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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To claim all the credit myself for Christmas presents?

34 replies

Beastofburden · 20/12/2013 19:01

Lots of Christmas threads at the moment. People talking about all the presents being "from Santa".

We always had nice stockings from Father Christmas, with little things in them, not wrapped. Proper presents were under the tree, wrapped, and from me, or daddy, or grandma, or a sibling.

If everything is from Santa, how does the child say thank you? And what stops them asking for stuff you cant afford? And do people say that even presents from grandma etc are from Santa? If so, what happens with thank you letters?

Is it just me that does it this way? Am I just old?

OP posts:

formerbabe · 20/12/2013 19:03

I agree with you. My kids have stockings with small gifts from Santa. Big presses are under the tree and from me and dh as well as other relatives.

Joysmum · 20/12/2013 19:03

In our house, Santa gives a small present relating to the main gift from hubby and I. He also delivers all the presents that we and other family members want him to but not all the presents.

Original poster

Beastofburden · 20/12/2013 19:05

Ah, ok, so Santa is sometimes just the postie? That makes more sense.

OP posts:

Mishmashofstyles · 20/12/2013 19:11

Here Santa gives a little pile at the end of the bed on Christmas morning then downstairs under the tree there are presents from everyone else. They're there already though.

LadyBeagleEyes · 20/12/2013 19:14

All the presents from me and my ex were from Santa, stockings and a santa sack that we filled up overnight.
All the wrapped ones were from extended family.
He never, ever questioned why we didn't give him anything and when he stopped believing he was assured he'd still get the same. He was totally sanguine about it as he was growing up.
I never expected thanks for me on Christmas Day, the utter magic of Santa and carrots for the reindeer and a whisky for santa made it for me.
Now he at 18 I get thanks and hugs, but I wouldn't change how we did it back in the day.
I didn't bring him up to feel eternally grateful for being born.

CSIJanner · 20/12/2013 20:15

We're the same as MishMash here - santa leaves a present the end of bed and fills the stockings are on the mantle. The rest is from relatives & friends.

Hebburnisaplaceonearth · 20/12/2013 21:08

Santa fills the stockings (pants, socks, books, pens, hair clips, little game, DVD etc) and we get them a 'proper' wrapped present for under the tree...

OutragedFromLeeds · 20/12/2013 21:21

We have stockings and one 'big' present from Santa, the rest from whoever bought them (us, grandparents, aunts/uncles etc.).

YANBU apart from not wrapping the stocking presents that is unforgivable!!

Original poster

Beastofburden · 20/12/2013 21:48

Ooh feel bad now. Might wrap the stocking presents, so some f them anyway... Thank you all for the replies, looks as if I am at the extreme end of normal (no change there, then :) )

OP posts:

hallowisitmeyourelookingfor · 20/12/2013 22:02

Stockings left on beds are from FC. They are wrapped and are stuffed to the brim with tonnes of presents in them, most items are between £10-£15, and are largely the cheaper items from their lists to him so he has essentially brought them things they've asked for (this year some of those are Lush bits, diaries, pencil cases, Lego alarm clock, small lego sets, Hama bead stuff, sylvanian sets etc).
The more expensive things they asked for are downstairs wrapped under the tree from us. It was never about taking credit, more that we felt we would be in a better position to make them take care of their presents and teach them the value of them by us buying them and not being brought by a magical man who could just replace expensive stuff year after year if they hadn't looked after things.
So far though, they have taken good care of their past Christmas presents and we've never needed to drum it into them.

sykadelic15 · 21/12/2013 00:13

Stocking presents were never wrapped (which I was fine with) and to be honest I have one main memory of stockings and I don't remember if it was from Santa or mum and dad. One or two big presents were from Santa (depending on type/size) and the rest were from mum and dad (or other family/friends if present).

Santa never got "all" the glory, but he did get some of course.

phantomnamechanger · 21/12/2013 00:18

we do main gift from santa and also stocking fillers (all wrapped I must add, adds to the fun/suspense of opening them all!), then stuff from us too but none of that is very expensive and most of it useful eg clothes they need anyway, stationery/pens for school & nice smellies for the older girls

Original poster

Beastofburden · 21/12/2013 09:55

Yes, the "taking credit" thing was not completely serious! But I was a bit uneasy about a system where the DC get lots of expensive things as if by magic. I get the impression that it was more common in the US when I was younger, as was saying "Santa" rather than "Father Christmas" or "Santa Claus" if you wanted to sound Nordic :)

A friend used to do that Santa Lucia thing where her DD would wear a crown of candles and she would light them. I never had a child who would stand still long enough, sounds bloody terrifying to me.

