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Original poster

Last(ish) minute request from DS

28 replies

SpringerS · 09/12/2016 15:49

DS is just turned 4 and since early last January he has had a specific toy in mind to ask from Santa. For nearly an entire year this is what he has wanted. A few months ago he saw it in a toy shop after not ever actually seeing it in person and it's tiny. It's a playset and I know in his mind it was as big as some of the playsets he already has but it is honestly titchy. A week or so after he saw it he asked if he could ask Santa for one more thing (a small to mid-sized toy I had already bought and stashed away as a Christmas surprise) so I said that as they were both quite small he could ask for two things. So for the last couple of months he has been delighted about getting these two things from Santa. These aren't the only things he is getting. I only let him ask for 1 or 2 things but get him a number of surprises.

But for the last two weeks he has been absolutely crazy about a particular toy. It's quite big, the Rescue Bots Firehouse, and he doesn't know it but I have some Rescue Bots for his stocking. I've explained over and over that he can't ask for the Rescue Bots Firehouse that he can put it on his savings list and save up for it. Normally that's a great way to make him stop asking for toys as he's happy to save. But with Christmas coming he really, really wants the firehouse from Santa.

I have told him it's not happening, that it's too late and Santa already has his toys packed up. He'll be at a party next week with Santa (played by my Dad) and he's primed to tell him his toys were packed up weeks ago so he can't change it now. But I suspect he will be very sad to hear this. The thing is I just remembered a Smyths voucher that he got for his birthday which would cover most of the cost of the firehouse, as it's on sale right now. I'd put the voucher away, as with a birthday a few weeks before Christmas I thought it would be better to wait until spring/summer for him to spend it. But now that I've remembered the voucher I'm torn. I could use it for the firehouse and make him be ecstatic on Christmas day. Or I could not get it and he'd likely still be delighted with what he gets but it's possible he'll be disappointed.

(BTW, I'd give him the value of the voucher later in the year but maybe for an experience of his choosing instead of toys. I wouldn't be essentially be using his own birthday gift to pay for a Christmas gift.

OP posts:
Hobbes8 · 09/12/2016 15:54

I'd get it. Imagine his little face... he sounds like a sweetheart. My boy is 5 and I've had to rein in some of his more outlandish ideas (a helicopter that he can sit in and fly, for instance), but it's nice to get him a few things he really specifically wants.

JE678 · 09/12/2016 15:54

Is his birthday very soon after Christmas? Could you buy it and wrap it, give him the others and if he is happy on Christmas Day just keep it for his birthday. If he's genuinely really disappointed it could be an extra present Santa hid for him being extra good.

Misty9 · 09/12/2016 18:57

It sounds like you've raised a very thoughtful and grateful child - well done for starters. I think I would either remind him of the voucher and let him buy it as a belated birthday present, or add it to his Xmas presents.

SatsukiKusakabe · 09/12/2016 19:36

Get it.

fraggle84 · 09/12/2016 19:39

Get it

ChristmasTreeCat · 09/12/2016 19:40

I'd get it. There are too few years of santa magic and too many years of dull saving, being grown up and mature- Ness.

I'd buy it just for the look on his face.

Lolly86 · 09/12/2016 19:41

Get it.. it's Christmas 😊

TheImprobableGirl · 09/12/2016 19:48

I'd get it- but still get your dad to tell him they're packed up- but as you can see he has been so very VERY good, he will try his best

Original poster
SpringerS · 09/12/2016 19:48

Ok, I'm convinced, he's getting it. He's going to be writing his letter in the morning and I'll tell him he can ask Santa about the firehouse. Then on Thursday Santa will ask him to prepare some toys he doesn't want anymore to leave for Santa to take to younger kids and in exchange Santa will do his best to bring the firehouse.

I'm really, really excited now!

OP posts:
Madbengalmum · 09/12/2016 19:52

I would get it as he sounds like a very good little boy. I would tell him santa had been very impressed with his behaviour too.

