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Christmas

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Original poster

Does Santa 'buy' or just bring the presents to your dc?

63 replies

JinglingAllTheWay · 19/12/2011 21:07

After reading some interesting threads on here, I wondered how Santa 'worked' in your house?

In our house, Santa makes or buys the toys and then delivers them Christmas eve. As far as dc are concerned, dh and I have no involvement in the process what so ever, we get the dc different presents than Santa which go under the tree as they are wrapped.

Is this weird? It seems a lot of people buy the presents for Santa to deliver?!

How does it work in your house?

OP posts:
mumeeee · 20/12/2011 19:53

In our house Father Christmas does come for ever. Although he only brings stocking stuff. DD3 19 and DD 22 will still get the usual big stocking each, DD1 24 and her DH are here for Christmas and they will get a small attacking each. DH and I will also have a stocking each.

mumeeee · 20/12/2011 19:54

Silly me forgot I'd already posted on this thread. Grin

JKSLtd · 20/12/2011 20:00

I'm with LolaLadybird - it's the way my parents did it and I never remember questioning why my parents didn't get me a present.

DS1 did ask DH the other day though (nosy sod) and DH said something about FC working with Mummy & Daddy.

Plus, his letter to FC is purely a list of ideas, some of which FC will get him, that way he doesn't get to have absolutely anything he thinks of.

And FC definitely does buy some stuff in shops, I think as he's seen the ads on tv Xmas Grin

Smugfearnleyshittingstool · 20/12/2011 20:16

Stockings come from father Christmas, I take lots of pride in them though, no labels at all, all small bits from etsy or wi market etc with an orange nuts, choc coins etc.no crap buying from hawking bazzar!
They don't ask Santa for games consoles etc as they know that the elves can't make those! My dd thinks that kids who say father Xmas bought me a bike etc have been lied to by their parents, but she nods and smiles!

The main requested pressies, 4each, something they want, need, to wear, and read, are under the tree along with all the bits from aunties, neighbours etc.

I really don't get the whole we gave Santa the money thing. Strange IMO.

Our friends/family do the same, and we all did it this was as kids too.

We don't do the big opening Firenze either, it's very orderly at the kids request, the eldest dc is the fairy giver, and hands them out one at a time. Meanwhile I am supposedly noting who gave what but most likely knocking back prosecco and ferrero's!

smokinaces · 20/12/2011 20:23

Here Santa does the stockings - all the little bits from the £1 shop. The kids know I buy the main presents - but I send them to FC to look after and deliver on Christmas Eve. They're 5 and 3 btw.

Original poster
JinglingAllTheWay · 20/12/2011 20:26

mumeeee - I love that your DDs still get a stocking, even as adults. What age did they stop believing and it just became presents from mum? Mine still believe but would like to do something like you do for yoursXmas Smile

OP posts:
smokinaces · 20/12/2011 20:33

Jingling, my mum does stockings "from santa" for us if we wake at hers christmas day. I havent stayed there for years as have my own children, but my 27yo sister is staying there this year and getting one Grin

Marne · 20/12/2011 20:38

Its a little complicated in our house due to me having to tell dd1 that she cant have everything and having to explain why some children dont get as much as her. So santa buys the little things for the stockings (or his elfs make them), we pay for the larger presents by leaving money for santa (or sending it to him via royal mail), this way she knows that she can not have everything (as mummy daddy have to pay for it), so we give father christmas £100 per child, if they get anything extra then thats from father christmas and the elfs (extra gifts). Dd2 has ASD and hasn't got a clue whats going on, this year is the first year she has been verbal enough to ask for anything but she does not understand who has got her what and how much things cost.

