Littlewoods taking away the magic of Christmas for our children

[1belfastmum]

On 1st of November I watched in disbelief at the new ad for Littlewoods.com this Christmas. If you havent seen it have a look at it and imagine your 7 year old standing beside you!
The advertisement is communicating that the children have now discovered that mum has bought all the gifts!!
They are making an announcement as they appear out from behind the curtains!
Beginning the song with " who bought the XBox" "mother did" quite clearly is stating that the toys under the tree are not from Santa.

I have been in contact with my local television and radio stations. They have indicated that the ad is scheduled to be broadcast at non specific times over the next few weeks. This even includes Sat morning at 10am!

I am seeking to have this advertisement withdrawn, significantly edited or at the very least broadcast on both radio and TV after the watershed times.

Am I being unreasonable? Life is hard enough without taking away every morsel of magic, mystery and fun for our children also.

I used to worry about that kind of thing too - but certainly with my two they will believe what they want to believe - and a TV advert is certainly not going to destroy teh Santa myth for them.
I remember being abiut 7 and finding a pile of presents hidden behind the sofa. I managed to ratioanlise things in my head so that I still believed in Santa. ds (who at 11 has finally stopeed believing!) admitted that when he found a pile of small toys last year he convinced himself tehy were for someone else - as at that point for hime Santa was still real.

Quite right - if anyone gets an Xbox it's definitely Mum and Dad getting the credit not FC!

FC in this house only brings the small stocking presents.

Just tell hin adverts always lie anyway...

I think I have heard the radio version of this advert. I was more annoyed at all the high priced items mentioned as gifts and the explanation they didn't have to pay for them all at once. Akin to loan companies advertising on kids TV channels IMO.

Not that fussed about the FC aspect, DS knows I buy some presents and send them to santa, my sisters dcs get one present each off him and others have gift tags on, everyone does it slightly differently.

Yanbu, surely it's not the decision of ad execs to decide to let children know Santa isn't real. I agree it should be shown later in the evenings only.

I was prepared to hate the advert but I don't see the problem. Growing up we received a stocking at the end of our bed from santa and maybe a present then downstairs were the gifts from mum and dad. I will be doing the same thing with my DS this year. YABU- though if your child believes all the gifts come from santa you have my sympathies as I want my DS to believe for as long as possible.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Oh that's good, I needed a laugh to cheer me up today! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, thank you so much.

You weren't joking?

Haha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, that's even funnier!

I watched the video and couldn't understand all the sung words anyway. So what is the fuss about? The only bit I could hear enunciated properly was the word Mummy at the end.

I agree that there could have been a 'Daddy' in it too though.

The toys under the tree aren't from santa! Yabu

Its a bad advert because its encouraging people to get into debt to pay for Christmas mind you, going on about it being easy to spread the cost.

Yanbu, OP. I hate the advert. It basically states that mum buys all the presents under the tree and implies that a good mother should get expensive gifts she can't afford on credit - the advert sucks cocks in hell. Hope that Littlewoods goes under, the money grabbing bastards.

Actually, have now watched the ad here and agree that it is a bad ad.

a) most kids in UK think that Santa brings presents - or some of them - so it confusing and potentially upsetting

b) WTF is that about the mum buying herself jewellery, after she has bought every thing for the whole family?

c) it gives the impression that big presents, ie laptop, xbox, camera, mobile phone are the norm, and that if you cannot afford them, get them on credit

I wouldn't go as far as complaining about it but it would make me avoid Littlewoods (not that I shop there, but wouldn't now)

I don't Stranded, but many do.

Stocking fillers from Santa, main presents from Mum and Dad.

When I was young, every single present was from Santa. DS is far too young to understand, but once he does I'll be telling him that Santa left the presents for him.

I do think you're going a bit OTT though, just turn it off when it comes on TV.

Out of interest Stranded, were you truthful to your DC's from the off about who bought the presents and how much you'd spent?

Bothers me more that it's "mummy" doing everything! stranded I guess you could say that but some children don't have a mum either :(

I rather feel that if you decide to tell stories to your children that's fine, but don't expect everyone else to go along with them.

If you tell your child that the icecream van's music means "we're run out of icecream" that won't stop me from hearing the music and going to buy icecream, or even from saying "listen, icecream, let's go get some" in your child's earshot.

As MmeL and others have pointed out there are better things to be annoyed about in this advert.

Stranded
There is a mention of daddy - he gets the watch, while not having to get off his arse and get mummy a present

It's your own fault if you have told your children that every gift comes from Santa

My DD is nearly 10, and she still believes (just about i think). We have stocking presents from the big man, then she gets a present from DH (music box - tradition started the year she was born) one from me (clothes for the big day - also started the year she was born) and then her main pressie from me and DH. We are really fortunate that she is our only child (if wishes were real she would be one of about 4, but sadly it wasnt meant to be). We do accessories, new book, pens or crayons, bubble bath, a game, slippers and jammies from Santa, and her main pressie (last year a bike - bought in July in a sale and stored in my aunts garage).

She will believe as long as she wants to i guess, and knows that the fairies are already on their rounds to report back for the naughty list, and that the other Santas are helping the real one cos he is busy.

OP - i understand your concern, but think you are being a bit OTT about it all.

You make up your own Christmas traditions, or add to your exisiting family ones dont you? Surely at 7 your child recognises an advert for what it is? AN ADVERT - not the truth

Parents buy presents shocker

Meh.

Why on earth would anyone choose to tell their children that Father Christmas delivers all presents though? It's just ridiculous and unsustainable!

Just went and watched the advert. It's an advert. Don't see the problem, really. It's saying BUY THIS STUFF AND YOUR LIFE WILL BE GREAT! Cos that's what adverts do.

Sheesh, you'll be complaining that MacDonalds want you to buy burgers and chips next. And I heard a nasty rumour that KFC want us to have a diet of crispy chicken...

What MmeLindor said, it's not a good ad - it's corporate, it's sexist, and some kids may be confused be it, possibly. Though I do think 'everything comes from Santa' is odd and must be very confusing for them. Do they not have eyes when they go into shops? Do they not see the gifts you make/buy for others. Do they not make/buy gifts themselves? If they make/buy a gift for you don't they think it odd when you don't for them? All very strange IMO.

However OP YABU - If you don't want your son to be upset by an advert, don't allow a large advertising machine to spew adverts you have no control over out at him from the corner of your room whilst you watch as if helpless.