Don't spoil them Santa!

[happysunshinedays]

Last year my DD (who was 3yo) told me that she didn't care what father christmas got her. . . just as long as it wasn't boys toys! This year, at 4 she would like: a flashy scooter, HSM stuff, Hannah Montanna things, Sylvanian families - with a big house, (father Christmas's bank balance will not stretch to that - he is not immune from the credit crunch!) And lots of other bits and bobs that she quite fancies.

We've just written to FC and she dictated "Dear Father Christmas, I want. . ." I made her think about how to ask politely eg "I would like. . . please".

I'm all for the magic of Christmas, but how do we stop our LOs becoming mini materialists?

good question. DD1 (6yo) sees ads on the telly and immediately wants whatever comes on. She keeps on about icarly stuff - she's never seen icarly so god knows why she wants it.

The latest one is, she wants a wii. She's only seen the ad a couple of times, but would give her right arm for one. She isn't getting one because we have already sorted her stuff out. She just seems to think she can have whatever she sees and if she puts it on the top of her Christmas list, FC will automatically accommodate her wish.

Just don't fall for believing that the letter to Santa is a binding contract. Get her what you can afford, she'll be thrilled on Christmas Day anyway.

Make sure that all letters start with something like "I don't expect everything, but here are some ideas of things I would like"

And a complete embargo on commercial telly until they're old enough to understand 'we can't afford it and it's crap anyway' makes life much easier.

We used to do 'Santa' presents (stockingfillers, small things), 'Mum and Dad presents' (the main one) and then there were gifts from grandparents, etc. They never questioned the fact that most of these were things from their letter to Santa.