OSETmum · 09/12/2016 23:45

I'd get it but I wouldn't let him get the slightest inkling that he might get it, stick to your story then BOOM on Christmas Day it'll be a complete and total surprise! Obviously Santa knew he really wanted it and was so good about not asking for it that he just had to give it to him.

girlelephant · 10/12/2016 00:03

Awww love a Santa surprise! Xmas Smile

SatsukiKusakabe · 10/12/2016 07:44

I think it's a lovely idea to involve him in donating his old toys before Christmas and I do that too, but I wouldn't link it to Santa getting him the firehouse. We do have to instil good behaviours in children and you obviously do that all year round, but I don't think everything should be viewed as a transaction ifyswim. I think "the magic of Christmas" could just cover this one at his age, and enjoy surprising him while he is little, without worrying about whether it adds up Flowers

harderandharder2breathe · 10/12/2016 17:38

I'd get it, he's pretty restrained in his other requests and you clearly have taught him the concept of not having everything he wants and having to save up for things

His little face will be so happy when he opens it! Xmas Grin

Mummamayhem · 10/12/2016 17:40

If it helps it's down to £29.99 smyths toys. (I'd want to get it too!)

FoxInABox · 10/12/2016 21:30

Get it Xmas Smile he will be so happy!

MiscellaneousAssortment · 10/12/2016 22:18

I agree Satsuki, its more magical if things can be a genuine surprise with no transactional back story.

Everything in society seems to be about transactional behaviours and it's nice to keep some genuine delight and fun in children's lives, before they end up locked into the do this = get this paradigm of life!

giraffesarefab · 10/12/2016 22:36

So glad you are getting it for him, imagine his little face! We had the same with my ds 2 years ago, granted he was 8 years old but asked for an Xbox 360, I told him the chances were slim (we couldn't afford it) and he accepted that but then I saw a second hand one, like new for what I could afford so I got it.
I will never forget the look on his face when he opened the last present, he was already so pleased with his gifts but he was (for once!) utterly speechless.

They are little for such a short time but he will remember it forever.

confuugled1 · 10/12/2016 22:52

I never guarantee anything from Santa - after all, how could I and all the other parents be in such detailed knowledge of what he was giving as presents for all the children - he's more than busy without parental updates at this time of year...

I get the dc to make lists but Santa gets to pick and choose what he brings off them, he certainly doesn't bring everything that is asked for. Obviously he hopes he brings something that the dc will really love but some years it might be one big thing, other years it might be three smaller things, it depends on what they ask for. It also brings an element of surprise on the day - if they have a short list that they always get everything from then it seems to devalue it a bit I think as surely one of the best things about Santa's presents is not knowing what he is bringing which goes if he always brings the few things you ask for.

This can be very handy when your child writes a list like the one ds1 did when he was 6:
1 - a magic wand that does real magic
2 - to be lord high master of the universe
3 - a pair of swimming goggles

Needless to say he got a training wand that would only do real magic if he was really really really good (no harm having a bit of an incentive to be good Xmas Grin) and the goggles. He would have been really disappointed if he was used to getting everything he asked for from Santa!

Sounds like a good idea if you get it for him though, if he's getting rescue bots in his stocking then he might think that they are a compromise and be excited about them and then be really surprised by the firehouse plus he'll have the stocking bots to play in it too so will get good use from it.

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas!

SatsukiKusakabe · 10/12/2016 22:58

Yy misc and to give freely without expectation of return, and without any obligation to, is as valuable a thing to learn as gratitude and finiancial restraint.

Floggingmolly · 11/12/2016 10:51

God, get it for him, it's Christmas...

LittleReindeerwithcloggson · 11/12/2016 11:15

I would get it for him but like others said just as a surprise and not linked to anything. I am very wary about linking Santa presents to good behaviour. What happens if he has a similar last minute request next year and you can't get it because it's out of stock or too expensive. He would probably be upset that Santa thought he hadn't been good enough to have it.

Chrisinthemorning · 11/12/2016 11:19

I would get it too.
My only hesitation would be that we have another big rescue bots toy, the ship thing and it's a bit rubbish.
(FWIW I am avoiding my DS meeting my Dad dressed as Santa (he does it for his Rotary Club) as I think he would recognise him.)

BitchPeas · 11/12/2016 11:23

He's four! Get it for him with no strings attached, it's Christmas!

I really don't like the sound of telling him to leave his old toys out then he will get it.

It's not really in the spirit of unconditional gift giving and love, which children are entitled too sometimes!!

Original poster
SpringerS · 11/12/2016 21:27

I don't link Santa to good behaviour and he really is getting quite a few great surprises beyond the two toys he's asked for. Tbh, I need to get rid of some of his toys as I'm genuinely running out of space. Things like his junior Mega Blocks and shape sorters are taking up a lot of space but are never played with anymore. He loves to give things to his friends and when they visit he often comes to me and asks me to help him choose a gift for his friend. I think he might actually love the idea of giving his baby toys to Santa to give to other children. If the idea doesn't excite him, I'll let it go and not make his receipt of the Firehouse conditional on it.

OP posts:
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