Napier, from Kinross, Perthshire, managed to avoid her kids seeing the presents, but said: “I know you are often criticised for too much packaging, but come on Amazon. Surely at Christmas time it would have been appropriate to even have wrapped this in brown paper, rather than just sticking the mailing label to the outside of the actual box.

“Luckily I’m not having to explain why Santa needs Amazon’s help.”

Gavin Belton-Rose, from Wrexham, north Wales, accused Amazon of spoiling a surprise gift for his wife by delivering her it in the box with only a shipping sticker on its side.

He added: “I have spent hundreds/thousands of pounds with you over the years and this is the thanks.

“And how you repay me for the inconvenience with a £4 refund. What an insult.”

Blackpool resident Mandy Squire received a Scalextric as a present in its box and no wrapping after ordering the item.

She added: “The person who was supposed to be getting it as a surprise saw it when it was delivered.”

Tracey Wild, from Glossop, Derbyshire, wrote about her son’s AR game gun that had also arrived in similar style.

She added: “A bit of common sense wouldn’t go amiss at this time of year that anything ordered needs at least some sort of packaging.

“If you stopped sending items such as a mascara in a box that’s large enough to house a family of four maybe you wouldn’t run out of boxes and my son wouldn’t know what his Christmas presents are.”

Amazon responded on Facebook to the posts by saying it was attempting to cut down on the amount of packaging it used.

It urged customers to select a gift option during the online checkout process which meant it could be shipped in a branded Amazon box.