Christmas present and Father Christmas dilemma

[MollieO]

I was on the phone to my mum today as she was looking after ds because holiday club was shut. I said I would come and collect ds after I had taken the darth vader suit home. I didn't realise mum had me on speakerphone so ds heard every word.

His letter to FC asked for one present - a darth vader suit.

What on earth do I do? If I give it to him from FC won't he realise it is from me and therefore think that FC doesn't exist? Or do I give it from me and say that FC gave it to me in advance as he wanted me to have something to give ds for Christmas?

It was supposed to be his main present. The other present is a truck and horse trailer which the man in the tack shop said FC would know that ds wanted.

He is 5 and is a firm believer.

he wont remember, if he does say fc dropped it off for you as it was the last one the elves made and he wanted to be extra sure you got it. ime kids believe alot of unbelievable rubbish1

He will remember. He is like an elephant. He never forgets a thing. I like the elves story.

In our family we've always been told that mums and dads help father christmas with the shopping. They then take the presents upstairs and leave them on the parents bed for the elves and fairies to collect and take to father christmas. I belived it and so does ds!

Just give the present from you, not from FC. The presents on my DD's (6) list, some come from FC, some from us and some she doesn't get. Usually, after all the excitement that is Christmas, she doesn't usually remember who gave her what. But, if needs be substitute it for a present that you were planning to give.

Also, I always like to take the credit for giving the best presents .

you give him the dv suit
horse stuff from santa
or even -as in our house - stocking tat only from santa. the good stuff comes from us.
if any awkward questions just say you and santa are very in tune

But were you possibly refering to a picture of the Darth Vader suit so FC knows precisely what it looks like?

Just want to make sure FC gets it right; after all would be terrible if he bought the Princess Leia outfit by mistake!

Picture of dv? That is a really good idea! If ds hadn't written to FC and only asked for the dv suit I wouldn't feel so bothered. I don't want ds to feel that FC let him down and didn't actually bring him the present he wanted so mum had to get it (which is the other possible interpretation).

He hasn't mentioned it so far but knowing ds it will pop up as an issue bedtime on Christmas Eve. Hence I need to be prepared .

But EVERYONE knows that FC will hand some presents out to parents before the big day to make sure they are there for Xmas day.

honestly it is madness to continue any complicated charade about it. he will Smell A Rat and work it out even quicker

give him the dv suit from you. he won't feel let down, he'll just be made up that he's got what he wanted. he won;t stop believing on a technicality

I don't know. Ds is one for analysing stuff. He will want to know the details .

my children knew i bought the presents becuase - they had a budget as back then we were skint.

how do the reconcile - toys being in shops - then santa does what? buys then queues up in toys R us and then and brings them?

no course not.

mums and dads by the presents, but they don't work unless the magic elf dust is sprinkled on them

i told my 6 yo nephew that my 16 yo son wrote to santa to ask santa to go skateboarding with him

kids believe any old shit

if he is likely to spend time thinking about it - even more reason not to make up any more elaborations.

Don't say anything. If you have to say something, santa didn't bring you the dv suit because he knew I'd already got you one.