Writing Christmas lists

[thewayoftheplatypus]

I love Christmas, Christmas shopping and bargain hunting, so am keen to make a start on my shopping soon!

Wondering when you ask your children to write their Christmas lists? I wouldn’t want to start shopping for my oldest until he’s ‘locked in’ what he wants with santa (once santa has the list it can’t be changed! 😂)

Wondering how early your kids start writing there’s, and when I can get away with asking them to think about Christmas?

When mine were little I bought them what I thought they'd like when I saw deals on and then managed to get them to ask for those things when it got closer to Christmas

When they got older I just reminded them that Santa likes to shop early and the better bargains Santa managed to get, the further the budget would go. I'd start mentioning that from now as I liked to start shopping in September once DCs birthdays were done.

I generally have an idea of what they want by September and start “fixing” that idea in their heads. I keep receipts so that I can return if there’s a big change of heart.
When they were small, and the gifts were smaller I would buy early to get a bargain and donate it to a charity that collects gifts, as I’d have been buying something for that anyway.

When they were a bit older I would suggest that the earlier you let santa know what you want, the better the chance you’d get it. Especially if it was expensive.

I think I might have particularly tenacious dc. There’s only once been two changes of heart, and one of those was sorted out with an unimpressive unboxing video.

My 16 year old dd done hers during the summer holidays, to be fair I usually say to her to start jotting a few things down and before you know it theirs fair few itrems to choose from so pretty helpful.

DD (5) has one already on the go - when she sees something she wants I can just tell her to put it in the list. Buys some peace in the meantime too

Never too early, im already emailing links to my partner with what i want 😄

DS1 usually doesn't have a list - he's not into stuff. DS2 will write a list December 24th if he's true to form. Thankfully we've never done letters for Santa

We used to fix it by Oct half term. That's when they'd write and post the letters (and Argos 3 for 2 started appearing coincidentally!) They'd write the list with their cousins and it would be an activity. Like pp said, suggestions made since sept to get them thinking. All a bit bigger now, just one still posts letter so will wait for him to suggest this year.

Only start after Oct half term.
List to be finalised for big items by end Nov.