Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Does Santa give all the gifts??

42 replies

sauvb · 17/12/2012 14:03

What do you say in your house as to who has given the gifts? Does Santa bring them all off him, or does he bring them but they're off you?
DS is 5 and DD 3. Can't remember what we said last year, but they know that gifts off friends and relatives are off them. I know some people say that all gifts are off santa, regardless of who bought them. - I remember Dsis being most upset when she realised her lovingly chosen gifts for her god-children were put under the tree, tags removed and were told to be off santa not her for years.

We've told the DCs they can ask santa for 3 things each. But we've also got them a playmobil camper van to share, which I'd like to say this one's off mummy and daddy, as well as a couple of other smaller bits and bobs. Does it get confusing doing that? Am I over thinking this?? or just being selfish wanting some credit?

OP posts:

daisydoodoo · 17/12/2012 14:06

well i must be selfish too then. here we say that santa keeps the presents that mummy and daddy buy and then delivers them for us. When asked why the elves dont make them, i sai that was becasue now children ant more than one present and so the elves can't keep up, so mummys and daddys buy them for santa to let them have if they are on the nice list.

may be confusing for some but this is the story told since the oldest asked when he was about 5, so don't even need to think about it now when the dd's ask.

RillaBlythe · 17/12/2012 14:08

I was told, & I tell my dd, that FC brings the stocking presents & the tree presents are from whoever gave them. Dd hasn't noticed that it mean altho she asked Santa for a doll it appears from Granny. I'm not particularly bothered about her believing fervently in the man in red so that doesn't bother me.

JingleBel · 17/12/2012 14:09

Mine write two or three things in their letter to Santa, he brings the thing they asked for plus a few little things for their stockings.

The main presents are from us and family.

Original poster

sauvb · 17/12/2012 14:13

thanks for replying!

OP posts:

Theladyinpurple · 17/12/2012 14:14

Presents from family members are from them.

Santa brings stocking presents and a few small ones. The rest are from us.

Thingymajigs · 17/12/2012 14:24

We ended up saying that we bought the gifts and Santa wrapped them and bought them back to us with a couple of extra ones from him. The story altered over time until it got to that point. After that I realised it wasn't fun anymore so I decided to tell my youngest son the truth earlier this year before his ninth birthday. It took him 7 months to get over it and he's only ok with it now because he has decided to half believe in him.

Original poster

sauvb · 17/12/2012 14:41

Yes, you see I think over the last few years I've said a variety of things that I can't quite remember! I'm sure I said at one point we have to send money to Santa for their presents, as DS was asking why children in poor countries don't get gifts off santa too if he goes to every child across the world. I would really love them to believe for a few more years yet, so want to keep it as simple as possible. Especially with all the mulled wine around

OP posts:

baileysontherocks · 17/12/2012 15:03

Ds 7 and dd 5 are told by us that all gifts come from fc even stockings they know that family and friends presents dont come from fc.
We do this method so that if one year there isnt as much money then we can explain that we can only send a bit of money to him so they are not disappointed with what fc brings and we can also explain why some other children dont get anything not because fc doesnt care but money is tight and the parents cannot afford to do it so then they realise how lucky they are

Zavi · 17/12/2012 15:08

My DCs biggest gift is always from Santa. I then buy him a present from me too.
I always attribute other people's presents to them - don't see how DC would be able to thank them otherwise....
Last year my DC noticed the local labelling on some of the stocking fillers and became very, very suspicious, telling me that he thought I had bought the stuff and that Santa wasnt real (he's 8). In order to keep him believing in Santa I decided to "sacrifice" the stockings - iyswim - and I told him that, yes, I had bought the stocking items.

I'll never forget the look of shock and disappointment on his face! I instantly regretted telling him and wished I'd kept up the charade

Now, when his suspicious mind kicks in, I tell him that I am NOT Santa (well, that's true isn't it!) and that Santa only comes to children who believe in him

FestiveOrganisoid · 17/12/2012 15:15

No no no!
Some of these stories are very complicated, sending the gifts/money to fc so he can deliver and they seem to take away some of the magic to me.

FC delivers the stocking (which contains a couple of semi decent presents but nothing expensive)
Everyone else's present (including mine) is from who it is from.

No complicated stories or having to explain why he can't bring an ipad!

OhCobblers · 17/12/2012 16:00

FC only delivers stocking presents. No way is anyone else going to get the credit for the amazing "main" presents the kids get from us!

However I lovvvvve shopping for stocking presents and generally spend a small fortune!

DewDr0p · 17/12/2012 16:02

I with you Festive on the sending money to Santa thing.

Present from friends and relatives are from them.

Stockings and main present from Santa. Thought about doing just stockings from Santa but then why write to him?