mumeeee · 20/12/2011 20:47

Jinglingalltheway. They stopped believing at 7.5, 10 and 11. But still did all the fantasy stuff right up until last year. In fact although DD1 was the one who stopped believing at 7.5. She's the one who still pretends the most and will probably insist on putting out a mince pie for Father Christmas (she wasn't here last year). Grin

kiwidreamer · 20/12/2011 21:08

It's really fascinating reading about how differently things happen in other families! DS is 3.5yrs and this is the first year he's really clicked with the FC thing. Our traditions will be the same as what I grew up with, in early Dec you can write a letter to FC with your wish list, no expectation of receiving everything and no unrealistic expectations as FC has to look after all the children so can't be greedy. Children put out their stockings on Xmas eve and bring down the presents they have brought for other family members to go under the tree. FC fills stocking and maybe a couple of larger gifts (hungry hippos is the only thing asked for this year, next year will be very interesting I'm sure!), those goodies are opened first thing Christmas morning in a little bit of a free for all. All the other presents are opened over course of the day, in a managed fashion otherwise chaos and too overwhelming, we take turns giving out gifts and everyone pays attention to every gift opening. I'd never heard of FC bringing all the gifts under the tree before. DS has wrapped and hidden Daddy's books and socks for weeks, I don't see why we would lead him to believe all the presents were from FC when he knows he has chosen gifts for Daddy and his baby sister, so i guess it makes sense that Mummy and Daddy have brought him pressies too.

startail · 20/12/2011 21:27

When I was about 13 the 9/10 year old daughter of a family friend asked "why do I get more off Santa than other children?"
Well I'd never been brought up to believe in FC so I thought she was way to old for such nonsense. And I could hardly tell her the truth, which was that she was the spoilt only child of wealthy over indulgent parents.
I can't remember what I did say, but I've always told my DFs that FC sends the billGrin

Original poster
JinglingAllTheWay · 20/12/2011 21:31

Agree with kiwidreamer - it is lovely to hear what others do!

My DN's dd is with us at the moment so will be joining in with our celebrations. It was her first time writing a letter to Santa and we've been out and bought her a stocking etc for christmas eve. She has never had any of this before so am hoping to make this christmas extra special for her.

OP posts:
kiwidreamer · 20/12/2011 22:16

Maybe I was just very naive but it never occurred to me as a child to be concerned with what other children got from FC or how it was paid for Xmas Hmm, it was all part of the myth but then again in early 80's small town NZ we didn't really have chain stores like ELC etc so most stuff wasnt branded, might have to think thru the myth in a bit more detail next year once DS has been at school for a term!!

VoldemortsNipple · 21/12/2011 00:03

When I was young in the early 80s, there was always some friends whos parents were out of work or out on strike, ourselves included. We understood perfectly that some children would get more/less presents for this reason.

I think in some ways it made Christmas more magical. We got very little throughout the year, but my mum would save like mad to fill our pillowcases from fc.

I didn't realise that fc only brought stockings for some people until mn.

vmcd28 · 21/12/2011 06:52

Genuine question - those of you who say that the parents send Santa money for the gifts, where is the "magic" in that? I dont really see the "point" of Santa at all if he's just a middleman!
I have a couple of friends who tell their kids that they pay Santa for everything he brings. I also have a couple of friends who dont give their kids anything at all - everything from them is officially from Santa. Again, where is the lesson in appreciating and saying thank-you to people who have spent a lot of time, effort and money to get lots of gifts for you?

Our tradition is that Santa fills all the stockings (with sweets, novelties, a book, bubble bath etc), and brings maybe one "big" gift and a couple of things like books or a game or whatever, and we give him one or two "big" gifts and loads of wee things to open (or things he needs), eg books, DVDs, pyjamas, etc etc.
We dont spend a fortune compared with others, but they get loads of "things". DS1, age 6, is extremely grateful for it all, and not at all expectant or grabby. In fact, one of the things on his Xmas list is a magnifying glass, bless him. He knows he won't get everything on his list, and that Santa will choose which things he thinks he'd enjoy most.

myBOYSareBONKERS · 21/12/2011 07:12

My boys know that Santa has a different agreement with each family. With some the parents buy the gifts and send to him to bring. With others they send him the money and he buys or makes them (hence why Tesco is written on some boxes Wink ). And in some he may do a mixture.

