Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how reliable a 7 year old's wishes are?

35 replies

HeadBrickWall · 27/10/2019 05:56

She's talking about her Christmas suggestion list... Do I get what she's talking about now - it's available, not cheap but not too expensive to consider - and risk her asking for something else?
Do you try to steer them back to their original wishes if you've already bought it?

She has been asking for something that doesn't exist since the beginning of the year so I need to keep her away from that idea else Santa's cover will be well and truly blown.

OP posts:
LucileDuplessis · 27/10/2019 06:00

Is it the kind of thing that might sell out if you don't buy it now? If not I'd leave it a bit in case she changes her mind. Having said that, I do find that 7 year olds are quite suggestible, so saying "right, time to write your letter to Santa, remember you were going to ask for x" would probably work!

Mumdiva99 · 27/10/2019 06:01

Buy it. Before it sells out or goes up in price. If you buy it from a large retailer you can normally exchange if your daughter changes her mind.

Harriett123 · 27/10/2019 06:07

It's hard to know with kids this age. If it's a fleeting comment that she's only made once I wouldn't rely on it still being in her head. What you could do is get her to write her letter early like in November. Just say "oh Santa has so many toys to make this year shall we give him a head start and send ours off early?" Then you can route around in the black Friday sales to get what she's looking for.
My stepson is this age and has been talking about a Nintendo switch with Mario kart game since the start of the year. So that idea is not being dislodged easily.
Can I ask what the non existing idea is. My friends daughter wanted a road one Christmas. She got one of those play mats with roads over it and she was delighted so sometimes you can make random requests possible. This child was alot younger though ( about 3ish at the time)

Original poster
HeadBrickWall · 27/10/2019 06:22

Yes, she wants a playmobil set to match one of her others but with different characters in it - which playmobil don't make. I know all about non-existent requests which test my crafting skills [stares at Ds] but this is beyond me. The new request however, is something that does exist! We can't do early letters as they get collected from under the tree and my tree doesn't go up until December! It might well sell out, it's DD's favourite character so I guess others feel the same.

OP posts:
Mumdiva99 · 27/10/2019 06:31

Get it! (As for the Playmobil - can you cobble together what she wants from second hand bits?)

Ohyesiam · 27/10/2019 06:32

Explain there is no changing minds with a Christmas list. Works with mine

Andonandonan · 27/10/2019 06:41

Get it and then just keep bigging up how lovely it will be to get x for Christmas, remember she’s asking fcr for x, ooh he’s probably getting it ready right now.

You just have to make them think it’s their idea.

SheilaBruce · 27/10/2019 06:49

Just buy it, making sure you get it from somewhere that allows refunds/exchanges.

Probably won't be a problem for your 7yo next year, but if you have a younger DC it might be worth dropping a few casual remarks like "you can't get that, Santa's elves make all the toys in the shops, so if you don't see it there then they don't make it" Grin

Harriett123 · 27/10/2019 06:50

Yeah I would say get it if you think it might be the it toy this year and sell out.
I also agree with other posters of bigging it up and prodding as she writes the letter to Santa about how great it is.
Another thing we do is say why dont you write down 3-4 things on your Santa list so the elves can try there best the make something you really want. Telling them that Santas eleves cant always make everything but by giving them a couple of ideas they are more likely to make something you want.
Worse case scenario she completely changes her mind on it. Most major retailers have pretty decent returns policies ( I think Amazon is like 2 or 3 months) so return it or sell it on Ebay or Facebook marketplace in December.

Original poster
HeadBrickWall · 27/10/2019 06:55

We've already had the Santa doesn't do live animals and he can't bring electronics as it interferes with his magic...

OP posts:
Original poster
HeadBrickWall · 27/10/2019 06:59

No, Mumdiva it genuinely doesn't exist. She wants a character, with moving parts that they don't make and never have.

OP posts:
booellesmum · 27/10/2019 07:01

Santa letters have to be done 6 weeks before Xmas so the elves have time to make the toys.
Even 6 weeks before sometimes if too many kids request the same thing they may not have time.
They are allowed to ask for 3 things only, but add a list of substitutions incase the 3 things cannot be made in time/ not enough.
Santa quite often brings a lot of things from the sub list as well, and also surprises.
This has worked well for me since the year I had to pay inflated prices for a glo-e-bear (can't remember how to spell it) on ebay. Mine are now 18 and 15 - still do Santa letter as we all need to believe!

BikeRunSki · 27/10/2019 07:01

DD was 8 last week. She started writing her Christmas and Birthday list about 6 months ago!! She removed a few minor things recently which she said were too babyish (they were), but she’s been loyal to the main stuff. A camera and a blue Chilly bottle!

loutypips · 27/10/2019 07:01

What character does she want?

Harriett123 · 27/10/2019 07:02

he can't bring electronics as it interferes with his magic...
I might rob this one. We went with Santas elves dont know how to make games consoles but this is so much better.

Bickles · 27/10/2019 07:04

I told DS this year we needed to post early as Lapland is in the EU and Brexit might affect the post Blush His letter requesting Harry Potter Lego went a few weeks ago and I bought it all in the Smyths sale.

Original poster
HeadBrickWall · 27/10/2019 07:10

Yes, there's a sale at the toy shop near me until Monday so it would be practical! That and a snow globe are her requests.
DS doesn't want anything at the moment. But that's only because he hasn't seen a ridiculously expensive Lego set yet. I'm hoping he won't see it before Christmas 😂

OP posts:
Fcukthisshit · 27/10/2019 07:11

I’d just tell her as it’s such a popular toy you’ll need to send the Santa letter early (or put your Christmas tree up now Grin).

PullingMySocksUp · 27/10/2019 07:13

Get them to write their Christmas letters now so they can’t change their minds later. Make sure their’s nothing impossible on it as they write it.

Original poster
HeadBrickWall · 27/10/2019 07:27
Grin DH would not be happy! He moans enough that it goes up on the 1st Dec. It's our long-standing compromise.
OP posts:
zoobaby · 27/10/2019 07:33

Brexit!!

Genius!!

Greyhound22 · 27/10/2019 07:35

I've bought most of my 5 year olds stuff. The Harry Potter lego he wants might sell out I don't know.

It's pretty close to Christmas now. I would say 'is that definitely what you want because I need to tell Santa this week?'

Anything extra he adds on now I've asked other people to get him.

orangeteal · 27/10/2019 07:40

This year I've asked them to list 3 things they'd really like and said I've emailed Santa already and that can't changed, the rest and majority will be surprises if things I've picked up in conversation, tv watching etc. That way they can't chop and change, but they get 3 things they really want and helps with the magic etc, I know they won't change their mind about these, they'll try to add things on but this method stops that or explains it at least!

Sallycinammonbangsthedruminthe · 27/10/2019 07:46

I have a 7 year old daughter too OP and she wanted something last year.Total tat it was! I decided as it was not her main present that even though she kept going on about it I would hold off.I put her some money in an enveloped and said Santa had run out but if she still wanted it and could find it then she could buy it herself! Roll on a couple of days after christmas and lo and behold there it was on sale 70% off so she got 2!!! If its a fad thing and your not sure then maybe this idea could help you?

WeeM · 27/10/2019 07:47

I find mine is fairly suggestible if I keep bigging up whatever I want her to get! I would buy it now somewhere that does refunds and keep mentioning it so they don’t forget and change mind.