How many Santa's?

[MrsOpinionated]

How many Santa's do you visit?

How many Christmas events do you book?

We go to see Santa once - why would you go to more than one?

Why would you visit more than one Santa?

Just one. They might see one at school or want to visit one at the local Christmas fayre but they know he's just someone dressed up

None if I can help it. I don't like the idea that Santa will bring you whatever you want if you've been good. I can't afford to buy DS whatever he wants but he will see other children who he knows are badly behaved with all the latest gadgets. I don't want him to think he's not good enough.

Ah spike it's hard isn't it? We always make sure the 'main' present is from us and just small things in the stocking. The dc know that they have to be polite and not 'greedy' and are only allowed to has FC for one small thing. Last year they asked for slippers.

I know we shouldn't/can't dictate what others do but I wish everyone did this! It would save a lot of angst.

Just one.

We've always told him that Father Christmas brings one present to each child and the rest are off us and family and friends. Along with this, we told him that he can't bring expensive presents as he has the children in the world to think about.

The present off FC is wrapped in different paper and in a red sack.

My exsil told her daughter that FC brings everything and anything to everyone and she used to get everything on her list. All her presents had labels that said from FC on, so no family/friends got thank you'd. My exsil also used to take the labels off and replace them with FC ones too!

I once gave her a present Boxing Day and she couldn't understand why I had brought her a present as all presents came from FC!

She also thought those who don't get anything or not many (so most grown ups plus my DS) were naughty.

Plus we do Christmas markets, Christmas visits to National Trust houses and Christmas films at the cinema. Odeon Cinemas show different films in different areas but old Christmas films, so last year was Jingle all the Way, year before Home Alone and year before It's a Wonderful Life.

I try not to do too many visits but last year we did 3! Once to department store, one at a garden centre with dhs dad and step mum, and once at Beamish. It was reasonably spread out, I explained that usually is someone dressed up but the real Santa sometimes pops in instead.
They were all lovely but I wouldn't bother with the department store one again. I think we'll do Beamish and something with grandparents again, if dh step mum is well enough as she's been very ill recently.
The thing is its hard to do activities in December that don't involve seeing Santa! And there are a few weekends to be filled.

None. I don't really 'get' the whole visiting Santa thing: for me, Santa ( or FC) was someone who lived at the North Pole and ventured out on a round the world journey once a year, all in 24 hours. I never saw him or expected to although I do remember my Dad being the Santa at a party but my parents told me beforehand it would be him so I knew it was just dressing up.When my DC had visits from Santa at school/ nursery, they commented that he often looked different or spoke differently so they worked out pretty quickly that the pre-Christmas Santa was someone dressed up. I like to keep the real Christmas Day Santa mythical so you never meet him.

Just one nice Santa visit.

In our house everything is from Santa too. It's never been an issue. This kids have never questioned why we don't get them anything. However gifts from other people are from them not Santa.

We just do one visit to Santa. We only do stocking presents from Santa and one present under the tree for all of us from Santa (which is usually a board game) all other presents are from family and friends.

One visit to FC in our local department store - great guy, really patient with children, excellent large photo for free.

We have told DS that we buy the gifts on the internet which then get sent to the North Pole. FC is a rather glorified Yodel driver but he does bring one gift off his list.

He will be 6yo this Christmas and is no less excited than any other children.