My mother won't let me pretend Father Christmas is real for my 9yo

[DianaMitford]

I've just been roundly laughed at, ridiculed and outwardly been eye rolling and complaining about the fact that I'm trying to make sure my 9yo, nearly 10yo, enjoys her last Christmas believing in FC. My dd has been talking all year about footprints (in flour) on Christmas Eve and my dm has forbidden it this year. A slight sprinkling of flour that means fuck all to them and the world to me and my dd.

Show this to your dc. I know this will probably be the last Christmas my dd believes but she lit up when she saw this....

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/santa-spotted-flying-over-cardiff-12366614

Have you thought about telling your mother to fuck right off? I still do santa and mine are much older

Very mean spirited of her OP.

Mine are pre-teen/teen. They don't believe now and yet they do, in that we all just go along with it, leaving the carrot and mince pie out and a small beer. They still get their sack, they still get excited going to bed and waking up. I wouldn't take that away from them or from me.

Santa clauses reindeer leave chewed up flipping carrot all over the carpets here, never seen flour though.

It's one thing to expect your mother not to sabotage your parenting choices.
I don't think you can put flour footprints down in someone else's house if they don't want you to.

That's really mean of her to ridicule.

The 11 yo here genuinely still believes...and I'd be having pieces of anyone who deliberately went out of their way to tell her he's not real. We thought last year we were pushing our luck, so thus year us an extra bonus.

I'd be threatening your mother with no contact never spending. Christmas with her again if she lets on to DD.

I use talc for the footprints, I never even thought of flour. I can use that next year 😊

notcontent. Do you need an alibi? I bloody well would!!

Really mean of her, I can't imagine wanting to spoil things for my daughter or grand daughter, quite cruel xxxx

Keep the magic going for as long as you can. I'm in the same boat as this will probably be DC's last year 'believing' (saying this as next year is secondary school)
Your mother, ffs, she takes the biscuit. Where is her Christmas spirit .
You are not being ridiculous at all. Wipe up the flour in the morning and for your DD ignore your Mum and any eye rolling,

"I'd be threatening your mother with no contact never spending. Christmas with her again if she lets on to DD."

^^What?! Well, I think that wins the prize for the most ridiculous comment I've seen on MN all week!

Cut some white paper into reindeer hooves shapes and add a big boot print.
Easy to pick up, but the effect is good.

I like that kids are still kids and still write notes to santa. Too soon they'll be "all grown up" and eye rolling themselves.

"This is going to be one of those threads where the DM is accused of 'ruining Christmas' and leaving a child 'devastated' isn't it grin

No, the child will be "devestated".....

Morning all :)

Ok, so dd wasn't upset - she didn't even mention footprints. So I clearly overreacted. Too much Prosecco?!?

It's not a carpeted hallway, it's tiles so easy cleaning.
I totally get that it's their house which is why I didn't kick up a fuss yesterday.
We're staying here for Christmas because we have a large family (my brothers and sisters) and this is a 9 bedroom house across three floors so no way we could accommodate everyone at ours!

Thanks for all the replies and a Merry Christmas to all !