When do your DC send their letter to Father Christmas?

[BelinaTheChicken]

This is the first year DS1 is old enough to 'write' a letter to Father Christmas (he'll be 3.6), so I'm trying to encourage him to think about what he wants. When should I get him to 'send' it? Would like it to be early enough so I can try and find a bargain (unlikely to be a very specific item) but not so early that he ahs changed his mind by the thime Christmas morning comes.

When do your DC send their letters?

We have written ours last weekend, they are in envelopes on the side. we will probably do them late november so santa has time to read them and see what he thinks :) and so their PNP video can include item from list. The elves come to pick the lists up from the special place leaving glitter ect behind.

We used to burn our letters (or painstakingly copied versions of them) in an open fire, but we have no fire where we live. Might do a fire outside, or take them to DM's and do it in her log burner. Like the glitter and elves idea though.

He can't make his mind up what he wants, very annoying

We're posting ours in the John Lewis Christmas post box in the toy department after school tomorrow . They're very excited, or they were until they fell out writing their letters this evening and started trying to scribble on each others masterpieces Is it too early for wine?

The first week in December. DCs give them to me to post, after they have addressed the envelope etc, because only Mums and Dads know where to post them.

Gives me plenty of time to ensure that they don't change their minds regarding presents, even though they are talking about what they would like for ages before writing ! Also helps for any little bits you may not have thought of...

Do you limit them on the amount of presents they ask for, or just let them go crazy and only get some on the list? I have one friend who only allows one 'ask' (single mum and low income, she's not tight!) and one who lets them go mad then bankrupts herself buying everything the ask for. Some kind of happy medium? We are really skint this year, but making all other presents (family, and ones to DC from us), so all present budget is going on the DC

No limit here, but I try to 'guide' them into what they ask for, iyswim ?!

That way, there can be no disappointment on the day...I would be mortified if one of mine wouldn't tell me or let me see what they had written ! I can safely say that mine have never gotten everything they have asked for, but I make sure I know which gift/s are the most longed for...mine start talking about it properly about now, so I warn them that the letters must be written for Santa by the end of November, which gives me plenty of time to get a couple of bits I may need to get...I am lucky that mine don't tend to change their minds though ! (Little do they know I have already got presents that they have no idea of, but I know they will love ! )

We say to them that 'some' presents are from Father Christmas and some are from Mummy and Daddy, as well as other family members etc...I don't always specify which, I kind of leave it up to them to decide who gave what !

I've never had disappointed DCs on Christmas Day, usually they are so chuffed with what they have received they forget about whatever else they asked for and didn't get.

Hope this helps a bit ?! It does get easier !