OP posts:

FryOneFatChristmasGoose · 21/12/2013 10:13

In our famillies (DP and mine), it has always been the case that only the stockings were from Santa. All other presents were and are from the giver, so thanks go where they are due.

Although, both DCs have known for a long time that "Santa" is either me or DP, and the game now is trying to stay awake long enough to catch us leaving the stocking

BabyDubsEverywhere · 21/12/2013 10:17

Santa brings the stockings in their rooms, and the pile in the living room plus the big item each. Under the tree there will be a pressie to each of them from 'mom and dad' and all the gifts from 'other people' labelled as such.

This is what everyone I know does, except one family who claim everything is from santa and that he has left gifts at other peoples houses for the dc and those people have to give them to the dc but they are really from santa - weirdos!

MalcolmTuckersMistress · 21/12/2013 10:47

Santa brings their main big presents and their stockings. All of which we really go to town on. From us they get one thing each usually quite modest. They know we could never "afford" their amazing Santa presents and they never expect much from us. This is the same with birthdays, generally pretty modest. We are fine letting him take all the glory because we think it adds to the magic which will stay with them forever right into their adulthood. Hopefully when they are grown up they will look back and appreciate the effort that was made for them to have such magical Christmases and do the same for their kids.

Well, that's the theory anyway!!

quietbatperson · 21/12/2013 10:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ElfontheShelfIsWATCHINGYOUTOO · 21/12/2013 11:44

Christmas and Santa is generally for the children.

They only believe for a few years, why I ask is it so important to YOU to get some praise for the gifts? Why cant you mix it up but let Santa get most of the thanks.

We always had a mix of presents under our tree, slowly building up from various relatives, siblings and so on. However Santa would still bring the big spread on xmas day.

I just feel, its so petty and mean spirited to watch your DC open a presents, feel joy and yet the adult is there feeling put out because they are not getting the direct thanks to them, personally?

After age 8, 9? They are going to find out anyway then you can get all the direct thanks and worship you need?

We have a mix under tree, I had brought my DD's some nice presents from us, but 80% and the MAIN present ( which isn't that pricey anyway at £35) will be from HIM. The only reason I have separated this year is so she knows we have also got her some stuff...for her sake, not ours!

ElfontheShelfIsWATCHINGYOUTOO · 21/12/2013 11:45

We are fine letting him take all the glory because we think it adds to the magic which will stay with them forever right into their adulthood. Hopefully when they are grown up they will look back and appreciate the effort that was made for them to have such magical Christmases and do the same for their kids

This ^, they have a whole entire lifetime to receive gifts from you

hootloop · 21/12/2013 11:55

Father Christmas has only ever been a delivery man here, bith when I was growing up and at in DH's family.

FeastOfPhteven · 21/12/2013 11:57

I've only ever heard of the stockings being from FC on mn.

In my house all the presents under the tree and in stockings come from Santa. Same as when I was a child.

purrforamincepie · 21/12/2013 12:05

Christmas and Santa are not just for children, don't start on that bandwagon again. Ooooh

Stocking and wee pile from Santa. Things under the tree from family and friends.

One year Santa put a scooter in the garage, I was dead impressed.

noswingpark · 21/12/2013 12:18

I'm exactly the same as ladybeagleEyes. All the presents are from Father Christmas. The only family we have (on mine and husbands side) is my mother. She signs all the presents she buys from Father Christmas and has plenty enough thanks from me.
Until I joined mumsnet I didn't realise that this wasn't how everyone does it!

CoffeeQueen187 · 21/12/2013 12:24

My kids know I buy their presents. But then they get sent to Santa and he decides if they're on the naughty or nice list and brings them on Christmas Eve.

Presents from friends/family are from friends and family.

CoffeeQueen187 · 21/12/2013 12:25

I had to come up with that 2 years ago as they found my present stash

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