So, DH says that FC brings all presents. Even those from family and friends. I am a bit 
about this, as family and friends get no thanks. (well, they do, from us, of course, but that's not the same imo)
I think that FC brings the stocking and some presents, but that family and friends give presents too.
His argument, and I do get it, is that it doesn't make sense to a 5 year old that FC would bring some presents off the list, but that we and GPs get others. Also, FC leaves the non-stocking presents under the tree. How could family leave them there too? 
(I really like coming down on Christmas morning to a tree with presents underneath, when there were none there the night before)
But I want DCs to show appreciation for the presents they get and say thank you, not so much to me and DH, but to others.
So, what does FC get in your house? And how do you explain to your DC why he brings some and you buy others?
I should say, DH is convinced that DD (5) will think about it too much and start to doubt FC's existence. Which would be sad, for us.
I think this is the final year we have the chance to 'change' the FC tradition... DD will question why FC has changed what he does next year!
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Christmas
Please help me win the argument I have with DH *every year* about Father Christmas
HuevosRancheros · 07/11/2013 15:00
Shalli
yes, he does fill the stockings, that's true.
I forgot.
why did I forget?
because it's not fucking true!
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
lol it is tiresome as they get older, but every year she does believe i really enjoy it!
We were chatting about FC the other day, i brought it up in order for her to perhaps JUST ASK ME OUTRIGHT if he exists. She didn't bite. So i said well what do you really think about him, her reply 'are you about to tell me something that could ruin my life?' 
I said 'no, if you believe then he comes' (wimp)
OK this is how it works in our house:
All presents on Christmas morning are from Santa. This includes a stocking, some books and 1 main gift.
Other presents are brought by family and friends when we see them, opened in front of them and thanks given. They have nothing to do with Santa.
You get nothing from your parents if you are a child took ds1 8 years to notice that one
No mention of anyone paying Santa either but it pays to remember that Santa doesn't approve of children being too greedy and would never bring something he knew your parents didn't want you to have including a dog ds1 OK??
I love that everyone's stories are different and children never seem to notice!!
Oh and the dcs write to Santa requesting a gift they would especially like although of course Santa may have an even better idea...
We don't do lists, although I do listen out for ideas...
It's making me feel better that I have on occasion asked a relative to buy something which is then duplicated by FC 
Now I can console myself that it added to the realism of by whole charade instead of just showing up my disorganisation!
IN our house, FC brings stocking which are left on the end of the bed. Full of stocking filler type presents :)
Downstairs, are presents from family, us (as Mummy and Daddy) and one or two also from FC (slightly bigger ones from the FC list).
This way, the children get the magic that FC has actually been in their rooms to fill their stockings whilst they were asleep, AND the magic that FC has picked some pressies off their list.
Family get credit for their own presents, as do we (don't want the DCs to think we never bought them a present and neither did anyone else in the family!!!!! 
As for "how did FC know which to get off the list" - well that's magic. In the same way that FC delivers ALL the present in ONE night. In the same way that FC knows if you've been good or bad. Etc etc. It's simply Christmas Magic. :)
I'm with you on this. I think your DH should consider that it's nice for your DCs to know you and family have got them something special. It's also nice for children to write thankyou letters to family as it teaches them manners and also it's usually very nice for children to show family the present received and how it works, etc. So your DH is actually denying them some "real" Christmas experience, that of children delighting in sharing and showing presents to the family who sent them) because he is so focused on the FC magic.
You know what? My little one is 11 now, so I'm going try and get her to have her stocking on the door handle so I don't have to stay up until midnight christmas eve waiting for her to fall asleep, then spend ages trying not to wake her rustling the stocking --whilst pissed-
Your DH is completely wrong.
In our house, Father Christmas brings a stocking of small-medium sized gifts. Everything else goes under the tree as and when it's ready and is labelled from who it's actually from! I get DS a few larger presents, although I do quite often end up putting stocking presents under the tree if I can't fit them in there!
DS is 6 and has not questioned the logistics of it so far. However, he's pretty bad at writing lists (or a more positive way of looking at it is that he's not very materialistic!) So last year on his list was chocolate, sweeties, socks, and a couple of games. All very easy to put in his stocking and then the presents from me where just things that I thought he would like. I could see how it would get tricky if he was asking for something big but then I'd probably just steer him towards asking FC for the smaller things and surprise him with the big thing on Xmas Day and get all the credit!
Seriously though, I do think it's a bit off that family members don't get a proper thank you for buying gifts.
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