I'm confused about what everyone says about Santa on here

[Nerf]

So, my understanding is that children write to FC, he gets the list, and his elves make or buy some of the items and then leave them on the end of the bed in or next to the stocking.
On here, everyone seems to do stockings with underpants, little bits from Hawkins etx - so what is the point of The List?

In our house, stockings are from Father Christmas and he physically brings the presents from everyone else (like a magical delivery service), other gifts are from who they are from, although we might start doing one big gift from Father Christmas as well. Basically, I'm getting credit for the good stuff! DC1 is just coming up to 5, so we've not had to make it complex so far.

Our stockings are not just pants though, last year DS got a couple of the planes from the Disney Planes film, some of his favourite treats, a couple of thomas the tank engine trains that he'd asked Father Christmas for when he went to visit him. (so glad he asked for little things!)

We , friends and family buy the presents and they are specially delivered at Christmas.

We don't do stockings.

List written, must be done by Nov 1 as that is when Toys R us closes, so that Santa can use it as a filling station.

Christmas Eve red ribbon tied around bed post leads to sack with all presents from list Santa deemed acceptable.

We didn't do much of a list, ever, when the DCs were little, partly because it always ended up full of things like 'Some seals' which, since I lacked a length of coastline or a large salt-water tank, weren't really practical. If there were any realistic requests ('A nice scarf', for example) then I did my best.

The tradition always was that FC filled the stockings and the parents/siblings provided the big presents. One of them rumbled FC when she spotted reused Xmas paper from the year before; I said that FC had a lot on and always used recycled Xmas paper to be green and to save money.

They are all well out of primary now but stockings are still a really big thing. I love doing them and they love unwrapping the contents.

FC brings the stockings (with a couple of small presents from the Christmas letter, bulked out with a mix of silly and useful stuff) and normally one big present (generally a playset or train track already set up by the tree). We just say FC can't carry much on his sleigh so chooses what he likes the best from the letter/list.

Everything else under the tree is labelled from us or family.

Dd gets a big present and a stocking from Santa. In our case, Santa uses a poem to help decide on stocking items:
Something you want
Something you need
Something to eat and
Something to read

So there is always a book, sweets, and half a fruit bowl (red apple, green apple, banana, orange, mandarin, plum). He used to bring the same fruit when I was small (when anything other than golden deli pious apples were a treat, santa's green ones were always my favourite-Granny Smiths!).

Usually some useful item of clothing (underwear, socks, thermal vest for sports training) or a new toothbrush or similar.

And a handful of small jokes and toys that she will enjoy over the course of the day. The big present is usually toys, like a big lego set, or useful things like new bike, or last year she was longing for inline skates (and uses them to go to school a lot).

Also, the same way that my parents always gave us something from themselves under the tree, we have always had a present under the tree for DD. Often very practical like new track suits, or a new "nice but not Christmas Day" outfit for trips to cinema type wear, or maybe art and craft supplies that need replenishing.

And there is her birthday on Boxing Day, which is a smaller present from us.

The other thing tat is different to some here, is that Santa stuff is there when she wakes on Christmas morning, but we only open presents under the tree in late afternoon when we get home from church and social calls and while dinner is cooking.

In our house, Santa brings one present, which the parents have had to send him the money for. Everything else is from the giver.

I want the bloody credit!

Everything from DH and me (main presents, other wrapped gifts and stockings) is from FC. Any gifts from relatives/friends come from that person so DC can say thank you.

Not been asked yet why DH and I don't get them anything. We did the same way growing up and I don't remember querying it either. Might hold one present back in reserve just in case we do get asked though .

Kids get to ask for 2 or 3 items - this is the List. Mummy and daddy send the pennies to Santa. Santa then leaves additional stuff from north pole that he thinks DDs would like within budget given to Santa (aka stocking presents of craft stuff etc). Therefore kids know who paid for it all, without ruining the magic. No present from us as all the pennies were sent to Santa.

All gifts from family and friends, are from family and friends - unrelated to the santa stash, and are thanked appropriately.

We do stockings from Santa and everything else from us. Same as we did when I was a child. Those who have no presents from themselves to DC, I am curious: don't the children think it odd that they get presents from other family members and maybe family friends but not from parents? If so what explanation is given?

Growing up, we always had stocking from Father Christmas. Everything else was from whoever bought it.

DP growing up had everything from Father Christmas so we've met in the middle now. stocking and one main present from Father Christmas, the rest from who bought it.

I've not really put much thought into it to be honest, it seems to work for us

Santa buys some main presents. To this day I still get presents from him (who amazingly has the exact same writing as my dm).

