Letter to Santa - do you get everything on the list?

[Iggi999]

Ds (8) has just written his letter to Santa. He wants various DS games, a musical instrument, an Xbox one and a (new season) football strip.

How the heck do I buy all this. Have got him quite a bit so far, but mostly toys - minecraft things etc.
Obviously I can't buy what I can't afford. What I'm asking really is, how do you explain to a younger child (who still strongly believes) that he might not get everything, and does this lead to disappointment on Christmas morning instead of joy? I guess we've been lucky so far as his wishes have been in line with what we can afford!

Also, Game had preowned Xbox ones with warranty for £199 when j popped in there yesterday.

Vino, if your parents might buy whatever Santa doesn't bring, does that mean you "know" what Santa is bringing? Or how do you explain that?
or am I overthinking all this

Iggi
I tell mine that if I, or grandparents, want to buy something on their list then I will send a postcard to Santa to tell him not to bring it!

Regarding the letter DD wrote at nursery, DS had done exactly the same thing the year before and we had been sent a photocopy of it. Indeed, when we were given DD's learning journey at the end of the year, a photocopy of the letter had been stuck in it. So probably my own fault for not just asking her teacher, but they were in nativity play meltdown and I didn't want to add to their stress!

Iggi grandparents bought DD something she wanted one year (not The List Item, but something she felt sure FC knew she wanted) and she reasoned that FC must have known her grandparents were going to buy her it. We open family presents on Boxing Day, so luckily she wasn't disappointed not to recieve it on Christmas Day. We do always stress that FC has a lot of children to buy/make and deliver presents to, so they may not get what they want/hope/expect.

She was only 3.5 that year though (it was the year of the nursery letter, actually) so it might not work as well on an older child!

ReallyTired I'm intrigued by that chin up bar thing! Is it really just a pressure fit on any door frame? Think my DD would love doing flips over it

We put the "he might bring you either the new Xbox or the other stuff to him today; he was a bit quiet so I'll let him reflect on it all for a day or two.

In our household, you're allowed to ask Santa for the one thing you really want and that's it. The reality is that Santa brings that big present plus a stocking filled with little things. We (and massive family) get their other presents. We need to graduate to lists because I end up writing it for the family to choose from!

I was a mean mummy, Santa makes and delivers but mummy gets a bill! That's why some children get more and some less. Also stopped the 'they must have been naughty mummy they didn't get much' and introduced some compassion.