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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to only do 1 gift from Santa?

55 replies

KissingFish · 10/12/2015 09:49

Our son will be 20 months at Christmas and before Christmas last year my wife and I had a chat about the whole Santa thing and we decided that we will give our son 1 gift from Santa, always something made from wood (because that's what they make in the workshop) and all other gifts will be from us or grandparents or whoever.
We decided to do this so that if we ever got into a situation where we can't afford to buy many gifts at Christmas we can tell him he wont be getting a lot because we haven't got the money. But we will always be able to afford something from Santa.

I've been told a few times that I am being unreasonable and all the gifts should be from Santa and we will be ruining his childhood etc.
I just don't want to be stuck one day panicking because he's written a list and I can't afford to get everything for Santa to deliver.

I'm not a grinch or anything (I've been called one) I am Christmas mad. My siblings call me Mrs Christmas Xmas Grin

OP posts:
Seeline · 10/12/2015 09:51

In our house, Santa does the stocking - all other presents come from family/friends. the stocking contains small, fun presents that adapt as the kids have got older but usually some sweets, pens, pencils, sox, small book, maybe a CD, small toys etc.

rudolphistheboss · 10/12/2015 09:52

That sounds lovely to me. Christmas won't be 'ruined' because he hasn't got tons of plastic tat purporting to be from Santa. Your idea sounds lovely and you can still have the magic of Santa. Surely it's nobody else's business how you have Christmas in your house?

waitingforsomething · 10/12/2015 09:52

Of course you're not. Everyone's traditions a are different with regards to who presents are from and your ds sounds like he will be getting plenty of gifts and will have a lovely day

Seeline · 10/12/2015 09:53

Sorry - posted too soon. Sometimes Santa has left a bigger family present under the tree - perhaps a family board game etc, but not every year. My DCs are 11 and 14 now and still love their stockings. They certainly don't seem traumatised by the way Christmas happens in our house.

hefzi · 10/12/2015 09:53

Father Christmas has always done our stockings - everyone else gets credit for the presents they give. Don't worry about it - you do what's right for your family over this, and sod anyone who tells you otherwise Grin

Mordirig · 10/12/2015 09:53

Ermmm, YANBU, in fact I like the idea of a wooden present from Santa!
Plus if ALL the presents are from Santa how on earth does he fit all the other kids presents in the sack as well? Wink

My children only have one present from Santa, usually the main present they've been after all year and then one main one from us and a sack they open in bed filled with various things from socks/sweeties to Books/DVDs and all manner of tat in between!

BooyakaTurkeyisMassive · 10/12/2015 09:54

This is standard practice in Ireland. Kids get one 'Santie present' and all the rest are from whoever bought them.

I am English, my husband Irish, but we are going to follow this tradition. It works really well, I think it's nice for children to know that their parents have put a lot of work in to choose nice things for them rather than just thinking they magically appear.

stairbears · 10/12/2015 09:54

Bollocks. Like the pp, literally the stocking was from FC in our home growing up. I'm also carrying on the tradition for my own children (though dp did it the other way growing up). Father Christmas ain't gonna get all the glory in this house!

RubbleBubble00 · 10/12/2015 09:57

That's what we do. Money's been tight in the past

sofiahelin · 10/12/2015 09:58

Wish I'd done this!
We do stocking from Father Christmas that way you're not stuck explaining why Santa can't afford £200 of gifts!!
Love the wooden toy idea though, good on you for thinking of it, it's lovely & a fab idea, those who tell you otherwise can bog off!

ZiggyWiggy · 10/12/2015 10:00

We say the stockings are from Santa and one medium size present. This year will be a bing toy for the baby and playmobil for the older one. Everything else is from us or family/friends. We've explained that Santa has a budget as he's got to buy/make for all the boys and girls in the world. So no bikes ect from Santa, they can ask for big presents from us and it will depend on our budget. Do what works for you. You've still got time to change how you do things if you want. My son didn't get Santa until last year when he was three.

MontyYouTerribleCunt · 10/12/2015 10:05

Yanbu! That's a lovely idea. My DD is too young to really know anything about Santa but when she does I think I'll steal your idea do the same as you. Hope you don't mind.

Jibberjabberjooo · 10/12/2015 10:06

My 3 year old has told me what he wants from Santa, the rest of his presents are from family. I don't want him thinking Santa brings everything.

CinnamonStar · 10/12/2015 10:07

I think it's fine and you should just do what you want. I might extend the wooden-only to cloth and cardboard and paper as well, if it was me, then you have the option of cuddly toys and books and games as well.

We didn't have much money growing up, (and just got a stocking from FC anyway). It only had a few very small things in, but we were still wild with excitement about FC coming, and opening our stocking gifts. It was the most thrilling part of Christmas, and it genuinely didn't matter at all that we were only unwrapping some pencils and a pair of socks.

littledrummergirl · 10/12/2015 10:08

Yanbu
I refused to say any presents were from Santa but wrapped the main gift in Santa paper with a beautiful Santa label and get my sister to write "to name & surname"
I leave the rest to their imaginations.

Love the idea of it being a wooden toy.

Bambambini · 10/12/2015 10:11

YANBU (actually thought this was a piss take thread and first) to do it your way. Wonder if you might change your mind as he gets older and goes to school though. He might think Santa doesn't like him much as he toots on his wooden lute and Archie has a fuck off awesome Millenium Falcon from Santa.

elliejjtiny · 10/12/2015 10:13

Love the idea of the santa present being wooden and the reason for it. In our house the dc have one Santa present at the ends o0f their beds (we don't do stockings) and the rest are under the tree from us, grandparents etc.

multivac · 10/12/2015 10:15

I think that's sweet.

Everyone does Santa differently. And it's all fine. Including not doing Santa at all.

CinnamonStar · 10/12/2015 10:18

Wooden toys are great for younger children, but it is maybe harder to find something desirable made of wood for older children that doesn't also cost a fortune, I think.

Depends how long you are going to carry on doing it, I suppose.

Barmaid101 · 10/12/2015 13:03

That's what I'm doing, Santa gets one gift and stocking the rest is from mummy and daddy and other family. if everything was from Santa how would my child be able to thank people for the gifts

MrsGentlyBenevolent · 10/12/2015 13:12

My child is only 2 months, however when older we will also only be doing a stocking from Santa. It's a compromise for me, I find the whole idea of Santa wrong on all sorts of levels. You never know what will happen in life - some years 'Santa' may not be able to bring as much. I think it's very important early on for children to understand the value of money and gifts and how they don't just 'appear' out of the blue.

Spidertracker · 10/12/2015 13:15

Father Christmas is just a postman here, he gets no more credit for buying/making gifts than the Yodel man does.
My kids are still super excited to see if he has been.

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 10/12/2015 13:18

Yep stockings here! Few bits, new pens, socks, book that they`ve asked for and a few cheap bits as well. Main gift from us and preaents from family under the tree. Less to explain.

sweetsomethings · 10/12/2015 13:22

Do it your way. I love that Santa brings everything in this house thats just how we do it. In no way are a grinch.

cardibach · 10/12/2015 14:38

Everyone has a variation in Santa. None are unreasonable. In our house Santa always chose and brought the stocking (19yo DD sent me a text this week asking if Santa could bring her some BB cream in her stocking :) ). He physically brings the rest but they are chosen and paid for by whoever they are from(actually, small children don't really get 'paid for' anyway). Worked for us. Your idea sounds fine too.

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