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Christmas

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

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Original poster

Anyone not getting DC the present they asked Father Christmas for?

64 replies

MiscellaneousAssortment · 02/12/2015 16:42

DS (5) showed me his list for Father Christmas last night.

Can't get it - he asked for a proper bike without stabilizers. Can't afford it and even if I could, I can't teach him to ride it.

Crap. What do I do? Is anyone else in this position? His school is in an affluent catchment area, so it kind of feels like I'm the only one not able to make my child's Chrishmas wishes come true.

I told him that I didn't think FC got things that aren't fun to use at Xmas time, and bikes not fun in the cold and rain... Then he asked 'so will Father Christmas never ever give me a bike? Why does he give other children bikes, but not me?'

So basically, I muffed it. What now?

OP posts:

curriegirl · 03/12/2015 13:33

DS wants an xbox but we already have a playstation and a Wii so he's not getting that. We've told him Santa doesn't bring to those who already have type of thing.

He also wants minecraft for the xbox. Over my dead body.

Twirlingaround · 03/12/2015 18:32

I would buy a cheap balance bike. We got one in lidl for €30. Dd just whizzes around the house on it mostly. They are very very lightweight so easy for a child without much muscle strength, it would also be possible to put on your mobility scooter as it is so light.

Hulababy · 03/12/2015 18:46

Decathlon do balance bikes from £40: www.decathlon.co.uk/C-781261-balance-bikes?gclid=CJHFvNqswMkCFdgaGwod5CwDYg

lucy101101 · 03/12/2015 18:55

Whereabouts are you? Some recycling centres (at least two I know of) keep back bikes and see them on for a couple of pounds, I have had some lovely bikes this way. I also bought an immaculate Raleigh for my 5 year old DS on eBay for £15 and the seller offered to deliver for £5. It doesn't matter if it is secondhand. When I was growing up they always had scratches because apparently "they were difficult to get down the chimney"!

Original poster

MiscellaneousAssortment · 03/12/2015 21:12

Am in London, and mobility is a huge problem, so rooting out bikes at recycling centers isn't something that's possible for me, though a great idea.

Have decided that Father Christmas will leave a note giving some nice delaying tactic message!

He has a 3 wheel scooter which he only managed to master this year though he had it for his 2nd birthday. He couldn't do the feet bit without looking at them then stopped to look ahead. So if a scooter was that hard, even without all the rest I don't think it would be a fun present.

I'm going to keep all the recommend links and ideas though...

OP posts:

fairyqueen · 05/12/2015 14:33

Just a slightly off topic thought. Would helping someone who is ill (by teaching their son to ride a bike and generally doing stuff the OP can't do with him) count for the service section of the Duke of Edinburgh award? You could get a teenage boy who loves kids and bikes at no cost maybe?

VinoTime · 05/12/2015 20:13

OP my DD didn't learn to ride her bike (without stabilisers) until this summer - she'd just turned 8! I bought two feckin' brand new bikes in the lead up to getting her the current, age appropriate one she has now. They did nothing but sit and collect dust. She wasn't overly interested and preferred her scooter. It's only with age and figuring out her balance/coordination that she took an interest in her bike.

At 5, I'd get him a scooter instead. He can ride it to and from school and on the days you struggle to get outside, he can go up and down the hallway (if it's big enough) on it. If you can manage the occasional trip outside, even just to your doorstep whilst he goes up and down the pavements, you won't need to jump in and 'save' him from an injury the same way you would need to if he was on a bike

Saz12 · 05/12/2015 21:15

Maybe get him to write a LONG wish list, saying that the Elves (who make the toys) need lots of ideas of the kinds of things he might like. This is what I did this year as DD wanted an outrageously overpriced plastic disney princess castle which wasn't in the budget, and it seemed to work well, getting her to think of other things and realise that she couldn't have EVERYTHING she wanted.

Or go for a balance bike - if you get one without foot rests and with no brakes then they can be very cheap, and he can always walk with it between his legs for a bit (IFYWIM), rather than scoot along on it.

Better yet, concentrate on having a great Christmas instead of stressing about the gift.

MoreSnowPlease · 05/12/2015 21:27

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JenniferYellowHat1980 · 05/12/2015 21:33

Where do you live, OP? I doubt you're anywhere near me as I live in the arse end of nowhere, but I bet there are MNers who'd be more that willing to help teach your DS how to ride a bike.

As for the money, do you have any Tesco points? I bought DS's bike during Clubcard Boost and that halved the price, and of course the points were free anyway.

JenniferYellowHat1980 · 05/12/2015 21:34

Sorry, I see you've already said you're on London.

WhatTheHellDoIDoNoww · 05/12/2015 22:23

OP - here is a suggestion - stabilisers can be taken off and still large enough frame for a 5 year old. Do you have any Tesco vouchers to double up?

www.tesco.com/direct/terrain-16-kids-bike-with-stabilisers-blue/620-2745.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=620-2745.

I have got a similar one for my DS (also 5) for free - or rather using my vouchers!

steppemum · 05/12/2015 22:32

All our kids started on cheap second hand bikes.
In fact most of ours were hand me downs and free from freecycle, friends relatives etc.

And last birthday dd2 got a gorgeous looks- like- new big girls bike in lovely colours. It was £5 on ebay.
I was embarrassed by the cheap price and offered the lady we got it from more. She didn't want more, was happy that it was going to a kid who wanted it.

Get one that is big enough, and get one with stabilizers, then he can use it straight away and you can work towards getting rid of the stabilizers.

sproingle · 06/12/2015 15:45

I say that even if a child wants something very badly, father Christmas won't bring it if it isn't suitable for them / their family.

My DD wanted a kitten or a hamster. I said FC knew we went away a lot and wouldn't bring something like that as he would know we couldn't look after it properly.

Could you adapt that? FC could leave a note saying that he would have loved to bring a bike this year but he knows that he wouldn't use it much as he doesn't get much time outside and then bring a surprise that he knows he'd play much more with.

Or else tell him that FC always checks with parents whether presents are ok with them first? Or say the family have to pay for the presents but FC delivers them?

My DD knows he wouldn't bring anything big like a bike as it wouldn't for in a stocking. If her friend got one from FC i would say "perhaps her parents bought it for her and pretended it was from father Christmas" i did that for one of her friends who got all presents from FC when in our house mum/dad buy one or two bigger things.

If you decide to get a bike now or later i also recommend a balance bike or one without pedals as it is much better to learn that way. If your house is big enough for it to be used indoors (unlikely i know) then a balance bike has no chain/oil so will not risk mess add a normal bike would.

Good luck. Christmas is tricky and we don't want to spoil the magic.

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