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Christmas

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Original poster

to those whose DC believe ALL their gifts are from Santa...

29 replies

SpanishFly · 19/08/2012 08:43

Don't they wonder why granny , aunt X and cousin Y give them gifts but NOT their parents?

When I was young , Santa filled the stocking and left s present or two but we also got a couple of gifts from our parents. This is the route we've taken with our kids cos it makes the most sense, I reckon.

However 2 of our good friends' kids believe that EVERYTHING is from him, ie nothing is from their parents. I know for sure that my very curious DS1 would wonder why our next door neighbour gives him something but NOT his own parents. Not in a grabby/entitled way, just that he wouldn't really understand why.

I wish there was a standard role that Santa played so it was easier for us all to cover our tracks!!

OP posts:
wannabedomesticgoddess · 19/08/2012 08:52

We believed as children they were all from him. A very bitchy and manipulative aunt once asked us why our parents didnt buy us anything. It hadnt occured to us. She was just having a dig at my parents. But that was the start of the doubts.

DD knows mummy helps santa and that seems to satisfy her.

exoticfruits · 19/08/2012 08:55

Why are people worrying about it in the middle of summer?!

exoticfruits · 19/08/2012 08:55

Even Santa is on his holidays!

fuzzpig · 19/08/2012 08:56

We do the same as you do OP - FC brings stockings and a big present for them to share, last year their dressing up box. And a present for me and DH like a board game we both want (after all we've been good too! :o)

wannabedomesticgoddess · 19/08/2012 08:58

Planning is starting now in this house due to money worries and the fact there will be a newborn here in november. :)

ByTheWay1 · 19/08/2012 08:59

MIL told the kids Santa looked into their bedrooms to see if they were sleeping before leaving presents - the kids were 3 and 4 and got into absolute hysterics - Santa does not exist in this house any more....

McKayz · 19/08/2012 09:02

In the house it's about half and half. Some are from us and some from Santa. It's what my parents did too.

LegoAcupuncture · 19/08/2012 09:02

Santa left presents at their house for them, has worked so far and ds1 only stopped believing last year at the age of 8.

Thb they are to excited and happy to think about it logically.

nancy75 · 19/08/2012 09:04

Dd gets a small soft toy, a book and new pjs on Xmas eve from us, Santa buys the rest. We told her we dont buy anything else on case we get the same stuff as Santa, as we don't know what he is going to bring!

greenwichgroove · 19/08/2012 09:10

My mum used to buy things and send them to Santa to be wrapped and add his own gift

pookamoo · 19/08/2012 09:11

My friend explains it this way: Presents come from people like neighbours, parents, aunties etc but are sent away to Santa until Christmas Eve. Santa brings the presents but they are not all from him. The DCs put any presents that are brought round by the fire at bedtime and they "disappear" overnight.

In her house, the main present for each child is from Santa. They give the DCs something else from their parents.

Original poster
SpanishFly · 19/08/2012 09:12

That all makes sense! I think DS1 is just so analytical of things that it wouldn't wash with him, or he'd think we were mean or something

I have to say, tho, I do like that he knows lots of people have put lots of thought into buying him a gift and that he appreciates that and thanks them, iyswim.

exotic I always start buying early cos I'd never be able to afford it all if I didn't. Plus I like getting most things before it becomes a stress, then I can just put my feet up and drink mulled wine come 1st December

OP posts:
pookamoo · 19/08/2012 09:12

Nancy what about grandparents' presents? How do you do Thank You letters if it's all from Santa?

Original poster
SpanishFly · 19/08/2012 09:13

lego do they really stop believing at 8 these days?!! Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
SpanishFly · 19/08/2012 09:15

And how do you hide/wrap all the crap you've bought for others without your dc seeing it?!

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PotteringAlong · 19/08/2012 09:16

It simply never occured to me that mum and dad hadn't got us a present!

Gumby · 19/08/2012 09:17

My ds clocked on at age 7
Dd (6) still believes but have to keep telling ds not to tell her

JodieHarsh · 19/08/2012 09:23

Our stocking present were from Father Christmas (we never said Santa).

Everything else was from named family members

I am always astounded when I discover that different families had/have different Christmases! I sort of thought it was The Law to be done a certain way and I can't help feeling the way I was brought up with is the way and everything else an aberration [confused Grin

We also had a Tree Present on Boxing Day in case we were all awfully depressed that the festivities were over. These were never labelled but we knew they were from Mum

Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day!!!

nancy75 · 19/08/2012 09:26

Pookamoo, she knows that some gifts are from family, but the majority are from Santa. The family gifts are usually under the tree before Xmas day, the rest appear ready for Xmas morning. My parents are happy for her to think their gifts are from Santa ( their idea not mine)

everydayaschoolday · 19/08/2012 15:19

We had a stocking and presents from Santa. Never occurred to us that we didn't get a present from Mum and Dad or siblings. All presents from friends and relatives were stored under the tree, and opened one at a time after santa presents - with parents firmly reminding the recipient who present was from, and thank you phone calls/letters initiated.

For my DC, I tell them that Mum and Dad send the money to Santa. This has a three-fold effect: (1) manages expectations that there is a limit to what Santa can bring (2) makes them understand how lucky they are as not everyone has enough pennies to send (3) when they ask for stuff in Nov/Dec I say I can't because I've sent the pennies to Santa, so no adhoc buying (comics/sweets etc) on the run up to christmas - although they will have their advent calendar tat (another thread!).

Friends and family presents are separate to Santa presents.

LegoAcupuncture · 19/08/2012 15:28

Spanish, ds1 was one of the oldest of his friends to no longer believe. Some of them stopped at 4/5 because their feckless parents felt it was too babyish for them to believe.

olibeansmummy · 19/08/2012 17:33

Here mummy and daddy give one (reasonable sized) present and Santa brings the rest :)

Original poster
SpanishFly · 28/08/2012 22:21

Lego, that is unbelievable. Why oh why would a parent stop their child believing?!

OP posts:
SandStorm · 28/08/2012 22:25

My dc never questioned it.

confuddledDOTcom · 28/08/2012 22:43

Around here, he's the postman. We use it as euphemism. We don't have the space to store presents and we stay over and open at my parents house anyway. So when we have to talk to Father Christmas it means we're going shopping and when we send things to Father Christmas it means they go to my parents loft.

My 6yo can remember who bought her presents for Christmas going back quite a few years so I wouldn't want to tell her it's anyone but the person it came from.