Being Santa is the most stressful thing you can be.

[Sparklespangle]

Sitting here trying to decide when to go and do stockings. (Relatively light-hearted)

Ds is a baby and won't notice or care when I do his.

DD is 10 and hasn't acknowledged the truth about Santa out loud. I think she is still hedging...

She went to bed at 8.30. her room is pitch black. When do I go up, what do I do if she's still up? What if she wakes up and I've got her stocking in the other room. What if she she sees me taking it.

Is it just me or does everyone worry about 'ruining the magic' by being Santa 'wrong'?

I had two identical stockings for DS. One on his bed. The other one filled. Quick switch when he was asleep. Then as he got older stocking went on his bedroom door handle. He's 16 now and likely to be awake later me than, so not sure what to do .

I really hate being santa and I regret not having stockings downstairs from the get go.

@Emmas85

I have 2 of the same stockings and swap the one hung on my sons door handle with the filled one on my way past. Takes 2 seconds and makes no noise! So far many years so good! 🤞🏻

This is genius!

Door handle is obviously the way forward. Too late for tonight unfortunately.

I don't even know where DD has put hers and DP put her to bed. He is now stuck upstairs with the baby (who I thought I didn't need to worry about) FFS where's the gin!

My husband nearly ruined it- he wrapped my sodding present in the Santa wrapping paper he found hidden in the bed- I had to unwrap it and throw it (the wrapping) away. He thinks I’m overreacting and the kids wouldn’t put two and two together (ok the toddler wouldn’t, the other would!!) men gggrrrr

Leave downstairs by the fire. We say who knows where father Xmas will leave them perhaps in their room perhaps by the fire they will have to have a look when it's 7am.

Reserves max flexibility 🤣

That's why we don't do stockings but leave a bag of presents under the tree! Bag did have to be brought down very carefully this year however as it contains some kind of 3d maze game which rattles if tipped slightly.

Same here, just about to do stage 1, stuff in from garage into downstairs toilet, then will think about stage 2!

I'd hidden everything in the car, wrapped, in big zip up washing bags. Went out on the pretext of delivering cards to neighbours (in the pouring rain!!), got the bags out of the car...walked in to DD (13) having dinner at the bottom of the stairs!! I was like wtf in my head but outwardly just said the weather was dreadful as I lugged two huge bags inside whilst trying to shut the front door, acting like nothing was going on

We all deserve a bloody medal

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

My husband nearly ruined it- he wrapped my sodding present in the Santa wrapping paper he found hidden in the bed- I had to unwrap it and throw it (the wrapping) away. He thinks I’m overreacting and the kids wouldn’t put two and two together (ok the toddler wouldn’t, the other would!!) men gggrrrr

Oh they do notice these things. DS1 twigged about Santa the year I used the same gift labels on all the presents including the ones from Santa 🤦‍♀️

@Emmas85

I have 2 of the same stockings and swap the one hung on my sons door handle with the filled one on my way past. Takes 2 seconds and makes no noise! So far many years so good! 🤞🏻

I wish I'd thought of this years ago.

So so stressful!! My oldest teen (nearly 16) helps me take all the tree presents downstairs but i worry all the paper rustling will wake the others up and then worry that the few minutes between me filling the stockings and putting them back on the doors that someone will see me!!

I'm completely stuffed now. Everything is in the room next to the baby's room. If I go up he will hear me and shout for me, potentially waking DD who may or may not be asleep.

Can't put presents under the tree or do stockings. Just got to sit and wait until DP gets baby back to sleep. On the upside I found the gin Drinks gin

Well the real Santa suns it up in the Caribbean all year until December. Great job

Stockings downstairs! It's madness to put them in bedrooms, although this is what I grew up with.

I am still waiting for ds10 to go to sleep, so I can put stuff under the tree! He is too excited to sleep.

Just filled youngest dc stocking. Not sure why I chose to fill it with the noisiest items known to man.

So glad it isn't just me, my three are having a sleepover in the eldest's room. Their shared excitement is stopping any sleeping, although I haven't heard anything for a while so fingers crossed.
I am so tired but all of our stuff is in the loft room so have to bring it down the stairs past their bedrooms! Plus have to fill the stockings.

Then a full day of cooking and hosting tomorrow!

I am going to end up giving myself a baileys hangover waiting! Dh has done to sit with ds to see if that helps him nod off. He's so excited. It's probably his last year of believing as he starts secondary in September.

Ok, baby asleep for now...

DP came downstairs with helpful advice like "don't be stressed"

Going to give it half an hour then try sneaking up to get stockings. Drinks more gin!

@Covidclaire

This is exactly why stockings go near the fireplace.

yup.

Eurgh, we're still waiting up for our DD9 to go to sleep. I'm tired 😭

Dh has just come out and said he is asleep, but he quite often wakes up soon after, so giving it 15 mins. Dh has eaten FC's mince pie, so at least that bit is done.

Mine are still wide awake and I'm tired and cross 😆. They've been a nightmare all day and dd2 has gone poking around in my bedroom cupboard and found everything anyway.
She's ripped the box on the only thing not wrapped which is pricey and now non returnable. Hope it bloody fits! Tempted just to go to bed and forget all about Santa 😏(obviously won't but it's bloody tempting)

We used to leave ours on the door handle outside the room.

For next year, if you get 2 stockings the same, you can fill up 1 stocking and just switch it for the empty one.

Argh DS8 is still awake despite being beyond knackered and I need to get the presents out of a room next to his room! His door is open, we're not allowed to shut it until he's asleep. I'll have to remember the car boot idea for next time. At least I don't need to sneak it in his room, stocking is by the tree. Good luck everyone!