To say this was an unsatisfactory meet Santa gift?

[TellerTuesday]

Curious to hear other people's opinions.

The experience cost £87.63 for one child and one accompanying adult.

Can't fault the Santa experience and the stately home walk round I was more than happy with that but I don't think the gift was commensurate with the cost and calibre of the outing.

I have emailed the company as I honestly think it's just a peg doll and a box of grass moss but interested to hear if others would agree with me.

Omg £15 for the reindeer food! I'd feel ripped off if I had spent a fiver and got that

This is genuinely making me think of some ideas for Christmas profiteering next year.

15 quid!! For cornflakes and bird food!!!

it’s not castle Howard who are pissing themselves at having rinsed the General Public, it’s the eco-warrior magical gift supply company.

bet they get their supplies from a factory in China.

Going to type and run here but I think the gifts are nice! Expensive, for sure, but they're meant to be whimsical and encourage creativity. I think my two would get a kick out of decorating a box of reindeer food and writing the story. And your angel came with sequins, vintage buttons with wings and things to decorate. She looks plain because you haven't done much with her yet, I'm guessing.

I have no idea who this company are but the website is sweet and affiliated with the forest movement which is def better than more plastic from China.

£90 for any kind of Santa experience is quite mad though. Sound of the stories from PPs of petting live reindeer and building bears sound bonkers to me too!

Are the 'vintage sequins' made of metal, OP?

And one 'vintage button'?

And the worst of it- you have to provide your own glue stick and crayons/pens/pencils to complete the £15 'whimsical' gift.

Good lord.

That whole gift would've cost under a quid to produce (and I think I'm wildly overestimating that price too)

That gift is awful!

and it looks nothing like an angel. It’s just a sort of sad sack thing. The ones on their website are equally dire.

now way did it cost more than 50p to put together.

Is “whimsical” a euphemism for “rip-off”?

That is really naff. It’s like a tax on the eco-earth-mums, and probably not even particularly environmentally friendly (how well do glue and vintage sequins decompose?).

A book would have been more suitable, and considerably cheaper.

That said; no one should book a Santa visit and expect a decent present. It’s about the experience and you should do it only if you fully accept that:

• the gift value will be a tiny value of the ticket price
• it might just be something your child likes
• it mighty duplicate something your child already has
• it will probably be pretty generic, and therefore not tailored to a specific age.

Goodness, I paid not much more the that to take my child too lapland uk (special treat as she's been very ill and brave).for that you get a whole day with loads of activities included, free cookies they make themselves, sweeties , shows, Ice skating, a santa visit and two free large, quality soft toys and special enamel badges and stickers all in an absolutely stunning environment.
YANBU, that is an absolute disgrace, what was the experience billed as? Other activities included?
Very poor imo.
Where, so everyone can avoid?

Wow, Forest Craft and Play make some genuinely shit toys. I can't imagine who would think those would bring joy to a child.

Christ, I paid less than 12 quid for my son to see Santa at Dobbies and it was a wonderful experience. The gift he received would easily have been more than the price of the ticket to buy alone.

More money than sense. Saw Santa for free on Sunday and got a decent numberblocks sticker book. I can’t get over how much people pay to see Santa 🙈 that’s more than I’ve spend on my DDs presents

And the worst of it- you have to provide your own glue stick and crayons/pens/pencils to complete the £15 'whimsical' gift.

This won't be a big problem, because 95% of these will be thrown away without ever being assembled.

Here it is shop.cumbriazoo.co.uk/Christmas_Tea_with_Santa_and_Mrs_Claus_2022/p4408731_21537556.aspx

Wood, moss and "vintage sequins"? Someone binged on Green Parent.

I mean, my DC know they're supposed to appreciate wholesomeness like this, but at Christmas? From Santa? There is a middle ground between plastic tat and a box of grass with a peg.

Anyway, it all sounds like a heck of a rip off. It even beats Chatsworth Christmas, and that's daylight robbery 😂

"Vintage sequins"

= We found a sparkly top in a charity shop and snipped off all the sequins

The reply from them makes it even worse! It’s so smug and passive aggressive.

Honestly I needed this thread tonight had a awful day but I can’t stop laughing I know that’s not the point but it’s so awful it’s funny your poor DC

This type of thing is pushing at an open door with me USUALLY. But:

Peg doll toy 7cm (AKA 'a PEG')
Bag of vintage sequins and a vintage button
Kraft card wings
Moss

...for fifteen actual pounds?

That actually makes me mildly angry 😂It's the most rippy-off thing I've seen in years, and it's done 'in the name of the planet.'

What absolute, total, white-hot bullshit.

That is the worst father christmas gift I have ever seen 😂 my kids would be gutted. Sorry OP, you’ve been totally had off. Can’t believe you’ve parted with the best part of £100. I’d reply requesting a refund for the Santa part tbh. And I wouldn’t book again!!

I can see that some children would enjoy that a like crafting their own angel etc, but I suspect a lot wouldn’t. I think the idea of getting a token and then selecting a gift might be better. Do all children get the same? It’s not really suitable for younger children.

They have bad reviews on trip advisor. Except one (suspicious at all) review which waxes lyrical about the great eco friendly toy written by a brand new account

blah blah, lots of families love the gift...

"...and I am genuinely sorry that you did not find the gift as appropriate for the child you brought to the experience ..."

There you go OP, it's not a poor gift for the cost, it's your child that's the prob!

Oh please let this be picked up by the DM!

And, absolutely, what @Tollumi said !!!