To think this is a really weird thing to do with presents?

[Santaslittlehelper83]

So a family member has just told me that every year with the kids Xmas presents they rip off every label from presents that have been given, then tell them that all the presents are from Santa! I mean...wtf. I feel it's an odd thing to do, and also nice for the kids to know who has got them what and to appreciate and thank them for it. I've now written in sharpie across all her kids gifts! AIBU?

I think everyone is being a bit unreasonable here. My SIL is the same, she wants to teach her child that all the gifts are from Santa, whereas I want my child to know the gifts come from the people who love him (Santa fills the stocking but collects and puts all the gifts from everyone under the tree), but with respect, I don’t think writing in sharpie is a good solution… I appreciate that my SIL is her child’s parent and just wants to make the magic happen in the best way she thinks, and I’m doing the same for mine. No one is “wrong” we just have different approaches. When you give a gift it’s not about the recognition, so I don’t mind that my niece doesn’t know it’s from me as long as she gets it and “Santa” made her happy.

I agree. It’s not what I’d do, but let her do her thing with her family.

I go with the advice I saw on MNet many years ago - don’t let Santa take all the credit

That's ridiculous

In our house as a kid & with my DD now...
Stocking from Santa, presents from family/friends (& lots of thank yous...)

Basic manners on receiving a gift is to thank the giver.

How can children learn this valuable lesson if the parent removes all labels and insists all gifts are from Santa?

Her mistake to make 🤷🏻‍♀️

Is it possible to hand the gift directly to the child? That's what I'd do. But I do think it's bizarre thing to pretend all gifts are from Santa.

Well then I guess her child won’t receive many gifts going forward, when the senders continually fail to receive thank you letters.

That's rude to not give credit where it's due -- and not the purpose for which they were given. I try and emphasise the giver to my kids because I know they get excited about opening and forget.

Santa brings the gifts but we give Santa the money so Santa gets credit for bringing them, as do the elves for making them, as do we for paying for them.

Santa is mystical version of an Amazon delivery driver!

Well I do agree with you it's an odd thing to do. The Father Christmas myth I grew up with was that family sent presents to Santa and he delivered them.

However I guess it is really only a short term blip. In a few years the kids will know the truth and will find out who bought the presents.

If you really want to be mischievous then get gifts that the kids will love but the parents will be horrified by. For example:

• any kind of musical instrument -recorder, mouth organ, drums
• Something that is potentially messy (thanks so much for that potters wheel BIL)
• anything with oil based paints (BIL again)

In theory you can't be implicated. It was Father Christmas what done it!

When I was a kid all presents (bought by parents obvs) were from Santa. Presents for other family members were fully acknowledged, thank you cards written. If "Auntie Jane" or grandma weren't thanked verbally with a card or in person they'd be asking me directly, next time they saw me, if I had liked the thing they had bought for me (even if that was in July!).

Same! All ours were from Father Christmas and I vaguely recall relatives buying small gifts which we thanked them for.

Now I have my own children, we try and keep the magic alive - we don't want the 'credit'. The credit for us is seeing the magic in their eyes! One day, in the blink of an eye, they'll be grown up, and it is then that they may realise how hard we worked to pull it all off.

We got all out though - painted foot prints through the longe, we made a video of FC coming down the chimney etc, and take photos of my husband dressed as FC leaving presents. The big man gets all the credit

Everything I received as a child was from Santa, and I do the same for my child. However I do check the senders are okay with that first. So far this year only one person has asked that the present be from them.

Saying that I also think you're being a bit childish - does it really matter that much to be acknowledged, if you know the child is happy and believes the magic?

Ridiculous practice.

Fair enough if she chooses to do this with presents from her and her husband, but she has no right to intervene and make the choice on behalf of other gift givers.

Stockings are from Santa. Presents are from whoever bought them.

If the gifts are from people who live outside of the home, then surely the recipient sends a thank you card or at least a text. Referencing the gift in question. 'Oh auntie Pauline, I adore the cannabis leaf print onesie. I'll be wearing it to my bosses retirement do.' etc.
So yeah, in that situation it's a bit pointless even giving a gift as it becomes like secret Santa.
But I guess each to their own.
I get the parents giving Santa gifts or even others claiming smaller gifts are from him, but you want the kid to learn gratitude and politeness.

That’s one way of opting out of Thank You letters.

I'd be putting a tag inside too! That's really, really cheeky. They should also be thanking folk for gifts.

Gifts should definitely be acknowledged, yes.

How dropped on will that kid feel when they find out Santa isn’t real? Lunacy

hmm, we did everything from Santa for a few years when they were tiny because we had one grandparent who insisted on buying the biggest, most expensive gift - which wouldn't be so bad but then lorded it over everyone. Luckily kids were babies/tiny, so didn't really understand, but it created a lot of ill feelings with other family members. After a couple of years of Santa getting the credit, they finally listened to us and stopped (all be it, they just shifted their poor behaviour to something else 🙄) After that, we reverted back to Santa gave stockings only and gifts being from who ever gave them.

I guess what I'm saying is before you totally judge just check if there isn't something else going on.

This is what we do. I find it weird when parents are like boo hoo why does Santa get all the credit I need my validation 😭

But to be honest OP I’d just make sure you give the gift directly to the child. Don’t give them it for Xmas morning.

I actually think its quite rude. The gift is being given by somebody and parents shouldn't repurpose it for their own weird narrative.

You could double wrap your presents with “ From auntie X” written in different coloured pens all over the inner layer ( just to make it look pretty and drive the point home to parents)