I just don't understand how you can explain that Father Christmas only brings the stocking when:

[bytheMoonlight]

1. Many Christmas books and films show the elves making presents of all sizes. Don't the children question why they are making big toys when Father Christmas doesn't deliver these?

1. Children write letters to Father Christmas which contain requests for big presents. Don't they find this strange when they know big/main presents come from parents and family.

DD is almost three and this is the first year we have talked about Father Christmas and I want to be able to answer all her questions as she gets older. The thing that gave the game with me as a child was that my mum was so inconsistent with details and I want dd to believe as long as possible

In our house, Father Christmas brings one big present and a stocking.

See that makes sense Noah .. although does it mean buying 2 big presents, one from Father Chrsitmas and one from you?

They are films not reality. THey don't believe 101 dalmations or Beauty and the Beast are real (or they accept it when you explain).

It is called suspension of disbelief and children do it often and easily. You just need to work out what you are going to say to support whatever theory you decide to go with.

I think I asked my mum and dad when I was about 5 why they never bought me any presents at Christmas .

I get around it by buying a present from DS to DD and vice versa. To be honest I think both of mine (5 and nearly 7) are so keen to believe that they don't really think much about what they see in films/books etc.

I do worry I will unwittingly give it away though.

FC brings all the presents in this house.

BUT DS has told me that he's not going to buy me a Christmas present this year as I didn't get him one last year. Not sure how I'm going to get round that without buying him something.

In our house the DC know that we buy the presents, FC just delivers.

A bit like a magical DHL

In our house FC brings the stocking and the big present. There is always a present from us as well. I never got my head round all the presents coming from FC - especially when that includes the ones friends and relatives have sent.
Mind you, this year DD3 has announced her non-believer status (she is 8) so the question is who do the presents come from now?

Agree with Noah about the children being keen to believe so they don't question.

All my DSs' presents came from FC until the last couple of years.

We have only started to buy them both presents as their parents not just as FC because they are getting older (10 and 7 now) and the questions are getting more probing (I don't know if DS1 even believes any more)! Also we wanted to buy them something that was very expensive and we could only justify by buying second hand. I have no doubt DS1 would have twigged if we had tried to pass off second hand as being from FC.

I know some people only want to give stockings so they get the credit and the thanks for the big things but I'm not bothered about that. Part of the fun is their belief and they get plenty of practice thanking people with their pressies from the rest of the family.

Should say FC buys all the presents that turn up on Christmas morning.

GPs, aunties and uncles etc come from them. I remember a thread from last year where someone was put out that her ILs wouldn't pretend that the present they had bought was from FC. I don't understand that idea at all.

Lady - she doesn't believe at 8 I've only got one more year left .

"I know some people only want to give stockings so they get the credit and the thanks for the big things but I'm not bothered about that. Part of the fun is their belief and they get plenty of practice thanking people with their pressies from the rest of the family."

That is a bit harsh isn't it? I am pretty sure most of us here are not that self centred even f we don't have everything from FC!

When I say all their presents I mean all their presents that come from us.

I agree with LadyGP that it seems odd if all presents from the rest of the family, come from FC as well. They see them arrive in the post or my parents bringing them over so how would that work?

WhyHavePets - I know. I hoped I'd have longer. Still 13 years is a good run.

Whyhavepets - I find it a bit shocking too but I have seen lots of people post that over the years.

When i was growing up everything that was under the tree on Xmas morning came from FC. Unwrapped. Often with prices on!

Presents from other relatives came wrapped with a tag so we knew who they were from. They were few and far between tbh. Money was tight for everyone!

FC left us a little present at one Grandparents' house and a big present at the other! Never queried it. Just accepted it.

My DS is 9 and just about still believes. I reckon it is our last year though. He won;t tell me what will be on his letter to FC as it is a secret but asked today if FC takes it or if I do. I asked what i would want it for.

Every present comes from fc in our house. It is easier that way. A present on the bed signals that he has 'been' and everything is under the tree when they go down.

Mine are older now but we still keep it up for the young one.

Santa brings the stockings, and presents to big to go in the stockings usually, but we give them their main present.

My Ils tried that "Santa brings all the presents including the one's from us". No. He doesn't. That is just plain wrong, wrong, WRONG.

Kids are very keen to believe and are fobbed off very easily, so a 'that's just the way it is, and always has been' usually does the trick.

It is lying to our children on a grand scale. I like that about it.

x-posts Massiveknob. Not directed at you. All depends on what you grew up with I guess. It is just wrong to me.

In our house all presents that come from us are from FC.

I'm trying to work out how to explain that FC visits my MIL's house a day early (they are French and celebrate on the 24th). DS will only just be 3 but I'm going to need a plausible story for years to come.

Presents from other people are from other people. They come in the post and have labels on. How can they be from Father Christmas .

I found the receipts for presents I got when I was about 8 or 9. But still sobbed when my mum and dad told me when I was 10. I am not planning on actively telling DS or DD ever - if they really really ask I may say something, but my mum and dad sat me down and told me :(

I'll hold my hand up as a "stocking only" person. I think that it's only right that relatives get the gratitude when they have bought our children gifts. And it prevents the conversation about "why doesn't FC bring me ?" or "why does my friend get lots of toys from FC and I don't?".

Perhaps I'm a bit biased, because we don't have lots of extra money around for presents. Also because an older family member was dreadfully upset as a little girl because she was really good for FC and the neighbour's child was a spoilt brat, but the neighbour's child had a doll from FC and she didn't (family couldn't afford one). She told my Mum about it and even as a middle-aged grown-up, she could still remember really vividly the childhood hurt. So my parents were careful not to play up the whole FC thing (not a lot of money for us either).

DS1 stopped believing last year at just turned 7. AFAIK most of his friends still believe, and he doesn't say anything about it as he doesn't want to spoil it for his younger brother and sister.

We buy the pressies and wrap them as FC is soooooo busy at christmas time then we "send" them to him and if we have been good then he delivers them back.

I think I might take that route notapizzaeater - the idea of bribing for good behaviour appeals

One big present and a stocking here.

FC brings them all the presents in their sacks (I know it should be stickings but we had sacks as a child so carried it for my dd's and the y have beautiful hand made sacks with their names on made by my wonderful auntie)

They get one/two big presents from us (well not sure what will happen this year as we have seperated but imagine that will say big present form both of us since they are already bought)

Then presents from friends/family are seperate and I tell them X bought this before they open it (although in the past family presents tend to be done at the sperate grandparents houses ie all my family leave their presetns for dd's at my parents and Dh family at the IL's so spreads the present opening out)