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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Have you ever disappointed your child at Christmas?

67 replies

JudgeRindersMinder · 18/12/2019 10:33

To my complete shame at the age of 3 my ds was distraught at the lack of a tub of yellow play doh. I think I’d got her most colours, and some pearly stuff but the shop didn’t have yellow and I didn’t think anything of it.
The poor wee soul was devastated. I’ve never felt such a failure as I did over that.
When she was older and kind of past the Santa stage The wee monkey cottoned on to me having felt bad about it, and brought it up every sodding year with a disappointed face on Christmas morning “but I didn’t get yellow play doh”.
I redeemed myself when she was 18 with a tub of sodding yellow play doh

OP posts:

CoffeeChocolateWine · 18/12/2019 22:06

I should add, he was never down in the dumps on Christmas Day and he always got other lovely present that he was happy with...just not the one thing he was longing for!

justasking111 · 18/12/2019 22:14

I do not remember the DCs being disappointed. With the grand children, We ask to buy things from the christmas list. So if santa does not bring it we do. Takes the pressure off the parents.

I remember desperately wanting a dolls pram but never got one. I did get a pushchair which was a rotten substitute in my little mind.

Carnabie · 18/12/2019 22:23

I’ve disappointed my dd1 twice.
When she was three the only thing she wanted was a purple yo-yo. I couldn’t find one anywhere, got family and friends looking too and got sent yo-yos in various shades of pink and blue. Finally settled on one that had a sticker with purple flowers on. She said “it’s not purple”, was eventually persuaded to give it a go, obviously couldn’t do it and I don’t think she’s ever picked up a yo-yo again!

Another year she had a huge list so I delegated bits to family who asked for ideas. One of the things she wanted was Lego friends sets so I got her that and another was a leotard, ballet cardigan and ballet slippers. My mum said she’d get her that. Every present dd1 opened she just looked sadder and sadder, she looked really excited when she was handed the present from me but was clearly disappointed when she opened it. Apparently the thing she really really wanted was the ballet stuff but she’d put other stuff on her list because she thought she had to. My mum said she hadn’t thought dd really wanted it because she didn’t do ballet so hadn’t got it for her.

teentree · 18/12/2019 22:44

No, mine were/are always grateful for what they get.

I'm very proud that they have never been needy and understand the concept and value of money.

Neither of those things mean they can't be disappointed

namechangenancy1 · 18/12/2019 22:44

We're panicking this year because DSD (who admittedly is an absolute angel child) has only asked for three things - the Guinness book of world records, matching family pyjamas and 'something special' for our new puppy. Given that list needs to be shared between us and her mum it doesn't leave us with much to go on...

The thing is, she would actually be happy just getting what she's asked for, but the fact she's so lovely and undemanding makes me want to spoil her rotten!

escape · 18/12/2019 23:29

Think my DD 18 will be dissapointed this year. She won't be ungrateful, but we are at the stage where I feel like i can't buy certain things for her as a surprise plus she doesn't really want anything/asked for anything. She's sent links for cheap earrings which are out of stock and im struggling to find similar ones elsewhere. I dont have huge budgets & won't buy anything I deem to be awful value - am sure many would disagree there, but £40/£50 novelty trousers from dubious lookinh websites are not happening!

Notso · 19/12/2019 00:02

On DD's second Christmas she asked for crayons which we got along with several other toys.
She cane downstairs to see a dolls pram all set up with a teddy in and got upset because she only wanted crayons! She refused to open anything else all day.

DC4 got really upset one Christmas because of a last minute present I'd got for DC3. It was a 'twitch' vetch thing heavily reduced on Amazon so they'd both have 10 things to open. Apparently DC4 had always wanted it but couldn't remember it's name to ask Father Christmas. I was gutted and also cross with DS for being so bratty so didn't rush out and buy the thing. He had to wait for his birthday months later.

stridesy · 19/12/2019 07:35

My then 8 year old asd son was in floods of tears as he wanted an Xbox one. Didn’t realise how much he really wanted one. He got one the following year but has rarely played on it!
Bit worried this year as the things he really wants this year I’ve asked my mum to get so will have to remind him Xmas day. It’s just books so can always get ourselves if they don’t materialise.

