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Original poster

How do you do 'santa'

62 replies

peachy94 · 07/10/2017 09:48

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 Confused 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?

OP posts:
Whisky2014 · 07/10/2017 10:51

I got a sack full of presents from santa. I think maybe a gift from mum and dad too and then any presents from friends and family members had their names on the tags. I have no idea why santa would deliver presents from the family? Seems strange to me :s

Whisky2014 · 07/10/2017 10:55

dementedpixie
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

Do kids really think about how much the other kids get? I don't remember any such conversations like that. It also doesn't make sense because the whole story of Santa is that his elves make the toys in the workshop...

WipsGlitter · 07/10/2017 10:56

See this only works if there are a lot of family presents. We don't have that as we both come from small families and see them on the day anyway.

Santa brings a stocking and a pile of presents about 15 things for each child.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 07/10/2017 10:58

Our dc are now older but when they were little, Santa brought the stocking presents and everything else came from the actual giver including the main present from dh and me. That's how we did it when I was small and dh can't remember what he did!

Also, the stocking got opened as soon as they woke up, along withnthe main present. Then we'd have breakfast, go to church, come home and I'd be cooking lunch. Then a long walk after lunch and finally the under tree presents. I thought everyone did that until our dc were quite old and we bumped into Friends of ours on the post-lunch walk one year who were incredulous that we hadn't got round to opening the presents yet. I'm always amazed that people do have the time to do present in between the food, church etc. I don't know how they fit it in!

UntilTheCowsComeHome · 07/10/2017 10:59

Pillow case as a stocking on the end of your bed from Father Christmas, presents from everyone else, including parents, under the tree.

I always loved waking up to a full pillow case on Xmas morning and think it was my favourite bit of the day.

Now I love it when the DC wake up and bring their full stockings in to us and open it out on to our bed. They're 16 & 12 but still do it Grin my favourite part of Xmas.

Cantseethewoods · 07/10/2017 11:03

Santa brings a load of tat stocking fillers. All other presents are from who they're actually from. That said, we don't go crazy. Main present from DH and I might be 30 quid or so. However, last year we did Christmas with 2 other families with different traditions- the kids didn't question it at all, such is the power of confirmation bias.

PressPaws · 07/10/2017 11:09

Stocking (small with little unwrapped things like lollies) and Santa sack (bigger with wrapped gifts like books and toys) from Santa. I grew up with these in my bedroom but DH had them under the tree and we're doing it his way as it's easier.

Main big present from DH and I under tree (though this year will be in the garden as it's a cubby house).

Family and friend gifts under the tree labelled with who they're from. We usually see family on the day though so gift giving happens at host's house and the givers get to see the presents being unwrapped.

ScarletSienna · 07/10/2017 11:17

Father Christmas fills the stockings and the other presents are from who gave them.

Nothing expensive goes in the stockings so then it doesn’t seem as though Father Christmas gives some children more than others (although I’m well aware some children get nothing at all).

As soon as the ‘is he real’ question is asked, we will be honest.

brieandcrackers · 07/10/2017 11:36

Growing up our main present was from Father Christmas and the rest were from the givers - we’d be allowed to open it at 4/5am and would then be occupied until the approved time we could wake up out parents.

Do know quite a few people who do stockings as Santa gifts - may go down this route so he doesn’t all get the credit for the best gifts!!

Whisky2014 · 07/10/2017 11:50

may go down this route so he doesn’t all get the credit for the best gifts!!

Again, what?!! You are santa so any credit for him is just for you. It's just keeping the magic alive for the kids. Otherwise why do santa at all?

December11 · 07/10/2017 12:02

Santa gives the stocking on the bed, and presents downstairs by the tree (half the presents are wrapped).
Myself and her dad give her one present from us on Christmas eve as well as Christmas pjs, movie, etc.
All other presents are given by the person who has gifted it.

lostlalaloopsy · 07/10/2017 13:33

Santa leaves a sack full of toys plus a main present. All other presents are from Grannies, aunties, uncles etc. My husband thinks that Santa should bring everything which is just weird to me!!

Eolian · 07/10/2017 13:35

Father Christmas does the stocking fillers. Other presents are from the people who bought them.

isittheholidaysyet · 07/10/2017 13:41

In my family santa brought all the presents (that we hadn't seen) 'uncle Joe asked Fr Christmas to get you this'. Plus a load of other stuff. (I think my DM is personally responsible for the success of Poundland!)

In DH's Fr Christmas brought a small sock of tiny stocking fillers and a tangerine.

We both think Fr Christmas is a load of rubbish, but we cant avoid our national culture, so...
Fr Christmas brings a sack of presents. Mainly edible, clothing (that they need), books, consumable craft stuff and toiletries.
Their main present from us goes under the tree. As do all presents from friends and families.

bookworm14 · 07/10/2017 13:51

Santa only brought stocking presents in our house growing up. All big presents were from whoever actually bought them! I plan to keep doing it this way with my own DD.

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 07/10/2017 13:58

Father Christmas delivers all the presents here (unless handing over was spotted). They're all from the right people though - except the stocking and one medium-ish present which come from Father Christmas himself.

hannah1992 · 07/10/2017 14:02

I have said to my dd since she could understand santa properly so about 3. What is the one thing you want more than anything else that you would like to ask santa for because don't forget that santa has to take presents for everybody so you can only have one from santa. Then she would tell me and that present would be from santa

IggyAce · 07/10/2017 14:34

Santa brings one present in our house, and ours understand that mums and dad's help Santa by buying other gifts. Those given by other friends and family are put under the tree when received.

Bumbumtaloo · 07/10/2017 14:44

Father Christmas brings all presents but mum and dad sends him the money. The elves wrap again using paper that we send them. Father Christmas also does pit stops at grandparents houses but they also give him the money.

The above happened because I’m shit at ‘doing’ Father Christmas. Our DC found a cupboard of toys that we had bought them and so it became a magic cupboard that the elves collected from as Father Christmas didn’t have time to go to the shops. The wrapping paper story came about because one of our DC noticed the paper in yet another cupboard.

Tbh I don’t think ours believe anymore if they even did but play along - they are 5 and 7 (8 just after Christmas). If we have ever been asked we have always said some people believe, some people don’t but it’s up to them to decide.

MrsBartlettforthewin · 07/10/2017 15:29

We do a stocking from Father Christmas of little bits and bobs and a set of Christmas clothes. Then everything else under the tree is either from us or family / friends etc. Father Christmas doesn't bring the big presents we do. That's how both I and DH were brought up.

TittyGolightly · 07/10/2017 15:30

We don't. Much simpler.

habibihabibi · 07/10/2017 15:39

Santa is the postman, which is pretty exciting as we don't have actual postman where we live.
We buy the gifts from Santa's website.
Kids started questioning why their Muslim classmates didn't get anything so we.opted for this strategy.

HyacinthBooquet · 07/10/2017 15:45

Santa brought everything. He was just the delivery person. If someone said oh did you get it from Santa Claus we say yes Santa brought it from out aunty, granny, mummy and daddy etc.

RebornSlippy · 07/10/2017 15:50

Her father and I do the stocking. Santa brings the gifts under the tree and those from others/family members are marked from them.

Rigbyroo · 07/10/2017 15:54

Just stockings from Father Christmas when I was growing up and we've carried on the same way here.