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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Do you get them everything on their list and if not how do you explain?

110 replies

Marne · 02/11/2010 10:33

I made the mistake of getting dd1 to write a list as i had no idea what to get her, i have bought her a few things (in sales) which i thought she might like and was hoping to buy her a couple more things that she could choose.

So last night she wrote her list which consists of 15 items, most are around £20-50 each . I explained that 'father x-mas wont to be able to get her all those things as they are very expensive' she said 'well, im sure his elfs can make them in the workshop' .

Do i just buy her 1 or 2 items and hope she forgets about the rest?

How many things off of your dc's list do you actually buy?

OP posts:

electricslide · 02/11/2010 10:40

DD (7) has only ever been allowed to put three things on her list. Usually FC gets one, we get another and a granny the third. Then I keep my ears open as to other bits I think she'd like, which are then surprises.

So I'm not sure what to suggest. How old is she? Weight too much for Father Christmas' sleigh? Some people explain that parents send money to FC for their kids' gifts. Or could you explain that Santa will buy a couple of things and the rest come from you (which is what we do - Santa buys a main gift and a stocking, anything else is from us and family). Or you could gently explain that that is a lot for one child and that FC will not want her to get too much so as not to spoil her ?

Good luck!

ghoulishglendawhingesagain · 02/11/2010 10:41

I chatted to DD about a list, and suggested it as 'We will just give Father Christmas an idea of what you like, put lots of ideas then he can choose a present for you'

Because obviously she is getting what I have already bought but I want to know if there if anything she is mad for. Luckily she just specified a Doll with a Cot, easy enough

Apparently, according to DD, DS wants a doggy with a nose and a lead

She is only 3.7 but in the last few weeks has asked for - a television in her bedroom
Shoes that go clip clop (high heels )
Nail varnish
Oh and she wants some boobs.

She is getting a doll with a cot, couple of Hello Kitty bits, books, and pencils with girly fluffy bits on.

gorionSPARKLERS · 02/11/2010 10:45

OP are you suggesting you are actually considering getting her all the items she has asked for yourself?

When I was little e were asked what we wanted (not 15 items but several) and the list was then shared between uncles/aunties and grandparents.

I like Electricslide idea to make it a Santa decision to not want to spoit her too much.

piratecat · 02/11/2010 10:45

god i havehad this,me- but FC cant aford that dd.

dd- mummy he doesn't buy it his elves make it duh
me- erm...

I have said a list gives FC ideas, and he chooses what to bring you.

This year the list isnt extensive. Anything i cant afford or feel isnt top of the list, i delegate to family, if tyhey cant think of anything.

Bramshott · 02/11/2010 10:50

Don't know know how many children there are in the world?! FC definitely can't fit more than 1 present for each of them on his sleigh, so he chooses 1 from the list. If they are very lucky Mummy & Daddy will choose one of the others . .

Original poster

Marne · 02/11/2010 11:11

She's 6 and seems to have an answer to everything , i have told her that mummy and daddy give FC the money to buy her presents but she has seen something on TV which suggests the elfs make the toys (they don't buy them) so they should be able to make her what she wants.

Most of the things she hass asked for are overpriced plastic tat, such as the Moxie girls car which you colour in (she wouldn't want to play with it, just colour it in) and the Screature dinosaur thing that spits water. She also wants Knex and a garage fot her cars. I have managed to get her a cheep garage for her cars (£10) so at least i have one thing on her list . Hopefully she will have forgotton what was on the list anyway, she doesn't really play with any of the toys we have at home (we have a lot) and spends more time on the pc.

OP posts:

Original poster

Marne · 02/11/2010 11:14

And no gorion, theres no way i'm getting her everything on her list (i cant even afford half), i would like to be able to explain why she doesn't get everything on the list .

OP posts:

ProfYaffle · 02/11/2010 11:17

My dd's are allowed to put as much as they like on their list, then we send it off to FC and wait and see which one he chooses. Clearly it's a bit of a squeeze on the sleigh so you can't really expect FC to bring everything on the list

muddleduck · 02/11/2010 11:21

If you've gone the FC route with presents then you don't really need to explain too much.

"It woudl be great if FC got you everything on your list but it doesn't work like that... no I dont' understand why he can't make everything on your list either, but he just can't. It was the same when I was little."

