Aibu to give dd (8) and empty stocking for Christmas...

[spidersolitare]

Well ,empty apart from concert tickets to see one direction?

Ahhhhhhh posting on phone and read so much more coherently on there? But yes still think you are being unreasonable. You clearly don't though?

Seriously?

A few bits of makeup, some chocs and a top?

How much will that add up to, for stocking presents? £30?

I think a small part of you thinks it isn't a brilliant idea or why bother posting you'd just do it regardless of what others thought.....

She's not a teenager, she needs to be accompanied by an adult to go so why not both parents? That way they all get to share the experience.
Also, I just can't imagine a child who likes One Direction to be disappointed at getting such a special gift...

I can see the intended humour in it, but I think she's both a bit too old and a bit too young. She's old enough to have certain expectations of what's done and how it's done, and possibly too old to believe in Father Christmas - but also too young to have lost those expectations and possibly to have lost the desire to believe in FC.

I can't help thinking that whilst you'll definitely get the SQUEEEE, you'll also get disappointment - either that there's no tat/little surprises in the stocking, which is what stockings are about, as everyone knows - or that you have confirmed that there's no FC when she was still hoping her friends were lying - or that FC gave her the tickets and you didn't get her anything.

I think that big presents in a little stocking would be better left till she's 15 or so. Either no stocking at all or a stocking full of little surprises at 10!

'Also, I just can't imagine a child who likes One Direction to be disappointed at getting such a special gift...'

but why present it in an empty stocking? So many more exciting, magical, special ways to do it. Putting it at the bottom of a filled stocking will be more exciting for the DD, more exciting for the OP and her DH (waiting for her to get to it), doesn't need to be expensive and doesn't need to be tat. So why not do it? I agree with littlecloud if the OP thought it was a fantastic idea she'd have just done it. It's not a fantastic idea, there are better ways to do it.

Is the stocking her only gift from you? If so, i would fill with bits she can open and enjoy on the day.

For a concert, i'd have not bought a ticket for DH but would have got one for a friend as much more fun. Plus its more of a present, adult tickets are not part of the present so unfair to count them in the budget as its not her fault she cannot go alone.

There are so many aspects to it...... She will be getting lots of presents.

I want it to be a big deal because it is a big deal, and by adding other stuff to it just cheapest the gift important.

Where is the fun in opening knickers and socks?

I honestly cannot see why you started this thread .

I agree completely that adding other gifts and having the tickets as just one of many gifts in a stocking makes it seem so much less important and special.

OutragedFromLeeds I think that if it was part of a filled stocking then it wouldn't be such a big deal

HappyMummyOfOne, I don't see why adult tickets aren't a part of it, he gift is going to see One Direction with her mum and dad

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If that's really tge only thing she wants then fine, print out the ferry and hotel as well!

'Where is the fun in opening knickers and socks?'

Everyone likes socks surely? I'm sure you can get some 1D ones. It's fun to open little presents. Then when she gets to the last one and expects another small present and finds the tickets it will be a much greater shock . She's had the fun of the stocking AND the shock of the tickets.

So to be clear. There will be presents under the tree. There will also be a small stocking with a gold envelope containing dream concert tickets?

Sounds perfect OP. YANBU.

If you want it to be a big deal there are much better ways of going about it... As others have suggested a scavenger hunt with clues leading to the ticket. A box with in a box, with in a box etc under the tree. In a Christmas cracker. An empty stocking isn't a great idea. Generally stockings aren't for 'wow' presents either do her a nice little stocking that she'll enjoy opening filled with cheap but useful bits. Or no stocking, if you don't want to go down a stockings tradition thing for your family. Just leaving a beautifully wrapped box at the end of her bed would be so much better than an empty stocking IMHO.

I think there's been lots of decent suggestions (esp at the beginning of the thread before the 'family trip' became an issue). If you still want to do the empty stocking and you're sure she'll see the funny side then go ahead. As long as she's got other presents to open I don't see it as a major issue.

TheDoctrineOfWho, I only suggested the hamper idea as a way of the OPs DD still getting presents to open early whilst feeling grown up (can be very important for some girls at that age and what my DSis does for my niece aged 12) Haven't seen any mention of money being the OPs problem with the stocking just that she didn't want the tickets cheapened by lots of 'tat'.

satsuma in the toe
raisins wrapped in foil
a couple of hair clips
a silly kiddie colouring book from Hawkins bazaar
lots of crumpled tissue paper
a gold envelope

she will shriek so loud the whole street will hear

'Haven't seen any mention of money being the OPs problem '

She has said this. That's why everyone is questioning the need for two adults to go.

I personally love the tat in stockings though. That's the fun of them!

I think it would be brilliant. My 8 year old would completely get it and think it was brilliant. He wouldn't feel hard done by. But you know your child. Go with your instinct.

Could you put the gold envelope on the tree and wait for her to notice it? Or get someone to post it through the door? That would be more exciting than an empty stocking.

I think it will also be more of a big deal if you don't give it first thing. How can the rest of the day match up to that? I'd start as normal and then wait a bit for the tickets, either at the bottom of the stocking, under the tree, on the tree, in a cracker etc. all better than an empty stocking.

Oops my fault for skimming through that bit. In that case agree with pancakesfortea. If your DD would find it funny just do it whatever everyone else says.

I think people are confused by both of you going to the concert, we'd certainly consider taking the trip (though I have often taken trips to other cities with just one dc eg ds2 and I went on our own to athletics in Birmingham and dh took him to London to Pompeii exhibition) together, but one of us would be going to an art gallery on our own or something-no way would I pay for 3 tickets!

We go bowling together, the cinema together, skating, museums, shows that are multi generational eg panto .We do love doing things together.

However, stuff that's specifically for kids that we're not interested in eg Horrible Histories or Matilda-we wouldn't dream of it, if we want adult company we'd team up with a friend and their child...which is exactly what I did for the aforementioned shows. I'd put 1D firmly in that category, I'm 39 and dh's 50 -we'd purely be there as babysitters!
I took dd to see the 1D film over the summer, can just imagine dh's face if I'd suggested he come to that for a bonding experience!

I think it's really nice that your dd will love going as a family. Family should be part of wider culture, not a separate thing. I hope my Ds still wants to do stuff with me when he's older

For the stocking idea... You know your dd, will she be a little sad to see the stocking tradition broken, how important is it to her?

As a mother of a One Direction fan, I get that the moment she wakes up and sees the ticket, nothing else will matter. Could you get £2 worth of chocolate just so she doesn't feel left out, I guess? But she will be oer the moon and leaping around type happy probably. My DD had her birthday, the tickets to a 1D concert were her only present. It was still evidently her happiest birthday ever and she is still asking if it's actually happening and it isn't a joke. I don't get the whole love for Liam but honestly, if she's getting presents under the tree, then tat won't add anything, she won't notice it all all.

Maybe you could put an envelope with clues to a place you've hidden the tickets? Then she could get excited and look around and have that excitement of the morning, and even more when she discovers the actual tickets.