Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think discussing Christmas with a 3 year old in October is not necessary?

50 replies

ChocolateBiscuitCake · 30/10/2011 07:19

MIL has stayed twice this week and discussed at length at every opportunity Father Christmas and how he leaves presents blah, blah.

He is just 3 (end of sept). It is only October. Not even haloween...
Aibu to think it is a) stupid and b) unnecessary to discuss Christmas. Poor child has no real concept of weeks and months!!! (plus her version of what FC does says is different from 'mine' which really grates!)

So Aibu?

OP posts:
Proudnscary · 30/10/2011 07:22

My mum is the same. Yes it's irritating but that's what grandmas do - spoil the grand kids and work them up into a frenzy leaving you with the fall out!
You're not BU but what can you do? It's not the most serious situation in the world so chillax (used ironically - dreadful word).

guzzlepuzzle · 30/10/2011 07:24

yabu Grin i have had many conversations with my 5&nearly 3 year olds already ...mainly with the words "behave please santa is watching " Grin

Sirzy · 30/10/2011 07:25

It's pretty hard to avoid all things christmas anyway unless you stay away from any shops for the next few months!

NoobyNoob · 30/10/2011 07:27

FGS! Lighten up! She's obviously excited about it so leave her be.

CreepyCaesar · 30/10/2011 07:30

YABU

Is DS her first grandchild? She's prob just excited about him be able to get it for the first year.

But I would be annoyed purely because I would want to tell him myself and my version of it.

Embrace the season I say!!

OddBoots · 30/10/2011 07:39

If you have a good relationship with her it might be worth discussing with her how you plan to 'do' (as it were) Father Christmas so your DS doesn't get confused but otherwise that sounds normal.

Hungrydragon · 30/10/2011 07:43

YABU a but as if there is no concept of time you just say not for aaaages.

seeker · 30/10/2011 07:43

I just knew this thread was going to be about a MIL!

Esta3GG · 30/10/2011 07:54

Don't be such a misery guts. He is 3 FGS.

altinkum · 30/10/2011 08:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Alibabaandthe80nappies · 30/10/2011 08:07

YABU - she is just excited. We have begun to mention Father Christmas here in relation to good behaviour!

Dozer · 30/10/2011 08:12

YABU Mr Scrooge.

pigletmania · 30/10/2011 08:14

YABU she is just excited and happy, and wants to make it special for your ds. Yes I know its annoying but suck it up!

exoticfruits · 30/10/2011 08:16

I wouldn't do it myself, but you really can't control what others say! Obviously if it is toxic you would remove them but this is just a fond granny.
People need to relax and understand that they can only control themselves and not the DCs whole environment.

allhailtheaubergine · 30/10/2011 08:16

Totally unnecessary, as are many of the lovelier things in life :)

hayleysd · 30/10/2011 08:18

My kids have written their Xmas lists etc a few weeks ago, it's only 50 something sleeps!

Original poster
ChocolateBiscuitCake · 30/10/2011 08:44

Dont get me wrong - I have no problem with her getting into the Christmas spirit and discussing FC. But I have got a problem with it being so early!!! FIL had to stop her buying a tree (plastic) in homebase in the week because he knew how much I would not approve (last year she bought ds's 5 extremely tacky singing Christmas creatures at separate junctures over her Christmas season, pre November!!). They now live at Fara...

I get that she is excited about ds, but he is my eldest and surely mums have a right to indulge their children too. It is not just a GP privilege?

OP posts:
Andrewofgg · 30/10/2011 08:47

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Scrooge is the finest character in English literature until Dickens ruins him in the last chapter!

luckyrocketshipunderpants · 30/10/2011 09:14

We're talking about Christmas quite a lot already with DD age 4 but that is partly because we have a baby due on 23 December so we're not at all sure how the holiday is going to pan out this year.

exoticfruits · 30/10/2011 09:25

It really doesn't matter-you can't control what people say to your DCs! You can remove them, but it seems a bit OTT to stop contact over a chat about FC!

GrownUpZombieKiller · 30/10/2011 09:30

Well, we can't avoid it as we're making the cakes now and sewing decorations. No MIL to worry about here.

colken · 30/10/2011 09:36

Well, I'm a grandparent. I don't talk to my grandsons about Christmas in October or November because presents are (I thought) supposed to be a surprise and we celebrate the coming of Jesus in December not September or October. Hmmm, now I remember taking a GS to see Santa Claus (yes, Santa Claus) at a garden centre a couple of years ago. I do not ask them what they want would like Santa Claus to bring because it's always a surprise for them. A word from their parents often helps, of course.

We cannot keep Christmas a secret for as long as we would like though because of all the commercial interests in the shops. Christmas lights going up in December, brass bands in the streets playing carols and Advent calendars are the beginning of Christmas for me.

exoticfruits · 30/10/2011 11:32

My Christmas cake is now in the oven, so I don't know quite how you avoid it.

Trills · 30/10/2011 11:44

YANBU - "50 sleeps" is a long time for a 3 year old to wait for something exciting that granny has told him about.

ChippingInAutumnLover · 30/10/2011 11:50

Wow - a Granny getting excited about Christmas - shoot her now.

You need to stop being so childish, you can both get him excited about Christmas and it was really mean of you to give away the Christmas things she bought him last year, really mean.

Swipe left for the next trending thread