FC never wraps the presents he puts in the stockings in our house. He must be fearfully lazy. There is always a tempting book peeping out of the top of the extremely misshapen sock. Keeps everyone jolly quiet until breakfast time.

I never understood the desire for a like button til now - some of these made me laugh. Love you all referring to Santa, not 'I'

In our house Santa brings an edited version of their list plus surprises and stockings,all presents are set out on display with each dc getting a seat or half a sofa in livingroom. Presents from other people under tree.
We don't get any credit for any presents, if we buy presents then Santa wouldn't bring anything, that's our reason. But we go completely overboard at Christmas and our livingroom resembles a toy shop on Christmas morning.

So far, FC has brought everything that DS has asked for. But DS has obligingly asked for things like "sweets", "a book" or "some Lego", so it's been easy enough to engineer.

However this year, DS (who'll be 7 in Oct) has decided he's going to put an Ipod, an Iphone, fancy football boots and "a really cool scooter" on his list as "if it's from Father Christmas, it's free!" I've just made vague noises about FC only bringing small presents so far but I'm going to have to come up with something more definite to tell him...

Born, if you are too greedy Santa doesn't bring anything that's the answer to big lists, one main present that they really really want then other smaller toys

We had that 'dont worry mummy I've asked Santa.' Jolly good, I hope he gets the message. I think mine are getting past Santa now, unfortunately ds3 is very immature at 9 (other issues) and he and the six year old believe. I'm not sure when to tell him.

Here, Father Christmas brings the stockings, 1 surprise present and one joint present (board game or puzzle)

Ds's know that they can ask Father Christmas for 3 things but that they must fit in a stocking. Anything else they would like, they ask mummy and daddy for as they know we get the rest. (Bike & roller skates is what we've been asked for)

Father Christmas can't possible fit whole lists of presents for every child on his sleigh which is why he only does stockings and 1 surprise present each.

Stockings here aren't filled with pants/socks etc though.

This year in their stockings will be a mixture of die cast trains, schleich figures, craft (stamping set for one and air drying clay and accessories for te other) and science kits, new arts and craft stuff (paints/pens/pencils whatever they need), books (mini reference books 1 mammals, 1 reptiles) puzzles (pirate puzzle for 1, magnetic Dino puzzle book for another) plus 1, 2 or even all 3 of the things they have asked for. Not forgetting a giant golden chocolate coin and an orange.

I need to find a take 'n' play "Hiro" thomas train this year & a whistle shaped like a football. That's all that's on their list so far, I'm sure it'll have 3 items on it closer to Christmas.

But Nerf, it IS Santa bringing them!! Don't you believe?!

(In our house at home, my parents still tell everyone who believes to leave out their stockings on Christmas Eve, so any of my siblings staying overnight always do, and still get a book, sweets and fruit in their stockings - the youngest of those is 30 next week!!). But he gave up giving "big" presents when each child reached about 10-12 or so. It just helped those older children (I am the eldest ) that the youngest were so much younger!!

And in my own Dad's case, he very nearly walked into Santa one year, when he was about 21 and his youngest brother was 5, coming home from a night out - luckily, DDad heard a noise and was able to whoosh his DBro back up the stairs before he interrupted Santa in the act! That story still comes up regularly over family dinners between the 2 of them! (One now has Santa-aged children, the other has Santa-aged grandchildren ).

Aw that's sweet.
I do actually have that moment on Christmas Eve when Santa becomes real again. Weird.

I grew up with the ethos that Santa brings all the stocking tat. All individual presents are from people. I shall continue that with my children.

In our house you write to father Christmas and tell him you have been good/are trying etc. You then ask for one special gift.

FC then delivers the special gift (ranging from laptops and iPods to scooters and bikes this year!) and he fills the stockings for DH and I included). He uses a different wrapping paper from us too.

Everything else comes from us, grandparents, aunts and uncles and friends. We put ours under the tree on Christmas eve and everyone else exchanges gifts throughout the day.

Stockings contain essentials, novelties and sweets.

My 2 write their letter to FC but they never ask for more than 2 or 3 things. Father Christmas brings the things off the list plus a couple of other bits and pieces he thinks they might like.

All other presents are from us and family.

The elves fill the stockings which is why they are stuffed with lots of naughty treats and an individual sized box of coco pops for breakfast plus the usual socks, underwear, magazine and a few small toys.

The stockings are always opened on our bed before we all go downstairs. They usually contain enough to open up and keep them occupied for a half hour or so while DH and I have a cup of coffee. My favourite part of the day