How do you explain that FC doesn't bring *everything* they want?

[MegBusset]

Just trying to manage expectations with 5yo who a) still believes in FC and b) has started throwing a few requests that frankly are too late in the day!

I burbled something about there not being enough room in the sleigh but just wondered what everyone else's killer lines were :)

My parents always just told us not to be greedy.

we go with a list to FC being just for ideas, not a shopping list
FC knows best what would be a good present for you, even better than you do, although he will try and get at least one thing from the list as well.
and although FC is magic, the elves aren't and so there might not be enough of to go round.

Love the way everyone does it so differently :) Santa does stockings and the most desired present here. Stocking is often full of things mummy has said no to! Large Nerf guns, bubblegum, coco pops ...

My mum used to say that Santa didn't have room for everything, so you had to let him choose. He did once manage to get a whole bike down the chimney though!

Slight deviation.. DS is now asking if the child we sponsor in Sudan will get a isn't from Santa... Not sure how to explain that one (he is Muslim) away as he has been told that all children in the world get a pressie.

FC/Santa would bring all the presents on the list ... if DC had behaved impeccably for the whole year ...

Actually in our house he just brings little things; main presents come named from Mum & Dad, Grandparents etc.

I thought I was doing fine with DS (9), the understanding that we are getting a family present (a Wii U) for Christmas, so no big requests will be granted.

Then he found the Sports Direct catalogue. He filled in the "wish list" he found inside it.

And presented it to me. "Mummy, can you get this to Santa please?"

15 items on it, ranging from £69.99 trainers to £3.99 ankle guards. "Errr, DS, Santa isn't going to be able to get you all this"

[horrified look] " But Mummy, it says wish list on it!"

Santa only does stockings here - came about after DD asked for nothing other than a "real pink unicorn that can fly me to fairy land" as "Santa is magic and can do anything"

It also limits things to what we can afford - as someone has said before Santa doesn't do xbox etc.

It gets tricky when all the wider family is together as dsis has younger DCs but chose to ignore my correct approach and go with Santa brings everything - it also means that my DC thank the giver, whereas hers do not.

We also only do stockings from Santa although if there was a desperately desired present it would probably be in the stocking.

We also do the 'it's not nice to be greedy and Santa won't buy everything you want'.

I'd like to avoid the letter-to-Santa altogether but last yr the dc's wrote them at school including items cut out of the next directory

Frontpaw I'd explain that not everyone celebrates Christmas, FC brings presents to children in families who do, other families celebrate different festivals instead...?

It's not helped by Muslim DBIL who absolutely adores Christmas and reverts to a six year old at this time of year!

Santa Claus doesn't have room in his sleigh for all the things DSD asks for - there wouldn't be enough room for the other kids' toys. He also doesn't like to hear DSD moaning or complaining about what she didn't get, and does not deliver Barbie dresses for Christmas just because DSD whines about it.

Last week, we finally unearthed a "Message From Santa" CD that DSD got for Christmas a couple of years ago (which had been cast into a box and left there during a couple of house moves). CD Santa tells DSD that he will bring her "even more than she's asked for" and "things that are not even on your list because I am Santa and magic, and I know everything." Thanks, CD Santa.

DSD, who feels a bit lazy about writing a letter to Santa on the best of days, is now being informed for the very first time that Santa's elves don't have the same magic as Santa, so she really needs to write that letter and tell the elves what she wants. And that it takes a few weeks for Airmail to reach the North Pole, so she needs to get it done quickly.

Father Christmas knows that your parents are able to give you some other presents on Christmas day in addition to his, so he is giving some of his presents to children who don't have that priviledge.

Plus, a Father Christmas list is a wish list that you have kindly requested of Father Christmas. Not a demand list!

FC brings the stocking, and one present, not the biggest or the best, but always something thoughtful. FC presents are wrapped in extra glittery gold paper with lots of curly ribbon and big bows.
All the other presents are named and everyone is thanked.
The stocking is filled with tat to keep DD quiet and busy until the sun is up