Can someone/ all of you explain how it works when Santa brings all the presents?

[grumpypants]

In our house, the dcs leave an empty pillowcase which FC fills with tat little things, or one thing from their list, depending on cost, plus gold coins. Then, after lunch, the dcs open all the named presents (from grannies, us, godparents etc and they are expected to do thank you letters/ drawings/ photos/ calls)

BUT, reading some of the posts, it seems that Santa does something else in other houses. What is it?

The only time I ever heard something different is when I gave a present to a previous neighbour for her son (we were v good friends at time) and she said, oh I'll say thank you now, because obv Santa will give it to him. Is that the same?

I don't get this attitude that people seem to want to get the credit for giving presents. Is that really the important thing? All presents here from father Christmas. I then ring or write to people to thank them o behalf of the children. After all when the children are very little they tend to be made to write thank you cards rather than truly understanding what a thank you card is about.

There is plenty of time when they are older for all that. Just enjoy the day.

Yes it is important! Parents can get spend whatever they like from Santa but they have no control over others. I have never known anyone do it, so it simply hasn't arisen, but if it does I have no intention of playing along-Santa has nothing to do with my presents.

We are like you OP. Santa will bring little bits and pieces and put in stocking, although a very big stocking compared to when I was a kid!! the stocking will get hung up on the fire place, and a mince pie and pint of beer left on the mantlepiece, (it has to be beer in our house, as dh does not like the traditional sherry) Everything else will get put under the tree, but not untill after dd has gone to bed to prevent poking, and to stop the dog from trying to guess too.
The stockig will get emptied when she gets up, usually between 0530 and 0700 and everything else is opened after breakfast and the dog has been walked.

Oh and the dog gets a stocking too.

Unfortunately, since we had dd, my dh won't let me have a stocking anymore, I am not alowed an advent calendar either :(

I personally feel it is very important for the DCs to write a thank you note no matter how much of a chore it may be for me to get them to do it or for them to put pen to paper. Christmas presents an ideal opportunity for them to practice this skill imo even if it's a dictated note with the DC helping out by licking the stamp or making a little scribbly drawing.

I also feel as Piscesmoon does that Santa gifts and gifts from other people should be kept separate. It seems a bit dishonest on the part of parents who put them all together if the gift-givers are not aware this is how their gift will be received -- don't have a clear thought of why, or whether the gift-donors should have a right to that kind of feeling as once a gift is given it's not theirs any more. Just a feeling I have.

Our family tradition is that everyone in the house gets a stocking (i.e. me and DH, DCs,and whichever grandparent or extended family is staying)which they hang on the end of their bed. Father Christmas brings these presents (about 7 or 8 each, and most under a fiver - usually including at least one book, something useful like pens or paper, something to eat, something frivolous), and we open them first thing in the morning.
After church, the DCs play with their stocking presents until lunch. After lunch is scoffed and washed up, we have the tree presents which are the proper family ones, ones from friends etc.
Everyone has stockings whatever age they are! At the moment we have one DC who would like to believe but we had to tell her before she went to secondary school to avoid people taking the p**s out of her (how sad is that?), and one who still officially believes. However, there were plenty of Christmases at my parents' when the youngest occupant was over 20, and we still got stockings! It's all part of the fun...

Santa brings the stocking and maybe 2/3 presents, as ds1 has got older he now knows that me and DH buy the other prsents that are there on christmas morning (no other family presents chrismas day, just ours and santas), he's seen us buying a few things so this way the magic continues for a bit longer.

Presents from other family members ie. grandparents, aunties etc are given to the children by that person when we see them (usually christmas eve or boxing day) and are from that person nothing to do with santa, children then say thank you straight away.

I too would be very cross if my future grandchildren were told that my present was from santa, very, very rude and cheeky of the parents. I will be keeping hold of said presents and handing them over myself.

I also think its important for dd to write thank you cards/letters. Although she can not write yet, she will draw a little picture, and I will write the note, and if she has been given any money I will say what she has spent it on, or will spend it on. I think that it is a really nice gesture and shows that she (and we) is appreciative of what has been given. We do the same for birthdays.

Also, I agree that santa pressies should be seperate from those that others have given.

I think it is very important to write thankyou letters-before they could write they did some scribbles and I added-they knew what it was for.
Parents seem to think that they can control everyone else-they can only control themselves!

When mine were small we did presents from us in addition to FC so that DCs wouldn't wonder why we ignored them.

I agree maryz - my DD gets a stocking filled with some silly, some useful items and the rest comes from us. When she wrote her Santa list (my suggestion so as to get ideas) she asked for a fridge magnet (ah bless) and that was it. I told her Santa tends to buy little bits not electrical items but when she returned to school her friend had got a Wii from Santa so that scuppered that and friend also lived in our same part of town.

Santa brings all the toys in the sack left at the end of the bed.

Mummy gets no credit for this big bulging sack of toys, but she'll know it one day.

mummy buys a very special present, like the most wanted, ie last yr a ds. DD did ask santa for a ds, but mummy gave it to her in the morning, becuase mummy wanted SOME credit!!

family gifts are under the tree, and opened after lunch when mummy has time, and is relaxed.

Santa brings stockings + a few presents (small-ish/medium ie. not too pricey) under the tree, which the kids have written and aske him for

We (me, DH) get them one main present each. That's it. We used to go a bit crazy with tree presents, but our families buy loads of stuff for the children, so that makes up the pile nicely.

piratecat - that is exactly the reason Big Foot will be coming from daddy and me, not FC!

On Xmas eve all the presents that people have bought magicically transport from their houses to santa's sleigh and he delivers them to each child. Sanata usually adds a small present from him and his elves too, if he thinks you've been good.

My Mum told me that, so it must be true

Santa brings a stocking and delivers the other presents. No way would I insult people's generosity by letting Santa take the credit. It's extremely important that the children know where the presents came from.

Santa brings all the presents we buy the dc and stockings. Then they have the presents from their cousins, grandparents, friends etc as they are labelled up. This is the way it was always done when I was a child.

The dc never ask why we don't give them anything (dd knows now it is us as she is 12 but still acts it out for ds's sake).