But for those families that don't have much money Santa will buy them a little gift out of his own "Christmas fund"

and that is why some children get loads and some only get a few bits - its all to do with what "arrangement" you have with him

doublechocchip · 21/12/2011 07:55

In our house everything is from father christmas apart from the selection boxes which are from mum and dad, same as it was for me growing up (this doesnt include presents from family/friends). They have so few years believing Im quite happy for father christmas to have all the credit!

vmcd28 · 21/12/2011 12:57

doublechocchip, do the kids not wonder why all their family and friends buy them gifts, but their parents only buy them selection boxes?
That's not a criticism, btw, just genuinely wondering. Maybe I just analysed things too much when I was young!

VoldemortsNipple · 21/12/2011 13:29

vmc To try and answer your question;

When dcs were small, they would begin by writing fc a letter. They would begin by telling him thank you for something they enjoyed last year. Then they would tell him something they had achieved like riding their bike, learning to read etc. Then they would tell a few things they would like.

At bedtime they would put their letters under the fire where they would whoosh up the chimney and the magic would begin. A little tiny elf will come and stay till after Christmas, and fc sends a letter back.

On the run up to Christmas I tell so many elaborate lies stories, that I convince myself its all real. The money conversation is just something they know in the background, its not the main focus.

doublechocchip · 21/12/2011 13:50

vmc no the dc's have never asked, they are only 5 and 3 so plenty of time left for that but to be honest from what I remember when I was young by the time you get to start wondering about things like that you are in the beginning stages of not believing but not saying anything out loud just in case!

I had a few friends round last night actually and asked them about their christmases growing up and all said that they too had everything from father christmas and never questioned it either.

lynniep · 21/12/2011 17:27

Santa has a factory where they make some toys and deliver them but he also outsources to the supermarket and other shops :) The elves help out. As do parents if he can't manage it all. If you dont have a chimney he uses the back door as he has a special key. He needs to know what they would like but he cant always manage everything as he's very busy. Grownups arent visited by Santa - they get each other presents instead.

Bunbaker · 21/12/2011 17:40

"As far as dc are concerned, dh and I have no involvement in the process what so ever, we get the dc different presents than Santa which go under the tree as they are wrapped.

Is this weird?"

It is to me. When I was little Santa brought the stockings, but all the other presents were from family. My mum was very strict about making us write our thank you letters on Boxing Day. DD gets a stocking from "Santa" and everything else from friends and family because I want her to be able to say thank you for them.

I posted this on the other thread as well. The other reason is that my nephew came home very upset from school one day because he was the only one in his class whose parents hadn't bought him Christmas presents (because they all came from Santa in his house).

vmcd28 · 21/12/2011 17:49

Thanks for the 2 replies. It really is interesting to see what others do. It's also astounding that kids continue to believe after they start school, cos they must all chat about it, and realise their stories don't match up!
I love the whole Santa illusion, but I do also feel it's important for kids to appreciate the effort people have gone to to get them a gift (regardless of the cost).
Plus, I spend months doing xmas shopping, so santa isn't getting all the credit!!

Original poster
JinglingAllTheWay · 21/12/2011 18:21

Bunbaker - think I may have given the wrong impression. My dc do get presents from friends and family, those presents have nothing to do with Father Christmas. Any presents they are given from friends or family go straight under the tree as soon as they get them. They know exactly who things come from etc.

The presents from Dh and I also go under the tree. It's only ther Christmas pressies from Santa they get Christmas eve Xmas Grin

OP posts:
Sleepyspaniel · 21/12/2011 18:21

Stockings presents that appear overnight are from FC

All presents under the tree in the morning are from real people including us

However I like the idea that one of the big presents under the tree is from FC as otherwise, why make a big fuss of letter to FC if he only ever brings stocking fillers?

I need to fine tune this for next year (too late this year to go messing around!)