A bit of background - I really don't like DHs sister. TBH, he's not fond of her either.
She and her husband don't have great jobs. They do like acting like people who do. They frequently buy designer clothes, smoke and drink a lot. As soon as their kids need something though, they put on the poor mouth, and ILs step in to make sure the kids whatever they need. Truth is, it's well known that they'll look after themselves as they know if the kids need something, DHs parents won't see them go without, and it'll be got for the kids.
We've long-suspected that ILs have bought the kids presents from Santa every year. The kids get huge piles of very expensive presents each year that realistically, and based on how they present their impoverished state all year, they just can't afford. That's all fine if that's what ILs are prepared to do, it's their decision.
A few years ago DH said SIL had said something to him, and then back-tracked quickly. They didn't live near us at the time, and DH was talking to her about sending presents for Christmas. He said that they'd be wrapped but he'd send her a mail so she'd know what we'd got in advance, so nobody doubled up on presents. She said not to bother wrapping them, and they'd put them under the tree, and that it didn't matter who the presents were from anyway, so long as the kids liked them. It just sowed this little seed of doubt with us as to what would happen with presents, and would the kids be told 'These are from XXX'.
We were visiting ILs recently and SIL and her family were there. DN1 is a lovely kid, and I was chatting to him. He was telling me about a present he got from Santa last year. His Mum was near him, and said 'Yeah, that was a great present Santa got you. You love it.'
Thing is Santa didn't get the present. We did. I saw it really early last year, and thought he'd love it. I picked it up, and told MIL so again there'd be no doubling up. She even told me that she'd passed the message on that we'd picked it up for him. It's not like it was even something SIL thought he'd really like and had wanted to get him.
I did nothing to correct DN1 about who the pressie was from. He's at the age where he may or may not still believe, and I didn't want to rock the boat on that one. Also, whatever happened isn't anything to do with him, and it's not fair to have a good kid caught up in the middle of anything.
So here's my question - how do I make sure DNs get their presents from us as being from us? It's not about getting the credit for gifts, but I also don't want them thinking we get them nothing, or that we get them whatever SIL is telling them is from us. I already have DN1s present. It's one big box. I have nothing for DN2 yet. What usually happens is that we all meet before Christmas. Presents are handed over between parents (i.e. we'd be given a bag with presents for our kids in it). The idea is that we hide the presents at home and then put them under the tree on Christmas Eve. I'm just concerned there's been a bit of relabelling in the meantime, and am wondering if there's any way of avoiding this. I'm thinking that maybe we should just hand the presents directly to the kids, but need to make sure SIL doesn't step in and whisk them away before they see them.
So, I'm wondering if anybody has any advice as to what we could do? Thanks!