AIBU that visiting Santa is a total mission these days!

[thegreenlight]

Had a festive day out booked for 4 year old DS for a few weeks - sitting smug thinking it was all sorted. Read between the lines when checking recently and realised there is no meeting with Santa (despite it being £54 for 90 minutes ! Aghhh! Cue panicky trying to find a Santa 'late' in the day. Have booked a fab one but will be taking DS out of school for a day as all weekends are booked up (breaking up super late here this year) I am so stressed! If you don't book in October you don't stand a chance! Tell me it wasn't always thus!

Ohhh, getting personal about my child! Just trying to keep the suspension of disbelief going as long as possible and if that requires a real beard and a crb check so be it. I get there are two camps, people who care and those who don't give a shit. I get it, will swallow to cost and stress being in the latter requires and read the small print and book in September next year.

Wow! He's fine to miss a day because he's bright?! I assume that means that if he wasn't so clever he would just have to miss out on the Santa visit?

'Stupid smart'? His absence will 'give the others a chance to catch up?'

Please don't express yourself like that around the other parents in his class

(And, at the risk of 'getting personal', I'm not entirely sure he got that dazzling intelligence from you, if you failed to realise until after parting with 54 quid that the desired meet and greet would not be involved. And yes, you are partly responsible for that 'Santa industry'. The sooner the UK's seemingly burgeoning Santa obsession stops (cf. thread from yesterday with a woman crying over her 7yo not 'believing' and implying to him it would get Christmas cancelled), the better)

We always went to the one at school. Even though it was actually my own dad I still played along...

We live in a country with no Santa so have to be more creative with how we con our kids

Oh I get it - it's a stealth boast only without the stealth

Thankyou for the advice! Was totally going to repeat that tongue in cheek statement to the other parents in my child's class rather than on an anonymous message board. Phew, dodged a bullet there thanks to your astute guidance.

there are two camps, people who care and those who don't give a shit.

Oh, give over. I suspect there's a whole spectrum between the two and they all think you are being dramatic.

£54 was spent on my sons main present, no way n earth would I spend that on a Santa visit, or knack of Santa in this case. Local markets have amazing Santas for £4 and you don't need to book. Your sons abilitys are not that unusual in reception.

I LOVE threads like this, cheers me up no end

Until they get deleted that is.

Especially enjoyed the bit about letting the other children catch up.

Garden centres always have Santa’s and they have to be dbs checked, same with shopping centres etc. You might have to queue but they often have nice displays to look at while you wait.

the way you spoke about the other children having a chance to catch up was particularly unpleasant, whether tongue in cheek or not.

I still want to know what you’re actually getting for the £54??

I paid £7.50 per child for breakfast with Santa, a visit to Santa and a gift. I'd much rather spend the money on actual presents and food etc...Does that mean I don't give a shit?!

It's not the cost, it's how far in advance you have to book! The actual Santa we are seeing is £8 each (just Santa) but ALL weekends are booked up already including garden centres. Must just be where I live. The £54 is for a playing in real snow type thing, total rip off but going with family. Has everything but an actual meeting with Santa (reindeer, festive show etc) shocked it didn't include Santa to be honest, only realised after I read reviews by similarly confused parents.

Most kids seem to get a bit nervous and clingy around Santas ime. Don't know if it'd be better at a more expensive grotto, or whether I'd just waste more money to get the same experience. Lol at not giving a shit - I actually feel a bit weird about trying to get my kids so excited about something I know isn't real. I thought I'd love it, but I don't really - I much prefer it when they get really excited about going to the beach, or to a friend's house or Christmas crackers, stuff like that. I play along, but I'm not angsty about them "finding out".

a child that can read and count in 2s, 5s and 10s etc in reception is surely treading water.

Chanting up in 2s 5s and 10s by rote really isn't that impressive unless he can actually apply the maths

Oh I fucking love these types of thread

Loving all the rightous indignation and snide that a bit of obvious tongue in cheek is causing on this thread

Lol. not

£54 is a total rip off to not even meet Santa.

We've never bothered with anything like that. Last year we had the school fair Santa in England, followed by the Santa at the French ski resort. DD interrogated the French ski santa... "But when I saw you in England last week you could speak English. Why can't you speak English now?"

Some people really have more money than sense.

What you going to say to DS school, that he's sick ?

Santa will know - he's making a list.

Sheesh. DS is nearly 9 and still believes. I have never booked a Santa. I'm struggling to think if he has ever been taken to Santa. Ah yes! A Santa steam train with the IL's. Maybe be your standards I don't give a shit.

It is quite fun to think only the highest quality Santa will do for your incredibly bright moppet, and a day off school is justified. The thickos will make do with the ropey Santa's at the school fair.

Goodness me. This all a far cry from my childhood in the 50s when mum and gran would take me to Selfridges to see Father Christmas. No booking required, no big queue and you got to see Uncle Holly too. Things were much simpler in my day.

I love not giving a shit at this time of year. Saves me so much time and stress and having to remove my own head from my arse