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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

my MIL wants me to tell the kids that HER presents come from her and not Santa?

66 replies

supadoula · 12/12/2007 19:09

My DC are 2 and 4 and for the first time I have invited my family and DH family over for Xmas. My MIL phoned today and said that she's got a sackful of presents for DD (when we told her that the rule was 2 presents max!) and hence (probably because she spent a lot of money...) would like me to tell the kids that the presents come from her!
My DC being small I think that it would spoil the magic just a bit!!! I don't want to create a diplomatic incident but I also find it hard to agree with her!!
Shall I tell the kids the presents come from Granny's santa???
Any help on this thorny sensitive issue appreciated!!

OP posts:
bubblepop · 12/12/2007 19:28

you are worrying too much. the kids won't care who the presents are from!

Original poster
supadoula · 12/12/2007 19:31

wow! what a stir I am causing. Yes DH is English and seems to agree with most of you! I don't want to sound ungrateful to my MIL. We might just have to find a middle way some of her presents under the tree?). OK, you are right IABU

OP posts:
Wallace · 12/12/2007 19:37

We have the opposite here. We head over to the Inlaws to "get the presents from Granny and Grandad" (and enjoy their company of course) and Then MIl makes a big display about "Oooh look what Santa left here"

TroutSprout · 12/12/2007 19:44

Yes ..just read your second and later posts too
Middle way sounds good
(you know this thread is just going to run on and on now don't you?)

ChasingSquirrelsUpTheXmasTree · 12/12/2007 19:46

ditto Wallace, dh and I just grimace behind her.

amytheearwaxbanisher · 12/12/2007 20:04

yabu parental presents come from santa in our house all other presents come from who gave them

milliec · 12/12/2007 20:16

Message withdrawn

exbatt · 12/12/2007 21:48

I'm with the majority here - but it seems you've already worked out the majority feeling!

We've always done stockings plus one smallish present from Father Christmas, everything else labelled from the donor.

To be honest, we put a massive amount of time and effort into getting our children the 'right' things for them, things they'll really get pleasure from and within our budget, I don't want some fat old man in a red suit taking all the credit for that!

Seriously though, how can children grow up to thank relatives for presents if they don't know where they've come from?

Curmudgeonlett · 12/12/2007 21:51

Santa brings one small present here

all other presents come from the people who give the presents

I always find it odd when people talk about all the presents being from a mythical being

really odd

bonkerzaboutxmas · 12/12/2007 21:51

Santa buys all 'our' presents to the children and any other presents from family are marked accordingly!

weewishyouamerryonion · 12/12/2007 21:54

supa - our SIL / BIL take the gift tags off all gifts and say they are from santa. i always found it a bit unusual that the nephews never knew that we got them anything. they are a bit older now - this is hte first year that none of them belive in santa but SIL/BIL still want us to deliver gifts that they will take the tags off

they are not french but scottish

Elasticwoman · 12/12/2007 21:55

Don't see what right you have to tell dc that Grannie's presents aren't from Grannie. Especially if she is there, and gives the presents directly to dc herself.

madrose · 12/12/2007 21:57

Santa fills the socking, and the gift under a tree.

My DD loves to associate certain items with friends and family - which as many of them live far away, is a way of keeping them (the giver) fresh in her mind.

also the gifts I give to children are from my family - not santa

so sorry YABU

paulaplumpbottom · 12/12/2007 21:57

Granny's gift are Granny's gifts, if you have a problem with the number of gifts say, but she is just right that she wants her to know where they came from

pinetreedog · 12/12/2007 21:59

There is no way santa can fit such a large number of presents for every child into his sack.

You put a couple of Santa presents under the tree. Mil gives presents from mil.

No upset or confused children at all.

QueenBhannae · 12/12/2007 22:04

My family sneak their presents to my dc into my house on xmas eve and then all are grouped under the tree when they are asleep as though FC has delivered them all in the night!
It is made clear to my dc that FC does not buy the presents but that our family do.
We use FC as a middle man who 'holds' the pressies then wraps and delivers them if the dc have behaved.
If dc have been 'naughty' then a present is taken from the pile we sent him and delivered to someone else instead.
Nothing in our house comes from Santa but his elves do make all the wooden toys that are in the shops as far as they are concerned.
This works well in our house and it is more realistic when they get older,watch adverts and may be there when you shop for others.

LoveAngelGabriel · 12/12/2007 22:05

havne't read any of the replies, sorry. We always say some presents (stocking) comes from Santa and everything else from the people who bought it.

mrsruffallo · 12/12/2007 22:06

YABU. The father Christmas gifts are down to you, the others are from family members and should be presented as such.

SantaKaloos · 12/12/2007 22:07

Everything from parents comes from Santa AND Santa chooses them. No lists of "I wants" etc in this house, ask my DCs and they may mention 1 items but usually shrug and tell you they are happy with whatever Santa chooses.

The flip side is parents buy birthday presents and they get to choose what they want.

SantaKaloos · 12/12/2007 22:08

ps Santa hasn't disappointed them yet

moljam · 12/12/2007 22:09

the presents are from granny not santa!they need to know who they are from so they can thank her.
we do sack from santa(about 4-5 presents) about 3 from us under the tree and everything else from whoever else has to and from on.i couldnt imagine telling people that the kind gifts they brought arent from them but from a big fat man in a suit.

bookofchristmascarolsmum · 12/12/2007 22:14

Santa brings my dd's stocking but everything else after that is from me or my family - check the labels!!

Twas the same when I was a child too .

Interesting cultural problem though.

mrsruffallo · 12/12/2007 22:24

On the other hand, it is annoying when grandparents overbuy. I know it is for the right reasons but my mother buys a huge pile of presents as if competing with poor father christmas

JodieG1 · 12/12/2007 22:24

When I was little only one present came from santa and that was it, I loved it and found it magical and momre believeable than saying all the presents came from him. I know santa is magic but to suggest he delivers lots of presents to each child would have stretched it a bit for me.

Ours will have a present appear from santa downstairs on Christmas morning All other gifts are from the people that bought them.

bookofchristmascarolsmum · 12/12/2007 22:31

Mrsruffalo - I spent £46 on my dd tonight in one shop. Oops.

I think some will be held back for her next birthday .