However wish we had done at least a token present from us as that's how ds1 (8) rumbled us on the whole FC thing "I think it's really suspicious that you don't buy us anything for Christmas when everyone else does"

wonkylegs · 17/12/2012 16:06

Small presents in stocking in bedroom door from Santa.
Ones under the tree from everybody else (well the relatives that remember.... Christmas seems to surprise my mum every year it's as if the change the date or something, so she just about gets organised to send gifts in mid to late Jan by which time there is no tree)

DorisIsWaiting · 17/12/2012 16:12

Stockings are from santa, and a couple of presents under the tree. It helps to explain why some kids get ipads etc and they don't santa only brings a couple of girts and parents and family get other stuff...

We buy some stuff second hand bikes etc and that def comes from us.

DontCallMeBaby · 17/12/2012 16:27

Anything under the tree is from us - and friends and relatives, obviously. Only stocking presents are from Father Christmas. It was how my parents did it, and it never occurred to me to do it any other way - give some mythical chap the credit for ALL the presents I've bought DD? No way ...

I'll miss it when she stops believing ... I love the Christmas morning charade of 'what's he brought you then? what's that? why on earth has he given you that? weird bloke ...' This year it will be an elaborate double bluff whereby I pretend by baffled as to why FC has brought her an iTunes voucher, only to reveal later that SOMEHOW he must have know we'd got her an iPod.

insanityscratching · 17/12/2012 16:33

Father Christmas brings the stocking here. All other gifts are from whoever bought them. Dd doesn't write a letter to FC but does give me a list of ideas. Her stocking has things that I would never buy so FC gets plenty of credit for that and she also knows that there is a limit to how much we will buy for her.

dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru · 17/12/2012 16:34

Santa brings the presents from me and dh and the stocking presents. Anything else is from that person e.g. aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. DD decided a couple of years ago that although Santa gets the presents we have to pay for them and thats why you dont always get everything you ask for and explains why others may get more/less than they do.

baileysontherocks · 17/12/2012 16:40

If fc only brings the stocking presents whats the point in them asking fc what they would like they may aswell just ask the parents for christmas presents and i dont see the magic in that if i said to my two children be nice or fc wont bring you presents they would just say oh well at least we will still get big ones from you

dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru · 17/12/2012 16:45

I know, why have all the hype if he's only bringing some chocolate coins and a satsuma!

WorkingtoohardMama · 17/12/2012 16:46

Father Christmas does the stocking/sack, with the present they've asked FC for + little gifts and then we put a couple of presents under the tree from us, usually one biggish present (a doll for dd and lego for ds) and their outfit for Christmas Day.

anchovies · 17/12/2012 16:53

All presents come from FC in our house including stocking presents. He has a deal with the big chains to supply him with some of the stocking stuff (Tesco/Boots etc). Originally there wasn't a present from us but a couple of years ago they asked indignantly why we didn't get them one. Needless to say there is now a separate medium sized present (usually lego) to share from us that comes out later.

All presents from family/friends come from whoever sent them so they can get thankyous.

insanityscratching · 17/12/2012 17:01

Dd loves her stocking most of all even though in monetary value it's quite insignificant tbh. It will have things that she has wanted but I wouldn't buy at the time. This year it has Mario figures, particular Beanie Boo teddies, a booklight, a purse, necklace and watch,special notepads, bookmarks, nail polish, lip balms, light up yoyo and more stuff I don't remember.It will have chocolate coins and a satsuma besides of course.

FestiveOrganisoid · 17/12/2012 19:15

I guess because my stockings aren't just choc coins and a satsuma.

Also my dc seem to be more excited about the fact that FC comes than the presents he brings.

They know he doesn't do expensive or big presents because he has to go to all the children and they wouldn't fit on his sleigh. It worked for me during my childhood and works for mine so far now. Ds asked for a Henry Hoover but then asked me if they were expensive and if i thought it was too big for FC to bring. I said yes so he isn't expecting one but FC has got him a desktop one instead.

He usually brings a couple of things i have said no to (eg facepaints for dd and bouncy balls). He also brings a couple of things they will love but haven't asked for (eg a real school register as they are always playing schools). And a couple of bits of pure tat- they know I can't stand it so to them it reinforces that it isn't me.

mammmamia · 17/12/2012 19:36

Interesting thread as ive been wondering the same thing, this is the first year the DTs have really got into FC - they're 2.10.
The big gift has got to come from him as I've been bribing them for weeks now with that! And it's the things that they asked for when we wrote letters / went to the grotto. He will also bring their stockings. From us I've got a couple of medium sized things and some things they need - a pillow pet, new slippers, a puzzle. they will know which presents are from family as well.
Can't wait to see their little faces on the day

SetFiretotheRain · 17/12/2012 20:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Flip

1 2