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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To try and salvage this Santa related issue for 6yr old dd?

96 replies

ClownsandCowboys · 23/12/2019 14:50

I've cocked up. All Santa presents were wrapped and in the loft. This morning, I was tired hungover and let dd go into the loft to fetch something. She loves the loft it's fully floored, not dangerous. I was with her.

She has now been questioning us as to why there are presents in the loft, why do they say "from Santa" on them etc. She's autistic and very good at spotting detail, and inquisitive.

I feel awful. Is there anything I can do to salvage this? I was thinking of re-wrapping them in different paper, but not sure it will work. Should I just fess up?

I know it's not the end of the world, but life is pretty hard for dd, stressful, anxiety inducing. She loves Christmas and the magic of Santa and the elves. She rally genuinely believes. I feel I've made life just a little bit more shit for her.

OP posts:
Moonflower12 · 23/12/2019 15:43

My just 7 year old is told that FC gets given the presents by us and he then brings them back on Christmas Eve. This helps with why some children have more/more expensive etc. too.
So could you say that they were there for him to collect and then deliver on Christmas Eve?

Winterdaysarehere · 23/12/2019 15:43

May wrap myself up and send myself somewhere for a long lie down.
It's been a long year...
Xmas Blush

Straycatstrut · 23/12/2019 15:43

My DC think Santa is the person ordering everything from Amazon and getting them to deliver it to our house to save him time on Xmas eve.

That's pretty much as close to the actual Santa as it gets. As a single parent with no car I worship Amazon prime!

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 23/12/2019 15:49

Howling at 'nonce pie' 🤣🤣🤣

I would say that he has had to drop them off early and one of the elves will bring them downstairs, but only if you pretend you have never seen them. Then I'd leave a note of apology from Santa for the confusion he's caused. Maybe next to the nonce pie crumbs.

Em8725 · 23/12/2019 15:51

My mum used to tell me that Santa dropped them off early for mum to wrap, and then he collected them again to be dropped off on Christmas Eve night/or he’d just lay them out by the tree. I was out of bed when I shouldn’t have been and caught her wrapping them 😂😂.
My children know that we buy some of them to send to Father Christmas because he has so much to do, and feel that this also explains why some children get lots from him and some don’t.
Nonce pie though 😂😂😂😂

Sssneks · 23/12/2019 15:52

I think I'd just not bring it up but if she pushed the issue I'd just be honest that Santa is make believe and congratulate her on being smart enough to figure it out before her friends.

I think part of the whole Santa experience has to be working out that it's not real. It's often a child's first introduction to critical thinking. But I think once you start keeping the lie going at all costs, it becomes a bit unhealthy.

I'm aware though that I might be in a minority with this opinion.

KurriKurri · 23/12/2019 15:57

One of the reindeer (Prancer) has a sore back this year so Santa asked if he could leave some of the presents in your loft because he knows your DD is a good kind girl and won't mind if he leaves a few there to pick up tomorrow night, so the reindeer don't have so much to carry.

FoamingAtTheUterus · 23/12/2019 16:37

On our house santa brings one gift.......it's always elaborately wrapped and the only one with a Santa tag.........saves all the hiding mountains of gifts issue.

Sarahandco · 23/12/2019 16:39

Different wrapping paper from father Christmas

It is worth a try!

Teenagemaw · 23/12/2019 18:42

Im just here for the nonce pie 🥧

Butterymuffin · 23/12/2019 18:45

Write out the explanation given by a pp where Santa uses your loft for storage in a letter, then tell her you went up to the loft and saw the presents but did she see this letter that was with them...?

WitchDancer · 23/12/2019 18:59

Nonce pie 😂😂😂😂😂😂

AlunWynsKnee · 23/12/2019 19:16

Does she know she has autism? If so, Santa delivers the presents for autistic children ahead of time to ensure nothing goes wrong. He moves them on Xmas Eve but if he has any problems, the parents can get them down.

TheClausSeason · 23/12/2019 19:24

I think part of the whole Santa experience has to be working out that it's not real. It's often a child's first introduction to critical thinking. But I think once you start keeping the lie going at all costs, it becomes a bit unhealthy.*

I agree with this tbh.

myself2020 · 23/12/2019 19:26

My 6 year old figured out the whole Santa thing last year (so age 5). still lives christmas!

JoGose · 23/12/2019 19:28

Nonce pie😂😂

I’d explain that you were keeping the presents for Santa because delivery to the North Pole is taking its time this year.

Andysbestadventure · 23/12/2019 19:30

Nonce pie Crown Grin

ChristmasVag · 23/12/2019 19:43

Rewrap them!

My son is autistic and knows, he is 6, I am heartbroken (kinda)

He goes mad if he is lied to and I caved too easily.

hopelessatthinkingupusernames · 23/12/2019 19:52

Aww that happened to me! I went in the loft when I was 7 and saw all the presents from Santa. Never mentioned it to my parents as I still wanted the presents and thought I might not get them if they thought I didn’t believe in Santa!

Maybe Santa could leave her a note tomorrow morning explaining that he has had to drop off some presents early due to no room on the sleigh/poorly reindeer/broken sleigh/to save time?

ToffeePennie · 23/12/2019 19:57

@MotorwayDiva - similarly Santa sent my sons bike and the little ones scooter to our garage earlier this year to get them checked for size.
Can you not say Santa sent them to you to check and approve. That they must have been wrapped by the elves and sent back because otherwise it’s too much on Santa’s sleigh? Or even that it’s storage for everyone else’s gifts (get a few different friends to nick some of your wrapping paper and take pics on Xmas morning?)

checkingforballoons · 23/12/2019 20:09

Type up a letter, addressed to you, and leave it on the side in the kitchen, on top of an open envelope.

Dear ............,
I am writing to apologise for a recent incident involving one of our newly recruited elves. As you may be aware, your street is regularly used for elf training, including sleigh rehearsal ahead of Christmas Eve.
It has come to light that during a rehearsal a new recruit became flustered and accidentally left the gifts he was practising delivery with, instead of re-loading them on to the sleigh.
We do hope that this has not caused you any inconvenience. The gifts have now been collected and Father Christmas will be delivering them on Christmas Eve, where they will be left in their usual position.
Once again, my most sincere apologies,
Jingle Belle
Senior Gift Dispersal Manager

Cohle · 23/12/2019 20:12

I agree with letting Santa go gracefully at a certain age. Trying to preserve kids belief with increasingly mad lies is when they begin to feel deceived imho.

iklboodolphrednosedreindeer · 23/12/2019 20:15

Nonce pie Grin

Nominate for typo of the year.

bobstersmum · 23/12/2019 20:22

So what age is OK to let them know santa isn't real?

TheClausSeason · 23/12/2019 20:24

So what age is OK to let them know santa isn't real?

Any age. There's no requirement to buy into it at all, but personally, I'm planning to operate a don't ask, don't tell policy. If DC ask or find out I won't lie to them.

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