Dd is asking for the most expensive Lego set from Santa

[Bananastars]

Because she's saying we won't have to pay for it. What would you do?

Bikes, iPads, big Lego sets are always be a mummy/daddy gift in our house. “It’s not kind to ask for very expensive items from Santa as there are millions and millions of children for him to visit, so let’s keep any requests more reasonable”

Yeah this came to my mind first too.

PayPennies · Today 18:02
My eldest is just turned 7. His mind is constantly buzzing with all sorts of questions - from DNA, embryos, spleens to earthquakes and tsunamis. When we don’t know answers we look it up. But I see no conceivable way in which our 7 yo will believe a magic man brings presents through his chimneys which don’t exist. But more importantly I just can’t see him demanding such expensive presents when he’s so aware of the cost of living, the heating bills and all else.
what I can’t grasp is now a (nearly) TEN year old still really genuinely believes in magic man and is also apparently so blissfully unaware of expenses. How?
..........
I doubt very much that she does believe in Santa but is probably aware that parents want her too. Plus if they've told her that Santa produces the gifts that's an added incentive to carry on the pretence!

It all sounds so complicated from this thread, eg 'Santa bills us for the presents', etc. It would surely be easier not to do Santa in the first place!

You can still have Christmas stockings (I did and still do them!), and stories, you don't need to make a mythical fantasy into reality for that, especially as doing that seems to cause so much stress for adults.

I think at 9 nearly 10 she knows
But just Say no santa doesn't spend that sort of money , sorry
We always only did a couple presents from santa and the rest he delivered but they knew they came from people so never had this issue

We just say it won't fit on the sleigh and she's being a CF

Doesn’t explain my husband’s experience. He grew up securely hundreds of miles from me. Still feels it’s a lie not worth telling.

If she deliberately spoils it by telling her 5 year old sister she will be on the naughty list. She can choose a different more reasonable priced gift. If she gets angry and tells her sister she will be getting a very small Lego set.

I've always been clear that the list for Father Christmas is one of ideas and he will choose. You might put something down that you think is amazing but he's been doing this a long time and knows which toys will and won't get played with. I do agree it might be a test though as she is at the age many realize.

Wow. I’d be sorting that situation out straight away. She’s nearly 10 and is mean to a 5 year old? My kids have a similar age gap and my oldest wouldn’t have dreamed of spoiling the Santa excitement for his little sister. Any mean behaviour with a biggish age gap is unacceptable.

I think she's chancing her arm. I was at that age too; I got doubts after Christmas age 7 and they just grew to definite non belief over the next couple of Christmasses. I think I really knew at 8 but was careful before I committed publicly and fully to non believing in case it didn't pay off; I set a couple of "tests"! Definitely open about not believing after my 9th Christmas.

Up to you whether you keep up Santa and go into delivery/contractual T&Cs and specifics to stretch the magic or whether you chance your own arm back. With such a big present at her age, I think I would chance my own arm back and say that "I just know" that Santa WON'T be bringing that and she can draw her on conclusions.

We stopped asking for a list some years ago when they were 3/4. We said Santa is big on surprising children and if you ‘order’ gifts then it’s a bit boring for everyone involved. They love being surprised and we love being in control of what’s being spent.

I never understood why parents would say expensive gifts are from Father Christmas, why should he get all the credit? Plus what about the kids who just get a very small gift from him?

For the 5 yo I would change that expectation from now, FC fills a stocking with sweets, small games and maybe one non expensive thing they asked for. Everything else comes from you and goes under the tree.

Your 10yo sounds a bit of a brat tbh, loves being unkind to a 5yo?! I would be telling her that asking for obscenely expensive gifts is greedy and not in the spirit of Christmas. Maybe get her involved in a shoebox appeal for the homeless or similar so she can start to understand that Christmas is about giving and kindness.

At 10 I would be telling her and asking her to help keep the magic alive for your youngest. I'm surprised she still believes. I've taught that age group for a number of years and none believe at this age.

Santa only fills stockings in our house too (for everyone, including grownups). My 4yr old has said she wanted Santa to bring her a telescope this year as she's getting really into moon, stars, space etc.

I was nervous about this moving into Santa bringing an extra present that gradually got more and more expensive, so we had a talk about how I wasn't sure if he could fit in her stocking, so did she want to ask for it as a Christmas present from someone else in the family instead? She was perfectly happy with the reasoning so we're OK for now.

Definitely! We "just" do stockings and they contain small gifts (bigger ones come from family). Our 5 year old is already starting to ask why elves come to stay with his cousins and not him (the dreaded Elf on the Shelf, which I disagree with and will never do!!)

Just tell her that even Santa is a victim of rising inflation and the cost of living crisis - he's had to make several elves redundant to cut costs therefore production rates have dropped significantly. Plus - Santa is not crazy enough to spend £600 on lego.

Aside from that - Lego is no longer the creative toy it was when sets were interchangeable and the pieces were not microscopic - it's all a bit prescriptive and lego-by-numbers these days. Boring and bad for the environment.

Why focus on the money and not Santa doesn't bring toys that aren't age appropriate?

She's playing you OP. She knows damn well there is no Santa.

Anyway.... Santa does what Santa thinks best. Maybe he ran out of Star Wars lego or thought she would like the cheaper... oops I meant a different set better. You don't need to explain Santa's actions!

Aww... I was that kid! Santa brought my horse when I was nine years old. @ginsparkles Are you planning that you will get her a horse in the future? (If so please pm me as I have loads of useful advice!)

Easy answer to Horse, Santa can't bring live animals - they'd get crushed in his sack and poop on the other presents!

Don't need to mention money or anything. No inappropriate toys (too old, too young) and no live animals!

@KrystynaZ I was that kid too!!! Yes the plan is once she's a little bigger we'll have a mummy daughter share pony! Advice gratefully received!!!

Santa only brings stockings here but my eldest loved being part of the secret when she found out about Santa. It was actually fun to have her involved.

I found a smaller version of the same thing aimed at 9 year olds for £135. Still too expensive for our household.

Wonderful! I have pm'd you. x