What is an acceptable amount of presents from 'santa'

[BT11]

Just wondering what everyone feels is an acceptable amount of presents from 'Santa' 'Father Christmas' or whatever tradition is celebrated in your home at Christmas?

Personally I was raised with one gift & stocking from Father Christmas and all other gifts (if there were any) were from my parents. They said it was so I wouldn't expect too much from santa and that it was to remind me that they loved me too.

Just to add - there are some parents I used to see on Facebook when I used it with a whole living room full of presents from 'santa' and I would worry that other children might feel upset that Santa didn't get them as much.

I am due my first child soon and I know the whole idea won't become something we do for a few years but just curious how other parents do this? 🙂

I don't really know what amount is acceptable.
I just buy some thing from their lists depending on budget and need.
Everything DH and I buy comes/came from Father Christmas, it's what our parents did when we were younger. Neither of us had stockings, just a selection of presents left downstairs.

a stocking from Santa then all other presents from parents, grand parents etc.

Just a stocking and rarely anything “list” from Santa. Presents from the giver.

Oh cool!

I know I have little while to go but I have been thinking about it as it's that time of the year!

It's nice to have other ideas to go off.

We do a mix but I wish now we’d gone for stocking bits being Santa and the fun stuff from us! Santa brings a stocking and fun stuff here, and then we get them the more boring sensible things like a new dressing gown and slippers!

Our kids get most of their stuff from Father Christmas and just a few from us. They also get some gifts from relatives.
Kids don’t mind, or even register, who gives them the most/more expensive gifts.

The joy is in the giving. Not in getting the most thanks.

Go onto the Christmas board, there are lots of posts about this every year and a lot of differing options. I’m personally on the I fill a room with presents side.

the stocking was from Santa, plus one gift, not expensive. Everything else from us but we didn't overdo it, my kids didn't go without but nor did we measure love in material possessions, plus with winter birthdays too I saved budget for the summer!

We have the stocking gifts and then one bigger gift from Santa. DS is 5 and has no concept of money, so his big Santa gift is a second hand toy that cost me a fiver off of marketplace which he will love. To me the Big Present is the one he will love the most. Stockings are made up of smaller toys, fidget type ones which he likes, new bath stuff and sweeties.
We then have gifts from us and the wider family.

One 'large' present and a stocking from Santa here.

Ooooh I will check it out!

🎄

1 present from Santa and a stocking. Everything else is from the person who gifted it.

Nothing is 'from' Santa here.

DC know that we buy the presents and wrap them, then we send them to Santa for safekeeping. He brings them back on Christmas Eve.

He's basically a celestial delivery man, like Amazon but jolly.

Doing it this means the DC know who to thank for their gifts, they know why some children get a lot and some get very little, and it stops them asking for unrealistic gifts like flying ponies or £50,000 super computers.

Everything from Santa here. Allowed to ask for 2 or 3 things for letter which helps them focus on what the really want and Santa will try and also get surprises.

If I was starting again I would make one present or stocking from Santa as I worry that they assume children who got more must be better behaved and those who got less are naughtier. It hasn't actually come up, but i do worry about the message being sent.

We just go with all presents being from us, but Santa delivers them 🤷‍♀️

As for amount of presents...

DC get one 'big' present such as a bike, laptop, camera, doll house, phone, etc. They then get a mix of other gifts, clothes, pyjamas, sweets, etc. I choose the gifts based on things they've asked for, things they need, and things I think they'll like. They do wrote a list each but they know that this is just an ideas list not an order form and that they won't get everything on it.

I usually spend around £400-£500 per child, I will say though that this is our own budget and other budgets vary. There isn't a right or wrong way to do it.

As many as you can afford. X

Every year, there's an argument on Mumsnet about whether Santa should bring all the presents / only some (with a few outliers saying none).

People have REALLY strong opinions about this.

But do you know what? When they're young most DC won't have a clue what other families do, it's not something they talk about and compare notes on to that extent.

Heck, my DC didn't even notice Santa gave THEM different amounts of presents alternate years, till they were old enough to know Santa isn't real.

We alternate between the grandparents on each side for Christmas. My family have always done stockings from Father Christmas, presents under the tree from actual named people. My mum give my DC presents from her, she doesn't give them stuff from FC.

DP's family do stockings AND presents under the tree from Santa, and MIL gets a LOT of presents "from Santa".

So it changed from one year to the next for my DC.

But, the DC have never once mentioned this difference. I think the whole thing is so overwhelming (in a good way) they're not stopping to question where the presents came from.

Create your own family traditions, OP! Lots of fun to be had there.

This is the first year that's my toddlers understand Santa. They'll each get one big present and a stocking from Santa. Everything else (and I've gone a bit crazy buying stuff) is from me.

As a child, from Santa we got : big present, stocking, surprise present and an annual.

Stocking and one medium-sized gift is from Santa. Rest is from named individuals. Did it that way when I was a kid too. One present was always sitting by the fireplace in the morning - that was what Santa had brought.

One big present and stocking filled, everything else is from us.

We do all presents from Father Christmas. That’s how had it as a child and I loved the magic!

We just do one gift from Santa (that's all he can fit on his sleigh). Nothing too big either. We don't do stockings. All other gifts (and we try not to go mad) are from us and family.

We (parents) buy them 1-3 main presents each and FC brings them a sack of about 10 things each - nothing particularly high value but at least one or 2 things will be something they've asked for in their letters.