It is supposed to be a mystery so you don't need to explain!

izzybiz · 02/11/2010 11:23

I think once christmas day arrives they arealways so pleased with what they have, what they don't have is easily forgotten!

mogs0 · 02/11/2010 12:30

Ds chooses 3 small-ish gifts to put on his list. One year, one of the things he wanted was 'a pair of glasses with googly eyes' . Same year he also asked for a TV in his room too so didn't fully get the idea but he drew a lovely picture to go with it !!

I like muddleduck's explanation but I think my ds might be a bit too old to believe me.

oldraver · 03/11/2010 00:21

As soon as DS nearly 5 starts suggesting presents that Father Christmas can bring him we make no promisesn and say FC can bring some but not all but ina positive way

lilolilmanchester · 03/11/2010 00:29

we used to say the elves can only make so many toys and they have to be shared around between all the boys and girls, so they could say what they would like and they had to be happy with what they got otherwise Santa might not bring them anything the next year. Worked when they were very young but slightly older and still believing in Santa it was "but why does Santa give x, y and z so much more than us" ....answer "their parents buy extra but we don't do that in this house...."

DioneTheDiabolist · 03/11/2010 00:29

As a child, Christmas is about what you get, you rarely remember what you didn't get cos you're just so excited.

Except, I never got a horse. I asked for one every year from 7 to 13 for Christmas and birthdays and I never got one. Didn't scar me though. Probably had something to do with the fact I lived in a tiny terraced house and my parents were stingey poor.

lilolilmanchester · 03/11/2010 00:29

"say what they would like BUT had to be happy with what they got" sorry, tired and had wine

waterlooroadisadocumentary · 03/11/2010 00:30

I have never asked dd to make a list, very uneasy with the idea that dd should sit down and make a list of things people could buy her. I don;t like wedding lists either but I accept that I am odd.

lilolilmanchester · 03/11/2010 00:41

nooka · 03/11/2010 02:12

We all do lists (adults included) for our family, and it's always with the idea that it's suggestions for presents only. But maybe it's easier as we don't do FC. I've also been fairly frank about some of their ideas - I'm not backwards at saying how horrible I think half the advertised tat is, so they've rarely had illusions about what is likely to be under the tree

I think I'd go with muddleduck's approach if we did do FC, but mostly when they were younger I'd get them to do the lists early enough they'd forgotten what they put by the time of Christmas, so it was all a lovely surprise.

CherryRocketMonster · 03/11/2010 09:29

mine are only allowed to put 3 or 4 items on their lists too. they usually get them from one person or another but not always. am just wondering when is the right time for them to do their fc letters?

peasantgoneroundthebend4 · 03/11/2010 09:35

to advoid but mummy the elves make it and why cant I ahve it if Fc gets it .We have always done just one presernt from father xmas and they know the rest come from other people so they appreciate it and means he does not get all the credit to

though the fc prsent has its own special label and stamp

FairyArmadillo · 03/11/2010 09:38

I was only asked to put ONE thing on my list as a kid, and I remember being so excited that FC not only got me the "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" book I wanted, but the sequel too. DS is too young to do a list this year.

domesticsluttery · 03/11/2010 09:42

My DC know that we buy the presents. We do tend to get them everything on their list, but TBH they don't ask for a huge amount. For example, DS2 (who is also 6) asked for a Lego set, a board game and a book. Total cost £30. My mum spent most of yesterday trying to get him to say what he wanted her to buy him, all he could think of was a book that he'd seen in The Book People catalogue. Maybe their expectations are just low!

DreamTeamGirl · 03/11/2010 09:55

I would go with the explanation that yes, the elves may well make some of it (and some of it is bought by FC from Argos- my DS knows this to be a fact apparently!), but they have to make presents for an awful lot of children so they cant make too many things. 1 or 2 or 3 things from FC is enough for each child tell her.

dietqueen · 03/11/2010 12:11

I told my DS now 5 that Santa only looks at the first 3 items on a list so it was best to put down just his 3 most wanted items.

Told him this last year and this year he remembered about the 3 items.

Then said right if santa is getting me these 3 items I would like this from you and this from you Daddy!!!

pagwatch · 03/11/2010 12:19

we just tell the Dcs that they write a list so that santa has some good ideas. but that he choses and he may even think of something they hadn't even thought of.

We also have conversations about being greedy and being grateful. Never too early to have those.

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