DS has put something on his Christmas list that we haven’t got for him

[Gingerbreadcottage]

My DS is 6 years old and is wanting an X Box for Christmas. He said he’ll definitely be getting one because he’s told Father Christmas he wants it.

We have bought him a new Amazon fire tablet to replace his old one that’s broken - it’s a bigger screen and suitable for an older child. Now I feel sad that he may be disappointed on Christmas morning.
We’ve got him plenty of other things he’s asked for and a few surprises too.

We don’t feel that he’s old enough for an X Box and would rather wait until he’s maybe 7 or 8 at least.
A few of his friends have one, some have older siblings though.

What can I do?!

Tell him Santa picks things off lists

I would tell him you and your coparent think he's too young for an Xbox but Santa knows he will want one when he is 9 or 10?

You need to make it clear to him now that he won’t be getting it. “Santa only brings gifts that mum and dad say are ok, and we’ve decided you’re still a bit too young for one…shall we ask again next year though? I bet there are lots of other lovely things you’d like this year!”

Don't do anything. Christmas lists are not official requirements which must be met in full.

dont worry 6 year olds don’t need Xbox’s

Blame Santa. Santa thinks you need to be a little bit older for an Xbox. He gets all the credit, let him take some of the heat too 😭

I would definitely pre warm him that he isn’t going to get it…just say, he is too young for that/we don’t get everything on our list (a real unicorn springs to mind here…!)

A Christmas list isn't an Amazon order! I used to put "pony" on mine every year, without fail...

If you're going with "Santa buys everything" rather than "parents buy the big things", then just say that it's a wish list for Santa to choose from.

Have a chat about children telling father Christmas what they would like. But father Christmas doesn't always bring that exact toy but he's very clever and makes sure every child gets something really good? The elves only make so many of each toy and Father Christmas tries to be fair, one year some children get exactly what they ask for, the next year different children get exactly what they ask for.

Tell him Santa doesn’t always get you exactly what you want - he knows when something is suitable or not and chooses the best present accordingly.

Its absolutely up to you what traditions you follow, but if you wanted to change your approach in future a really good way to mitigate this problem is to have Santa bring stocking fillers, with main presents from mum and dad. Saves all kinds of awkwardness over kids asking for things they definitely won’t get!

Six is old enough to explain that FC/Santa can't always get everything from every list, and that they'll try there best to get close to and something they'll love, and a few surprises.
I never went mad on whole Santa being a magical being, more someone who I could club together with to do our best to make everyone happy 👌

My son asked for a puppy. I soon knocked that on the head with Santa needs permission from parents about gifts and mummy had said no to a puppy 😂😂

Ha, yes, the pony wish every single year. I used to leap to the window to look in the garden, feel a flash of disappointment, then crack on with my gifts and shrug it off and love all my presents.

I just say Santa doesn't bring expensive gifts as he can't do that for all of the children. It sounds like all your gifts are from Santa? We have a list of three things they can request and I will adjust their expectations if necessary

I've also used the line that elves can't make that sort of toy in the workshop 😆

Well there was one year my son was absolutely determined santa was getting him a dolphin. A real fucking life Dolphin. I told him that Santa can't get everyone everything they ask for and he picks the things he knows they will use the most and have the most fun with then I steered him towards what we'd got instead and mentioned it regularly and all it's pros.

We say that Santa only gets some of the presents on your list (and picks some surprises that he knows you’ll love too).

I agree with some of the other posters about pre-warning so it’s not a massive disappointment on Christmas morning. He might be a little bit disappointed but it sounds like he’s got other amazing gifts so hopefully he’ll be so distracted and excited about those that he forgets about the Xbox for a bit.

I would tell him now eg Santa won’t bring that because you’re not old enough yet. Why let him carry on hoping? Better he feels disappointed now and then the tablet will be a nice surprise.

Just explain that you’ve decided he’s too young for an Xbox and Santa only brings big presents like that if parents have agreed to them. Explain beforehand so he’s not disappointed on Christmas Day and say he put it on his list when he’s 8 or whenever.

This, I don’t understand the angst. I grew up knowing it was a ‘wish’ list, and wouldn’t get everything on it.

When my two believed they understood that Santa doesn't bring electronics 🤣
Plus then he doesn't get all the credit for the big ticket items!

If he had his heart set on one, I would tell him before hand, just to stop the disappointment on Christmas morning. If it was a little toy I would just let it slide as we tell our DS you don't get everything in your list, but an Xbox would be a main present here, so yes, I would tell him mum said no to Santa as you are too young yet.

Ds3 put an Xbox on his Christmas list (7).

I made a 😬 face and said well I'm not sure if Santa will think you're old enough for one...I think Xbox's are aimed more at 10+. What if he can't bring one but you've not asked for anything else?

He thought about it for a bit, realised the stakes were too high and decided to change it to a request for a bike to be on the safe side 😂

Same as BrummieBab, FC does stockings with bits & pieces, I do make sure they have some things in there off their list but eg DS wanted some Nike socks & a game for the switch, so easily fits in a stocking! His main present (bike) is from us. He also wanted a Go Pro which he won’t be getting as they are £££.

Santa only ever brought one gift off the list, everything else was from us, if they got it. Santa's was the one with soot on it by the fireplace!