This "reindeer food" malarkey........

[MakemineaGandT]

Since when did "reindeer food" become an integral part of Christmas? Obviously a carrot left out for rudolf is a must, but what's with this oats/glitter business? It seems to be a requirement for every household with young children. I refuse to get sucked in....... Seriously though, where's all this come from? Don't remember ANYONE doing it when we were all little.....

[AMumInScotland]

All part of the rampant "Christmas inflation" as far as I'm concerned. We asked when we were little if we should leave out a carrot and a glass of milk, as we'd heard tell of such things somewhere... my parents suggested that Santa might like a can of beer and a chocolate biscuit better. They never went to great lengths to convince us about it all, though the beer and bistuits did tend to be consumed...

[shoptilidrop]

Yes, but it is lovely. I am making reindeer food with DD this afternoon.
Oats, glitter and xmas shapes out of foil. She will love it, i will groan as the kitchen is turned into a glittery mess.

[Diselfchanted3]

I think its just a 21st century extension of the carrot thing, but these days it has to be bigger, better, glitzier than 30 years ago because everything is!

[MrsMattie]

My 4 yr old wouldn't buy a few oats mixed with a bit of glitter. He's barely convinced by the whole Santa thing as it is ('but mummy why does he come down the chimney? How does he fit? Dies he eat all the mince peis people leave for him? Reindeers don't really fly, do they?' etc etc)

[nappyaddict]

I was told not to use glitter cos it stays there forever but does anyone know if this applies to edible glitter as well or just normal craft glitter?

[mistletoeandjuan]

I'm not convinced about all this reindeer food and santa keys stuff at all. IMO, the more you over do things, the more it takes away from the magic.

[MakemineaGandT]

hang on a minute.....santa keys?? What fresh Christmas hell is this? Haven't heard of that one....please explain!

(my poor DC's must be missing out!)

[mistletoeandjuan]

You can buy special keys to leave out for Father Christmas to get in if you haven't got a chimney / fireplace.

Your DCs aren't missing out

[GoldenSnitch]

We made a small pouch of "reindeer food" at a Christmas event in one of the parks last year. Oats and glitter wrapped up in a piece of fabric and tied with ribbon. It was free so we went with it.

No way am I sprinkling it on the floor though! I'll have enough to do on Christmas day without having to vac up blinking glitter off the floor!!

[midnightexpress]

santa keys are so he can get into houses with no chimney of course.

DS1 arrived home from nursery today with a wee packet of 'rudolph food' he's made.

We never did it either as a kid, but no worse than a carrot I don't think really.

[jemart]

I'm going with the can of beer and a biscuit plan.
Rudolf get loads of carrots, must be boring for him

[GoldenSnitch]

DS will make a "cookie" for santa this year again.

1 rich tea biscuit, decorated with writing icing and sprinkles

Cheap and tasty.

[daisy99divine]

My DS has written to ask Santa what he wants in his sandwiches. I am agog for the reply....

I always wondered why my Dad was so insistent that Santa would prefer his suggestion of brandy to mine of a glass of water

[Longtinsellyjosie]

Santa had a glass of sherry when I was growing up, and Rudolph had a carrot.

He'd have to have been pretty leathered by the time he got round all the houses, it's a wonder we all got the right presents!

[wheelsonthebus]

somebody on mn last year said they sprinkled icing sugar/flour on the stairs and made hoof prints so dc would think the reindeer walked down then

[nannynobnobs]

GoldenSnitch the idea is you chuck it round the garden path. The twinkly glitter and yummy oats lead the reindeer to your house.
(then the birds eat the oats on Christmas day).
We put some out last year because DD1's school were selling it for 50p a bag at the Christmas fair. I thought it was quite a sweet idea, but not one that's going to get done every year.

[CaptainUnderpants]

I have never heard of this reindeer food of oats and glitter - we stick with carrot ( which we bite a bit off and leave the rest - teeth marks etc~) mince pie and a Baileys !

Looks like it might be the last year that Santa pays us a visit - boys 9 & 7 are having their doubts .

So whatever the 'in ' theme is for Santas snack make the most of he magic whilst you can .

[Bathsheba]

My DD1's Nursery class made Reindeer Food to sell at a Christmas Fayre one year - I thought it was fantastic as it was something that they could genuinely help to make...

They were able to mix it and bag it and decorate the bags and then sell it for really not very much (25p per bag I think) which helped raise school funds AND was genuinely made by the children

[GrungeBlobPrimpants]

Oh reindeer food is fab

though one year Santa was slightly caught out by dc's note not to forget the hamster so Santa wrote back that the reindeer wanted to share their carrot end with hammy.

Santa will continue to require large amounts of mine pies and alcohol on Christmas Eve even when dcs fully gronw

[becaroo]

I use bird seed and mix glitter into it We also leave out some water "in case rudolph gets thirsty mummy"

Santa gets whatever mh dh fancies eating!!!!

[SnowMuchToBits]

I am seriously worried that Rudolph might eat the glitter

[PeedOffWithNits]

we leave a mince pie,glass of milk, bowl of water and a carrot - santa and rudolph always leave the DCs a thank you note

[PeedOffWithNits]

rudolph the red nosed reindeer, had a very glittery nose....

when do we get our santa smileys?

[SueFley]

santa keys woul have freaked me out as a kid

[PeedOffWithNits]

santa doesn't NEED a bloomin' key, he's magic