To not invite my DDs friends.

[Julz1622]

I have booked a socially distanced visit from Santa and Anna and Elsa on Christmas Eve for my daughter (8) and the baby (10 months) I live in a block of flats, and I was telling one of the mum's of one of daughter's friends about it. She said oh let me know what time they are coming and I'll send 'name' across. She has also told a few of the other mums on the block. Now I know some people will think I am being selfish, but I've paid £50 for them to come visit my daughter, I don't want all the kids congregating and ruining it for my daughters.

You think for £50 OP is getting Santa, Elsa, Anna AND a giant sled?

I hope so. Or it’s going to be a bit rubbish.

And yes, of course I would pay myself if I didn’t think it was potentially cruel to the other children on the street who couldn’t make the same choice.

@flaviaritt

Not really. If people want their kids to get a visit from santa, they can book one too.

And Bob Cratchit can buy his own turkey.

So should the OP when booking this event, have booked & paid for all the kids in the block?? Otherwise she's a Scrooge right??

And yes, I do think they’ll have a sled. They’ll
be booked out in the days leading up to Christmas, and unless they want the kids to see them getting out of a 1990 Volvo Estate, they’ll have a horse dressed like a reindeer and a cart decked out with red cloth and snow and stuff. Or that’s how it’s been whenever I’ve seen Father Christmas.

So should the OP when booking this event, have booked & paid for all the kids in the block??
Otherwise she's a Scrooge right??hmm

That would be very kind, but no, not doing it doesn’t make her a Scrooge. Refusing to let other children share in a fun experience because they haven’t paid is what makes her a Scrooge. I understand her concern about making sure her own children get what she has paid for, but I can’t see how she can do it without upsetting her DC’s friends and so I just wouldn’t do it at all.

You could ring the company you've booked, explain you live in an area with lots of other children around, word had got out and other children might be wanting to come and have a look during their visit and ask what they do in this situation with regards to social distancing. It would be good for them to have some warning as this sounds like an impossible situation for anyone to keep some distance.

I'm most grateful to this thread - and obviously @oakleaffy in particular - for drawing my attention to the Victoria Hall Disaster, of which I knew nothing. Very sad but interesting reading - the fact that it prompted the introduction of the push-down safety bar on doors; the desperate efforts of the caretaker and the bloke who physically ripped the door off - and it's really made an impression on me.

PoorMansPaulaRadcliffe

Horrible, isn’t it.

I think the neighbour is really fucking cheeky. you don't just announce you will send your kids over for something like that!

It's one thing if the kids happen to see Santa arrive and run over to say hello.
The actors should be trained to deal with children in an age appropriate way in these instances. They could chat/wave/have a quick photo etc then say they have Christmas work to do and say they need a chat with some parents about the nice list and move along.

The op has paid for an experience for her children at her home. She is under no obligation to include every kid in the neighbourhood.
Of course other children coming over and crowding around the doorway will change the dynamics. I would be annoyed if parents allowed this to happen.
If they are giving presents and sweets out to the paid for kids how will that look to the other kids?

And above all else we are in the middle of a pandemic. The organisers will probably not be happy to be ambushed by more kids and parents than were agreed at the time of booking.

Oh my word..... are people really saying that the op can’t do an xmas treat for her kids because she doesn’t live in a detached house with land. Because that is the impression I get. Neighbours ought not to be expecting that they can hop on a freebie. Whats next, they see a toy op’s kids have and it becomes communal property?

Whats next, they see a toy op’s kids have and it becomes communal property?

But... it’s Father Christmas. Of course small children who believe in him aren’t going to understand that he isn’t communal. It’s not the same thing.

Well, here's what you get with a similar experience also for £50 in Glasgow, but minus Anna and Elsa:

*Elf arrival
• Elf interaction
• Naughty or Nice Announcement
• Santa's arrival
• Christmas Story time with Santa
• Magical Departure - getting your garden 'reindeer ready'!
*

No sled mentioned. No gifts or sweets included either.

www.whatsonglasgow.co.uk/event/090666-social-distance-santa-&-elf-experience/

Ellmau

Guess it’s the Volvo then.

some things aren’t made for public spaces

Right now, that includes a gaggle of people, covid status unknown, paying no attention to the social distancing guidelines.

No you need to make it clear they can't all come. I have a friend who does Santa visits at this time of year. When he takes a booking you need to say how many children its for. The slot is allocated dependant on how many children there are. He gets info from the parents in advance too so he can personalised the visit. I know he'd be far from happy if he turned up at a booking for 2 children & was met by half a street. Its putting 'Elsa' in a difficult position & potentially its going to spoil the visit for the OPs children too.

Give the neighbours her number & suggest they book their own slot

ViciousJackdaw

I don’t disagree. Which is another reason I just wouldn’t do this.

Anyway, it’s fine that others disagree. This is just my opinion.

Can people not just tell their kids it's not the real Santa? like do kids really believe that it's the real Elsa and Anna, despite the fact they're drawings? My baby's not born yet so I genuinely dont know but it seems like a strect to believe that santa is at all these grottos and on a train and at peoples houses and delivering presents?

@flaviaritt but its similar. In a lot of communities, if a kids brings a toy out to play, its for them all to use (despite what parents might say) and there have been numerous threads on here that people have been expected to share outdoors toys like swings and slides with the neighbours kids (ie let them all come to their garden every single bloody day) because its tights not too. Thats the point of this thread- that the op has thought about a lovely surprise for her kids and other people think they have a right to muscle in. Not because santa is communal and she doesn’t want that- I’m sure if they all offered to kitty in, op would be fine, but to expect to just turn up, and probably have a kick off if the kids don’t get the treats that op has paid for

And yes, I do think they’ll have a sled. They’ll be booked out in the days leading up to Christmas, and unless they want the kids to see them getting out of a 1990 Volvo Estate, they’ll have a horse dressed like a reindeer and a cart decked out with red cloth and snow and stuff. Or that’s how it’s been whenever I’ve seen Father Christmas.

The actors are getting £17 each as it is. Presumably OP will know roughly when they're coming and will keep the kids away from the window/shut the curtains.

But... it’s Father Christmas. Of course small children who believe in him aren’t going to understand that he isn’t communal. It’s not the same thing.

I saw Santa in a mall and wasn't traumatised by not going. He also came to our school and only went to the P1 and P2 parties, I survived.

Can people not just tell their kids it's not the real Santa?

No, they can’t. It ruins the magic.

slashlover

That’s what I said ages ago: if the OP told me this was happening, I would keep my child away from the window at the appropriate time. But it’s not (for me) the point, and not (particularly) is how much the actors are paid or trivia about sleds. The basic question is whether OP is being unreasonable to ask Father Christmas to come and stand outside her house with Frozen characters and refuse to let other kids participate because she is paying for it. I think that’s mean. I think it is unreasonable. That’s the bottom line.

Underadesk

I don’t think it is similar. As I say, I have no issue telling my child no, that’s not yours, or whatever. But they’re not going to understand that here. It’s not the same.

@ilikebooksandplants I admit I'm a bit baffled by that.

But it would mean that the experience she had bought for her children would be reduced. They wouldn't get what she had ordered for them because of all the other children wanting to chat/have photos. It's not up to the OP to allow or disallow others to just watch. She objects to the neighbour saying she will send her daughter round. This is no different from expecting siblings to attend catered, paid per head parties, and you think she's tight to object to that.

But it would mean that the experience she had bought for her children would be reduced.

Yes. It’s called sharing.

She objects to the neighbour saying she will send her daughter round... You think it’s tight to object to that.

No, I said the neighbour was cheeky.