Can I ask you about Father Christmas

[BoredOnMatLeave]

DD will only be 18 months old at Christmas so not that relevant to us at the moment but I guess it would be good to start traditions.

Would you mind sharing your father Christmas set up? I don't want DD to think father Christmas buys everything as I want her to realise me and her Dad work hard to buy her presents. I think when I was younger father Christmas got our stockings and a family gift (board game/video something like that). But then I guess that makes a letter to father Christmas a bit pointless?

What do you do at home?

In our house, general presents come from parents and family and appear under the tree throughout December. This is essential, because we have very little storage space. On Christmas Eve, Father Christmas delivers a stocking and a sack full of gifts, including the main gift.
I do this even though my kids are too young to care

All the kind acts that children do, every kind word, thought and deed throughout the year help create the Christmas magic which allows Santa to deliver presents on Christmas Eve.
In our house the dc ask for one present, nothing too expensive or greedy, but Santa always brings a few other things as well. We suspect that some of the robins in our garden are his special messengers who tell him some of the other things that they like, and how good and kind they are. Its amazing how often I see a robin flying north right after a little display of generousity or cooperation, though none of them ever look up fast enough to see it
My lot have all figured out Santa this year, even DD who's not quite 7, so we've only had a few short years of Santa.
Santa's presents are wrapped (I wrap as I buy just in case my stash is discovered, because wrapping paper is easily replaced) in a different colour paper for each child.
Relatives bring gifts and get thanked, and the children give them gifts that they have made.
It never occurred to me that I was missing out on their gratitude. Their joy and wonder on Christmas morning was my reward. I'll probably get thanked this year and I'd happily trade it for another year of them believing.

Ds only 2 so no traditions of our own yet. As a child, we never wrote letters to father Christmas, so no expectations. We placed a sock on our bed on Christmas eve before bed, and in the morning it was full. Nothing wrapped, all woolworths packaging removed... Little gifts, soap /toothbrush plus bits of crap and often a bigger thing like one of those dogs that does somersaults. It was magical to us and I'd love to recreate it for our kids but we might have to move with the times.

My parents enjoyed many a tipsy Christmas eve getting everything in the sock then creeping into our rooms hoping nothing noisy would go off and wake us up as they replaced empty sock with full one.

I’m going to stay with theredjellybean for Xmas.

Santa does a random mix of gifts here. Nanna randomly sends gifts from Santa too. Not sure what thes about, but don’t want to burst her bubble just yet.
I’m also doing to shoe box this year to show the kids it’s about giving too, sound some children don’t receive even though they have been good.

Father Christmas fills the stockings in our house, and gets a dvd / game. Mummy and daddy buy the other presents :)

Oh how can people give unwrapped presents?? Surely that’s the best part - the anticipation.

Everything is wrapped here but make sure you destroy the leftover “Santa” wrapping otherwise someone (yes hubby I’m looking at you) will find it hidden at the back of the cupboard and wrap something in it 😡😡

Father Christmas brings stockings here plus about 3 presents off the 'list' (providing they're not too extravagant!). DH and I buy the rest.

The presents from myself and my ex (their dad) are from Father Christmas . We have told them that we send money and he makes and delivers them . Stockings are also from him .

Our son's main present is from Santa and so is his stocking.

The main present is not necessarily the most expensive but the present my son has been after the most and has asked from Santa. He only asks for one present. This year he wants some more duplo from Santa.

ann totally stealing you're Robin idea that's sooo gorgeous

We wing it. Santa brings everything that DH and I buy, but DS(almost 5) will help pick presents for other people and thanks those who give him gifts. If there's been something daft he's mentioned we say "well that's a really big things/that costs a lot of money so you wouldn't get much else if you chose to ask for that" and he's not questioned it.

My parents did it the same way and I figured it out without trauma at around 9-10, though still play(ed) along because I appreciated the game of it. I guess it doesn't bother me that I don't get personal thanks for the presents at this stage, because I don't buy them for myself. When they're older and have figured it out, that might change, but they'll have had however many years of thanking other family members who give them gifts (at other times of year too).

Everything comes from Father Christmas here. Our names are on the labels, but it's him that works the magic. I suppose he gives gifts on behalf of us and our families, and so others still get thanks. It's buggered if someone gives them cash though! I try and get something I know they'd love with the money and give that instead.

I couldn't care less about not getting the recognition, I'm not in it for the glory. We get the thanks on their birthdays, Christmas here is for magic and wonder.

@knockknockknock dd found all of our left over wrapping paper one year, 'er mum why is father xmas's wrapping paper under our stairs?'
'Oh I really liked it, so i bought a few rolls off him to wrap families presents, I hope he sells me some next year too'
I just have to remember these stories every year. Dd has a Memory like an elephant where as im more memory like a gold fish 🤔🤔

In our house the kids only get 3 main presents and then a couple of little wrap ups. The main presents are something to read, wear and something they really want. The thing they really want is what Santa gets them. They believe we pay for the stuff we get them but Santa makes it.