All presents from Santa?

[StrongerThanIThought76]

I've been asked not to wrap presents for a family member (child) as parents want to wrap all gifts in the same paper so child doesn't get confused about some gifts not coming from Santa.

AIBU to think that presents from Santa should be up to parents to sort and anything else SHOULD actually be given separately?

Anything from relatives/friends/random selection boxes given out at activities goes under the tree as it arrives or added to tree when it's put up. Santa gifts and gifts from us are only added on Christmas eve after bedtime.

I wouldn’t give a wrapped gift in that instance but take the child out to do something as their gift (panto/cinema/farm etc).

In our household Father Christmas just fills the stockings. Our 3 year old is involved this year in present choosing and has actually just gone out to chose a birthday and Christmas present from her to her sister and has already got a present for one of her cousins of her choosing.

My husband’s sister and parents do the thing where every single pressie is delivered by Father Christmas (but from family and friends). It means we have to be ridiculously secretive about exchanging gifts and she won’t come round to our house before Christmas as we put presents around it as we receive them.

A friend also says to her DC that they sent extra gifts/money to Santa and that's why some children get a bit more than others since Santa has a lot of children to give gifts to so he can't afford to give everything and some parents have more money. That's also the reason that they have a big clear out so that they can take the toys that don't get played with to a shop where parents that don't have so much money can buy things more cheaply and give them to Santa for their children. Also explains why some things are not new in boxes.

My sil and bil do that everything from santa but say that we buy it and send it to santa who is the delivery man. Tbh I don't really get that or think it's as magical as little elves cresting gifts!! But each to their own. I ask Mil not to say her gift was from santa as I like mine to know who got the gifts. Most of what I buy is from santa but keep one gift each from me and one from their dad so they don't think we've missed them out!!

Someone needs to stand up and shout "Hold the Bus!" while all the adults get the story of Santa straight and consistent for everyone. :o

Ask them how their dc will properly thank the person who gave them the gift, or are they teaching them not to say thank you? And will the children not give gifts to anyone?

In that case, say you won't give gift before Christmas to go under the tree, but then give them a gift separately as your gift to them from you for Christmas. If they prefer you didn't, then you won't give a gift, simple.

I'd probably wrap the gift in three layers of paper, just as a slightly passive-aggressive joke, but that's just me.

In all seriousness, I agree with PP - in our house we've agreed that Santa will bring stockings and one main gift, and anything else is labelled from whoever gave it. When I was a kid, my parents did the 'Santa brings everything' version, so it was always a bit weird when I had to buy gifts for others ("Won't Santa bring them?"), or when a relative brought unannounced gifts round on Christmas Day.

Have you mentioned to the family member you don't think you should do it this way? Maybe you could suggest (if they really want to stick with the 'Santa brings everything' bit) that maybe relatives choose their own presents, Santa drops those presents off at their houses, so then they still sort of come from you, rather than Santa? IYSWIM. Mind you, that sounds like more hassle now I've read it back...

I do think if you want all gifts to be from 'santa' , then you pay for them yourself. If you want a mountain of santa pressies, then you buy a mountain of pressies. If you don't want family members to be 'allowed' to give their own gifts, then don't accept them.

Santa brings 1 present (either each or a shared gift, one year it was a Wii) everything else is from parents/relatives. That way the giver is thanked, if I see something for someone while they are shopping with me I don't have to explain, if they come across my not very well stashed presents I don't have to explain. It also makes the "Santa" present more special as it's usually the 1 thing I cannot fine one of/can't afford etc.

I'm 23 and my stocking is always from Santa still. My parents told us that they would send Santa the presents and then let him know which ones were to be from them.

My aunt used to do that with her children.

All presents were sent to Santa who then delivered them for relevant people. My mum didn’t agree with that, so just said it would be confusing for her children to not buy their cousins presents as we bought and wrapped presents for everyone else. So we never took part. I always found it an odd system, even back in the 80s.

For us (me as a child, and now my children) FC brings the presents that go in the sack. These are a mix of essentials (clothes, underwear etc) replacement consumables (new stationery etc), things needed for any hobbies, nice foods (including those not normally allowed, like bubble gum) and a few toys, books and dvds thrown in for fun.

Main presents always came from Mum and Dad, as I want the credit for buying it 😀.

I agree with invisible it’s more than reasonable to refuse to buy a present if it’s just going to be re-labelled from Santa

OP, I think the parents of this child are only opening themselves up to a different kind of confusion when their darling little one realises that people do give each other present at Christmas (season of giving etc etc) and begins to wonder why no one has ever given him/her anything!

I've always done what others have already mentioned...stocking and one big present from Santa, rest from whoever has bought it.

Personally I'm struggling more to explain the various Christmas charity appeals, and why we need to donate money or presents to children "who get nothing", I.e. Why doesn't Santa visit then same as everyone else?

We just do Santa as the delivery guy, they know the presents come from us. Gifts from friend and family go under the tree as they arrive.

The giver should be thanked not Santa.