teentree · 19/12/2019 08:17

@escape

I'm struggling with my 18 year old this year. It's not the same because she has her own money and can buy things when she wants them. So far she has attempted to buy/actually bought 4 of the things I have for her, just in the past couple of weeks

Original poster

JudgeRindersMinder · 19/12/2019 11:07

@escape I know where you’re coming from. My dd is 22, is working and left home, I really struggled with her this year, till her boyfriend told me about something.
I won’t disagree with you about the novelty trousers, although we’re a bit more financially comfortable now, I’ve never been able to bring myself to spend on the novelties and tat that so many people seem to buy at Christmas

OP posts:

HappySonHappyMum · 19/12/2019 11:26

My DS was upset when he was 16 - think he'd had a moment of realisation that he wan't a small child anymore and that the magic had changed - he wanted to be little again - I too remember that Christmas of realisation as well that I believed I was more adult than child.

HairyToity · 19/12/2019 11:36

I wouldn't say she was disappointed, but last year she asked for really random things, which didn't have much play value. She didn't seem as ecstatic as year before
I have a house full of toys, and didn't want to buy much more than her random list.

AFingerofFudge · 19/12/2019 12:58

It was one year when DS1&2 were about 6 and 3 and I messed up the labels on their presents as I got confused once I'd wrapped. Suddenly realised that DS2 had got some that were supposed to be for DS1, and in fact DS1 hadn't got much at all. He was pretty good about it, but he eventually said "it's funny how DS2 has got presents I asked for". It was fine in the end because he just played with them anyway but I was much more careful after that!

longhaulstress · 19/12/2019 14:07

Yes but so far only once, it was my ds2 who was around 6 had last minute asked a Father Christmas (one of the ones that come round the streets on a float) about a robo fish. It came from nowhere and he'd sent his list a couple of weeks before so I didn't bother buying one. Then on Christmas Day I overheard him telling a relative about what he'd got and he listed a few things and then said ' I did ask for a robo fish but I mustn't have been good enough this year as I didn't get one'. It was the way he was quite matter of fact about it broke my heart.
It miraculously came 2 days later with a note saying it had been left behind in the sleigh!

PumpkinPie2016 · 19/12/2019 19:02

Thankfully, I have so far managed to avoid disappointment (my DS has just turned 6), however, I am very fortunate that DS hasn't ever asked for anything outrageous and I have been able to buy the things he asks for.

This year, all he asked for was Lego friends fun fair and a hot wheels track that folds down into a box. Got him both plus another lego friends set off my Nan.

His other things I am a tad worried are a bit 'samey' but I'm sure he will be happy.

He has toy story 4 DVD
Some books
Mr Men colouring book and pencil crayons
A jumper with reversible sequins
Where's Wally book and another finding book.
2 Jigsaws.

I hope he is happy with them in Christmas Day.

Equimum · 19/12/2019 20:26

I don’t think it’s ever happened are christmas, but DS2 was very upset after his 4th birthday last summer, when he realised nobody had bought him the pink slime he desperately wanted! That will be arriving in his stocking!

I am a bit worried that our children might be a bit disappointed this Christmas, as they have far fewer presents than normal. We have bought them both bikes which they need but haven’t really asked for IYSWIM. My mum has bought their top wants, and other relatives have bought bits from their lists. DILa normally buy them several presents, but they have been waiting for them both to be old enough to share a scalectrix set, and this is the year, so again, they have the value, but not the volume.

DSs are 4&6(nearly 7) and although I think they will be happy with what they have, I am a bit worried that they will struggle to understand that they don’t actually have less overall.

Kaykay066 · 19/12/2019 20:43

Once, told my mum to buy them clothes, not sure what came over me. It did not go down well at all, oops. They love Christmas and now my older boys @ 18 & 14 have 2 little brothers and still ‘believe’ for them. It keeps their own magic alive I think and they love all the traditions and get excited going to bed for Santa coming. It’s quite sweet really my 6’2 18 year old chatting to his 8 year old brother about Santa 🎅

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