to be slightly pissed off with "Santa"

[DoNotsAntlers]

because he was trying to sell a Nintendo Wii to my DTDs (which is not on their list)

because he told DD3 that he would probably struggle to bring her a baby (I suspect a doll would be OK...but a baby not)

because he told them that he did not want beer on XMas Eve - despite that being our tradition for the last 7 years and now we have to leave POXY hot chocolate .. and when told that it would be cold by DTDs he said that he would be able "to sort that out"

And then he made thoroughly sure that they shoudl tell "mummy" what they wanted and "mummy" would make sure it got sorted out. They are 7 ffs...they don't need any pointers at this stage

ARRRGGGGGHHHHHH the bloody "lions/round table/whoever they were are" a bloody liability to all parents of children in this area

HO HO HO.
It gets worse, I recieved an email with dd's wish list this year.

Oh dear

Our 'Santa' told DS to go home and tell his Daddy he'd been a good boy. Why would Santa assume DS has a Daddy?

It is just ridiculous....I know that they have to make small talk - but you do have to be a little cautious...and as for telling DTDs that they shouldn't leave alcohol out I am disgusted [- that should be our choice

I had this problem last year with the rotary. I ended up having to pay extortionate money on ebay for the out of stock everywhere swimming baby born doll.

He told dd he would bring her everything on her list and when I tried to tell her Santa had run out of swimming dolls she just kept saying bu the told me I would get everything on my list.

I think you are being a teeny bit harsh. Most of these Santa's do it for the love of it. Although recommending a Nintendo Wii is a bit much!!!!

LOL I love your thread title. Are you from the herts area we had the round table Santa come round he was awful

pingping, your user name is a bit explicit and unpleasant imo.

Sorry but what is DTD?

DTD = Darling Twin Daughters maybe? Not sure.

LOL slightly better than our visit to Santa, my ds4 gave Santa a slap in the face!

I did warn Santa not to get too close (ds suffers with SPD and doesnt like his face touched) but Santa decided to give his cheek a little pinch and promptly got a slap!

Perhaps revenge for the Wii!!

I think we should have a Bad Santa thread. Here's my story:

Last year I paid good money to see Santa at a local garden centre. I took DD (6) there specifically because you had to walk through a little farm and she loves animals. I also had DS (10) who, OK is a bit old and yes knows there is no Santa but certainly hasn't let on to his little Sis, who he is very lovely to, and was planning to take it all in good part.

It started off great - pigmy goats - sweet; sheep, lovely; guinea pigs, ah bless; Elf at Santa's door - jolly.

And then it got very Bad.

Santa's inside and there's a little child sized chair next to him which DS naturally sits on. Santa says rudely 'Where are your manners young man. Get up and let your mother sit down.'

OKay...

Santa to DS: 'Right, I can see you're too old for all this and I expect you want something fast for Christmas like a 100cc motorbike'

DS (gives me a 'what the??' look) says quietly 'actually I'd really like a tennis racket'

Santa - (ignoring him) 'Now young man, you're too old for all this NONSENSE, so just be a good boy at Christmas and let the grown ups work their magic (Big Wink) YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN (bigger wink) Let the GROWN UPS work their magic.

DD (sitting meeky at Santa's feet) turns and gives me a 'What The??? look.

Santa (to DS) "Here's your present now'. (Hands DS a wrapped pressie). 'It's a crystal growing set."

Afterwards DD says to me 'mummy what did Santa mean about nonsense and the grownups doing magic and why did he tell DS what his present was?'

I mentioned it to the staff, saying I now had to have the conversation with my DD that I didn't particularly want to have A WEEK before Christmas. They said the proper Santa was off sick.

We had a B-A-A-A-D Santa.

Santa was very badly behaved in a well known dept store locally 2 years ago. Since then he hasn't been invited back. He shouted at some children as he was due on his break and the stupid elves (his words) had taken their money already.

Then he got changed in his grotto, which was partially visible to passing children, and traumatised some of them for life probably. A letter had to be written to explain that he had been "unwell"

I appreciate that sometimes Santa is tired, and doesn't get paid much (if at all) but sometimes (imo) he could do with going on a training update!

Harrods 3 years ago, I enter the grotto with my three and Santa starts singing Old King Cole. When he gets to the "fiddlers three" bit, he stops and asks my 7 year old son if he knows what a "fiddler" is. He replies "someone who plays the violin". Santa then guffaws very loudly and says "That's right - I didn't mean the other sort of fiddler"

Oh lighten up

I agree some of the garden centre/ store santas sound a bit suspect, but go easy on the lions/ round table/ rotary club etc....

DH was in Round Table for about 4 years and evry Christmas gave up many hours of his time in the run-up to Christmas collecting on behalf of local charities etc.

They used to organise the local Christmas Lights in the town etc, and most people enjoyed it and appreciated the effort.

Most of these people are volunteers, and a bit awkward and say silly things like the rest of us. I expect charity Santas feel they 'can't win' - if they say 'tell Mummy what you want' there are complaints, if they say 'I'll sort it out' there are complaints too.

The poor Dads who volunteered to be Santa frequently got wee'd on, lambasted by mad parents for the stupidest things, and even had eggs & flour thrown at them by the yobs on the sink estate residents in one of the areas less desirable neighbourhoods.

DH & his other 'Tablers' used to raise several £1000's every Christmas, and the reason it wasn't always clear WHICH charity would benefit was because they spent the first half of the next year evaluating a range of local causes (usually non-National unknown ones)to find the most in need.

Believe me, there was NO pocket-lining going on - quite the opposite in fact - we used to go to the Cash&Carry and pay OURSELVES for the sweets, balloons and gifts that were given out to the children.

We have had vary cautious Father Christmaseses every year who mainly smile and nod and look at bit worried, maybe I am scary We go to Exbury in the New Forest.

Chocolatedot, do you perhaps have a dirty mind?

I would have assumed the "other sort of fiddler" is someone who cons people out of money ?

I hope you didn't complain...?

Yes, yes Legacy - agree with Charity stuff - (whole other subject, but don't get me started on those 'PTA are ripping us off threads').

We saw a v. jolly Round Table Santa on Sun.

BUT stories of Bad Santas (who you choose to go to and are getting paid) at commercially run grottos are v entertaining, dontcha think?

Read a quote in Sunday paper from the guy in charge of the (official!) Lapland UK site saying:

'Father Christmas is a very important subject to people. If you get it right, people will love you. If you get it wrong, they'll want your head.'

Balloon Slayer, I didn't say anything but he made it abundantly clear what he was referring to as he then went on about "oh yes, we don't want to talk about those sorts of fiddlers" blah blah blah which tigether with the nature of his guffawing didn't leave much doubt on the matter. The "elves" were horrified and were obviously going to say something.

We had a magic Santa He said to DD that he knew she liked princesses, especially Disney Princesses so he would make sure she would get a Disney Princess present. She loves Disney Princesses and there was no clue to this whatsoever for, so I think we had a very lucky the real one