How do you do 'santa'

[peachy94]

Growing up we had a main present from 'Santa' and the rest were from relatives and we knew who had given what. But for OH Santa brought all the presents from relatives and none actually came from him, like a glorified postman both of us think the others way is weird but we need to get our story straight this year for DS so how does everyone else do it?

Santa was responsible for presents that dh/I bought and the stocking. Everything else was from the person who bought them e.g. friends/ family

I think your dh’s way is well weird
Santa’s elves make the presents and bring the ones they have made. They deliver a stocking full on Xmas eve. Everything under the tree is from relatives and friends. No ‘main’ present from Santa in my house.

We didn't say things were made by elves. We did say that although Santa brought the presents he used our money to pay for it which gave an explanation for why some children get more than others

Father Christmas delivers a stocking and one larger present (often a joint present). Everything else from family and labelled.

Santa brought everything in our house.. Any presents from grandparents/aunties and uncles etc we knew were from them, but everything else Santa brought.

Parents would wait until we were fast asleep and then bring all presents out of hiding and lay them out on the sofas. The only gifts we'd seen until then were the family ones that lived under the tree

Santa brings the "big" presents and stockings

No gifts from us to DC

All other gifts given from the giver, if that makes sense!

both of us think the others way is weird

Its always amazes me how heavily influenced by our upbringing we are - even on stuff like this - then people who are religous say its a choice! But we are brainwashed by our dp even on stuff like this.

Op we give a small number of presents to the DC from us - under the tree a week before, this is in case FC cant make it. This is also so the dc have some presents to look at and poke before the big day.
DC get no presents from others at the time, so on xmas morning - the tree reveals its bounty from FC, a large no of gifts from FC are there.

GP give small gifts and these are from them at another date. and thats normal and how we should all do it so there

Santa brings the stocking fillers, everything else comes from the person who bought it.

Peachy, your OH does it the same way my OH's family did/does it. I find it weird, too.

Here, Father Christmas brings the stockings during the night on Christmas Eve and the gifts from everyone else are put under the tree as and when they're received/wrapped.

We and dcs always had stockings with little things only from Santa. Everything else, including anything bigger or more expensive, was from family. Aunts and uncles, grandparents, etc. were due a thank you letter once dcs old enough, if not there on the day.

It was still magical for me and dcs, now long grown up. Still have lovely memories of them charging in, so excited, on Christmas morning with their stockings, and opening them on our bed. Dog and cat often present, too!

Stockings always left on the end of the bed, and filled by Santa once children fast asleep.

I out house Santa brings the stocking preens. The rest are from me/ other people.This is how we did it when I was a child too.

Stockings are from Santa. Everything else is from the actual giver.

Stockings are from Santa. Everything else is from the actual giver.

Yes, us too. I prefer the kids to acknowledge gifts given to them from other people and say thank you!

As per Havoc stockings are from the man in red, and everything else is from the giver.

Stocking presents are wrapped in red tissue paper, all other presents in Christmas wrapping paper.

Stocking presents can be opened in your bed as soon as you wake up (at 4am) tree presents require everyone to be up and dressed.

That's how it worked in my childhood, and until recently how I thought everyone did it.

Santa (Father Christmas) brought stockings overnight. In teenage years, these stockings grew in size to pillowcases

Everything else under tree labelled from their original givers. Including presents from Mum and Dad.

DD gets one main present from Father Christmas, the rest - including stockings are from us and family.

Father Christmas brings stockings.

Family bring actual presents.

Stockings come from Father Christmas (never Santa) but are stocking presents not the main event - PJs, underwear, scent, books etc.
Family presents under the tree to be opened after Christmas lunch.

Father Christmas only brings stocking, no main present. All other gifts are from who they are from and go under tree as they get wrapped/delivered.

Nothing is ever from Santa. He delivers the presents. We send out money to him and if he thinks the kids have behaved well enough, he'll bring the presents on Christmas Eve.

When we were kids we just had a mix. Relatives presents were from relatives so that we could thank them, most of the rest were from santa with the odd one from mum and dad or siblings.

Santa is just the delivery man here, they know presents are paid for by us. Gifts from relatives and friends are just popped under there tree as they are given so that they know they are from others.

We don't do stockings as tried a couple of times but it just seemed to be land fill items as we don't do essentials or clothes for Christmas.

I like the more old fashioned way of Santa bringing a few gifts to fill a stocking on the end of the bed and dc can open it when they wake up, the rest of the presents labelled under the tree. We did have a giant stocking as a lot of cheap stocking filler gifts are still a bit big for a normal stocking.
I don't agree with saying Santa gave all the presents as I think its better for dc to know who things are from, but if they are the type of kids to hunt the house and open gifts they find I think it might be a good idea to say Santa is the postman. My dd was quite good at waiting from about age 5 so we just put everything under the tree.

We used to do stocking from Father Christmas at the end of the bed (smallish presents) and then main presents from everyone else under the tree. I'm actually amazed that with all the different traditions children don't work it out sooner.

It aways seemed strange to me, for instant, for everyone else in the family to give children gifts apart from their parents. Why do their
parents buy presents for nieces/nephews but not for their own children?

But whoever commented earlier on how the different Father Christmas traditions illustrate very well the power of myths like religion is spot on. Of course none of the stories make any sense, but we all believe ours is the most sensible.

We didn't do Santa. Not compulsory. We had a trauma with MIL telling the kids - aged TWO that he tweaked their noses to see if they were really sleeping. Meltdowns ensued, not little get-roundable ones, great big heaving sobby-screamy ones that meant the kids got into our bed etc... so we have gone down the "some people believe ...." line.