Reasons WHY Father Christmas cant bring x, y or z?

[Whenisitmysleepytime]

Ds is 3.5yo and this Christmas he will really 'get it'.

BUT I am almost certain he will ask father Christmas for an iPad. He is obsessed with his aunties one and would love it but
A) they are too expensive
B) he'd not understand about having limited screen time and would be on it 24/7 or have a melt down everytime we took it away.

So... What are the best, most believable reasons to give the dc when explaining why father Christmas can't being them whatever it is their hearts desire?

[Ragwort]

Never got into the 'Father Christmas brings the presents' rigmarole. FC leaves a stocking full of small gifts in our house and DS has always understood that other presents come from mum & dad, grandparents etc. If they think FC brings all the presents then who do they 'thank' for the gifts, or don't they ? .

My DS realised fairly early on that there was no FC, we've always done the shoebox appeal (waiting for the annual thread about this ) - he once said to me, why doesn't FC give presents to all those children .

[Whenisitmysleepytime]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Ds has no real idea about money and how much things cost yet. And just because an iPad is a grown up thing it doesn't stop him wanting one.

He will be very happy with whatever else he gets. FWIW in our house (and dh and my childhood homes) FCC brings something with small stocking bits. Parents also give a present. The two presents are not huge things, prob £20-30 ish ATM. If/ when the dc are older their tastes get more expensive then we may collaborate with FC. :)

[honeytea]

Just say the elves can't make i-pads and the working conditions are too bad in the i-pad factory for them to go there and train to make i-pads.

[5inthebed]

If he is still insistent, get him a leappad. My ds3 got one last year when he was aged 3 and loves it. Plus they are educational.

[WineGless]

Mummy and daddy have to send money to FC for all the presents to explain why some get more than others. All other presents are from their intended givers, I got in real trouble with sil once as apparently grandma sends her presents to FC to deliver

[CheddarandMarmite]

In our house, FC brings a small stocking of surprises - nobody knows what is going to be, you just have to wait and see, no asking for specific things. But we know FC can't bring anything too big, because it wouldn't fit in his sleigh OR in DD's stocking, and he can't bring anything too delicate either, because it might get squashed under the weight of all the other presents for the other children.

I think it's more exciting anyway if you don't know what you are getting.

I'm always non-commital about gifts from us too, I just say well, you'll have to wait and see whenever DD sighs over the Playmobil fairytale castle and mentions its suitability as a Christmas gift .

[Poledra]

Santa brings the stocking presents and some other bits (like new books) in this house. Grown-ups send their presents to Santa for him to deliver to our house. So, thank-you letters all round to rellies, and surprises from Santa.

Doesn't always work when I forget where I've hidden parcels from friends/relatives, and they turn up after Christmas Day...

[tummytickler]

Father Christmas only brings things that he can make in his factory with his elves.
He cannot bring electrical goods or anything too big. If it wont fit in the stocking he doesn't bring it.
They are the Father Christmas rules in our house!

[Mrscog]

DS is too young, but when I was young, it was always clear that they were just ideas of what Santa could bring rather than a 'demand' list. He also put loads of little things in the stocking rather than big presents - the 'big' present was often from Mum and Dad rather than Santa.

We were only allowed new things on Christmas and birthday, so we were always thrilled with stocking full of felt tips, drawing paper, knickers, cartoon character toothbrush etc. Am hoping I can bring DS up the same, but I fear times have changed...

[gregssausageroll]

Can I ask a question of those who Santa brings the stocking only? What do you say to your children about writting their letter to Santa? The stocking route is what we want to come from Santa but the letter to Santa list is huge!

[Poledra]

The DCs write a Christmas list, and they know that we share that with their grandparents/aunts/uncles. They also know that there is only one 'big' present and that comes from Mummy and Daddy (though we do have to restrain the PILs some times!). Santa gets the Christmas list too, as grown-ups talk to Santa quite a bit to sort things out with him...

[melrose]

My DS, aged 8, informed me last year, after requesting a DS for the 100th time "oh I don't thnk FC can make anything electrical" which I obviously agreed with (he still has no DS)

just stockings of small bits here and all other pressies from whoever sends them. Beware all presents from FC as makes going away v tricky (can't put presents in the car without arosing suspicion) Also go with what the rest of your family do. We can't spend Xmas day with DSiL as her kids get everything from FC and ours don't!

[melrose]

Oh and Mrscog things haven't changed in our house! TBH I am amzed at stories on here of laptops, ipads and phones for children under 10 and £100+ lego for 4 year olds! My DS age 5 and 8 will get 1 biggish present from us (eg £50 spend) and a stocking. Last year they had a wii, bought for the whole family, they knew that was a big deal and did not expect anything in addition. DD got a £5 toy and a v small stocking so the boys ddn't think Fc had forgotten her (she was only 6 months) We coud afford to spend more on them but I don't see any need.

[Mrscog]

greggs surely the trick is to tell them that the list for santa is only to give him ideas, this then also gives you the freedom to add in other things as suprises :)

[Mrscog]

Melrose that's very reassuring - I also think we took very good care of things like felt tips etc as a result of only being able to get a new set twice a year!

[Pavlovthecat]

I tell DD that she writes all the things on a list that she wants, and father christmas gives her one, simple present from that list. He also gives her some treats to go in her stocking so she has something to open if she wakes up early. Everything else is from mummy daddy and family/friends. He does not do big extravagant presents.

Father christmas knows the age of the children he gives presents to and he will think he is too young to have an ipad.

[Pavlovthecat]

gregs father christmas can buy one of the things from the list that can fit in a stocking. If the list is huge, there will be one or two little things on it. If there isn't encourage it to be put on!