Who are kids presents from? Santa or you?

[starfish8]

Couldn't summarise that well in a title. My ds is now 5 so he's going to be more aware this Christmas about how things work.

How do you explain to your kids who presents are from? When I was a child my mum said Santa delivers them but mummy's/daddy's send them off to him. I think she wanted us to know that they contribute to them.

I know others say certain presents are from Santa and others from them, like a particular gift or the stocking presents.

Feel like I need to get my script together before the questions start!

Both dp and I grew up with Father Christmas bringing the stockings and maybe one present with the rest being from whoever it was from. We do the same for our children.

I grew up with bigger/more stuffed stockings than he did and as I’m in charge of the shopping I do the same for our dc- they have loads in!

I agree with whoever said children don’t question it, it was only when I joined mn I realised anyone did it differently!

Still remember the magic of waking up early Christmas morning with the weight of the stocking at the end of my bed. Him not delivering the rest of the presents didn’t make it any less magical (although having watched a few films where everything suddenly appears under the tree when he visits I can see why people do it that way)

Although I agree with the idea of trying to make children feel they are all treated to similar presents from Father Christmas .. I have been a teacher for 10 years and never once in that time have children compared what they’ve had .. most children stop believing at around 9, before that age they don’t have a huge understanding of the costs of things so aren’t usually in a position to compare presents. In my experience every child has received one present they love (they always write about in their holiday news!!!) and that one present is special enough to them that they love it and never compare to someone else’s present. YES they obviously chat about what they’ve had but they only ever get caught up in the excitement of their own special present and I have never known a dissapointed child!!!! I think (whilst it’s a positive sentiment) it’s us adults who are over thinking it.

I have been a teacher for 10 years and never once in that time have children compared what they’ve had

This ties in with my instincts.

I see mums on here and on FB asking whether they should get their DC the latest must-have toy as "all the children will be talking about it at school and I don't want them to be left out or bullied" but some of them won't remember what they had when they go back to school (my DS is in Y2, and has a birthday before he goes back to school which helps!), some of them have very different Christian traditions at home (e.g. DS' Eastern European classmates) or none at all (the Muslim classmates, who may get presents but not as part of the whole "you have to do it exactly right for the kiddeeez" thing).

I have been a teacher for 10 years and never once in that time have children compared what they’ve had

This is different to my experience.

I experienced a lot of that as a child in school (in the late Jurassic). There was only one family in my DCs' school that tried this in the classes the family members blighted.

Cost comparison wasn't the issue, ime. It was more a question of whether a child got the 'must have' gift of 1973 or '75 or whether SC brought something generic or even something considered weird. I recall discussions in school before Christmas about the toys that were popular and on everyone's list.

My DD will be 5 this Christmas and we are sticking with the fact Santa brings all of the presents from under the tree. This is how I was brought up and all this talk of teaching value and taking credit is so unnecessary in my opinion. Another teacher here! And I realised how young children are when the magic starts to fade. Why can't we let these kids have a few innocent, magical years?

We have a large tree which we put presents under and sack and stocking all from Santa. The smaller tree in the kitchen has all of the gifts from family there and we tell her who got what by reading tags. None of our family expect gratitude and thanks from a 4 year old! I mean, they are desperate to see the videos of her opening them and get all they need from the excitement and joy on her wee face! As do we!

She has her whole life to learn lessons and worth etc. She's thankful and has good manners every day of the year. She shows good gift receiving "etiquette" at her birthday etc I just don't see the need to steal a bit of the magic away at Xmas?!

Christmas ‘magic’ isn’t about presents. Have you not seen The Grinch?

I dont see how theres any less magic in saying thankyou to the people who gave you presents. Mine tended to delightedly jump up and down or on the person or we'd ring or skype and theyd thank them/get excited about it. All part of the magic here!!

Also having presents magically appear as a stocking and some downstairs honestly isnt any less magical than somehow having santa bring them all!!

Its just some people think that only their childhood way was magical (cue other thread where to be magical it had to have fake snow and victorian scenes and glitter!)

Father Christmas fills the stockings with choc coins, candy cane, socks, satsuma and 3 or 4 small gifts. All suprises - we have never done the write to FC thing.

The presents under the tree are from us and other family members.

My DCs always write thank you notes to the people who give them presents (which we open on Christmas Eve).

But the pretence of SC and the fun of seeing happy little faces opening gifts that appeared out of nowhere was easily enough for me on Christmas morning. I didn't need the gratitude spelled out. The point of it as far as I am concerned is that the DCs don't owe me anything in terms of gratitude for doing what parents do. I chose to have them. They didn't ask to be born.

Now that everyone is in on the secret they all thank me with a 'thank you Santa Claus!' This was done discreetly as they each in turn learned The Truth.