Father Christmas question...

[walkinginaWILKIEwonderland]

Bit long: bear with me.

When I was little, Father Christmas presents was the stocking/bag at the end of my bed. Then all the other presents from relatives were just that, presents from THEM.

Now, my DH's family do this weird thing where EVERYBODY'S presents get delivered from Father Christmas. They 'send' their gifts to Father Christmas to deliver on their behalf.

Am I being mean-spirited when I say I don't agree with this and don't want our DS to do this.

I think the stocking is the Father Christmas presents and then everything else is from who it is from.

Am very confused and prob not explaining properly but I want to stamp my feet and >!

What do you all do?

Perhaps you and DH need to agree on your own traditions, consider a merger. It is up to you and DH.

Well we do the "wierd" thing and I did the same as a child.

Father Christmas may send one present or a stocking, but he delivers everything else. We send the presents we have bought to him and he delivers them on Christmas day (or decides that they have been naughty and so doesn;t deserve them)

In fact, I don't think it is wierd at all, it is normal.

Whatever you have been brought up woth seems normal to you. You and your dh need to reach a compromise without resorting to tantrums!!!!!

I shocked family by stating that the children and I were not going downstairs until dressed and presents not opened unitl tea and toast made, Stockings opened upstairs in Pj's. (makes for much more flattering pictures rather than dodgy shots of me in my nightie with hair on end).

That's how we do it Krimble - although I do allow DS downstairs.

We stay at my parents house. Everyone gets up, tumble on parents bed and open stockings, then we go down stairs, get dressed/showers etc if needed, have breakfast and then do presents - in a controlled manner!

It makes perfect sense to me - couldn't be doin with missing the unwrapping of gifts because it was a free-for-all.

PIL expected a free for all, I think they like the controled affair I have moulded Christmas morning into. Kids take turns to pick out presents read tags and hand out while we all sup tea and crunch toast, can last for hours ,

Sounds just like us! It is brilliant - especially as DS usually crawls under the tree so I don't have to!

As a child we used to have to wait till after the Queen's speech before we opened presents under the tree

Made the day last I have to say.

My children can open the presents in the stockings but we wait until evrybody is up before opening main presents.

We used to have to wait until the evening when all the presents (bar the stocking gifts), kids and uncle Tom Cobley were bundled into one car and driven to a relatives house for Christmas evening. Took hours to unwrap everything then it was stuffed back into bin liners and home again. We barely got a look at our gifts before Boxing Day. My parents soon decided it was child cruelty and then let us have the gifts after dinner (after the Queen and after a long walk though ). Time is relative when you're a kid.

Have read only OP

• my answer, really is it worth getting steamed up about? Yes I think YABU

Just to say I agree with OP. Stocking from Santa everything else from whomever bought it!

What has DH's family got to do with what goes on in your house?

I think all this nonsense over who sends what present is a waste of energy.

I am in a foul mood though so not in the mood for petty stupid family issues.

I am all for keeping the peace. My personal preference is for stocking presents to be from Father C and the rest from named people but if dh felt strongly otherwise; it is not a battle worth having

if the giver wants their presents to be from FC then that's up to them IMO

if some friends and relatives don't want their presents to be from FC then the children should be told who has bought them

if you personally are buying presents for your dc then you can say they are from who you like, FC or yourself

I think Franny has it there

When you say stockings, what do you mean? We have stockings, but the only thing that fits in them is a few candy canes, some pencils & crayons etc.... they're just like huge socks.

We have gifts from other people, the kids know who they are from & often open when given them so they can say a personal thankyou.

Then when they get up on C'mas morning they go to the living room & FC will have left their gifts there. A bike & a few bits & bob for dd. A tractor & a few odds & ends for ds. They get one large gift & few small bits all from FC.

DH & I always allow them to open their gift from us on C'mas eve before bed.

I would do whatever the majority around me do tbh.. dh & I grew up the same, with gifts from others & the big things from FC.

I'm with your dh I'm afraid (metaphorically speaking of course) Are you sure you understand what he means? Does he mean that the presents don't come FROM Father Christmas, they are from relatives to whom you can say thank you, they have just sent it to Santa to be delivered.

Our presents are sent by everyone to Father Christmas, who delivers them. They come with labels on saying who they are from - therefore allowing the dd's to say thank you for all of their presents (including the stocking fillers from us) but still retaining the magic of Santa. I think this is a far better way that getting presents FROM father christmas - what happens when they stop believing - do they get less presents?

Thanks all for your input (although my head now hurts from all the varying family traditions )

DH and I discussed last night and we have agreed that FC is the bag/stocking at the end of the bed and all other presents are just who they are from.

Nice and simple

.....a bit like me really.

(BTW: we don't open any other presents other than FC presents until 3pm after dinner Love it cos it makes the day last AGGGGEEEEEES and keeps the excitement going)

Happy Crimble!

yes the size of the stocking.

When i was a kid we had a white mesh thing, which had red dwon the sides, and that contained little bits and sweets, and the satsuma and nuts.

Then we also had a wopping great plastic sack,

Both were from FC.

so when i say 'stocking' for my daughter Imean whatever we put at the end of the bed for fc to put gifts from him in.

Waiting until afternoon!!!! and I thought people might find me strange wainting until dressed and eaten breakfast .

Haha try waiting til 6pm and then you have to endure the small talk and incessant tea-slurping before the serious business of taking the wrappings off. I think the tradition started because it was a way to eke out the presents when times was hard

I am with the OP, how can children get the value of what has been given to them if we tell them everything has come from FC. It is so much more less complicated this way.

All my presents from relatives were always under the tree about a week before Christmas, and I knew who they were off.
On Christmas Day, my mum and dad also made sure I had some presents off father Christmas, and some off them too, which I dont think many people do.
Personally I think itd be easier without father xmas, (which is mainly because im useless at pretending hes real!)

I'm with the OP on this one! We have stockings - in our house whoever is staying on Christmas Eve gets a stocking and everyone contributes things to each stocking. We have carrier bags that we write each persons name on, hang them on the stairs and everyone puts their stocking presents in the relevant bag while shouting 'ho ho ho!' (lots of fun when drink ) The last person to put their presents in the bags 'delivers' them. All stocking pressies are little silly things with the occasional slightly nicer thing. All presents from people are under the tree.

We will probably have to be a bit less rowdy as the ds's get older (now 22 and 2 months) though!

One pressy has from Mr. Claus written on it and its NOT the big pressy. As my DS understands, Santa can't afford big pressies for everybody, so the best pressies come from family.

drunk even not drink! Honestly I haven't hit the sherry yet!