How much does Father Christmas give your children?

[bumble79]

Myself and partner have different views on this. Growing up all his presents were from 'Father Christmas'

For us, we had a stocking and maybe a large gift or a few smaller gifts from him and the rest were from parents. This was always a thing.

What is normal?

I don't want Father Christmas to get all the credit 🤣

I'm thinking a stocking and a main present for him and the rest from us?

What do others do??

Everything from us is from Father Christmas, but they know that we pay for it.

So we save up pennies each year and FC agrees as to whether they can have it depending on behaviour.

That way there is a limit on things and prices etc

Stocking only from Father Christmas with small gifts/chocolate in. Though they're our favourite part of Christmas in our house so they are quite generous still and they come to our room to open them (he leaves one gift next to the stocking that they can open without waiting for us to be awake!)

Ours get a sack (bigger than stocking but not a full sack- maybe 8 presents?) from FC and the rest are from us/family members.

In our house FC doesn't bring electronics or really big ticket items. It's just our way but I want DC to know that such items cost a lot and that we've had to work hard for them.

Following with interest. This is our first Christmas with DD, not that she'll have a clue what's going on this being being so little but she may understand more from next year. I'll probably have to discuss with DH what we do but I'm thinking either one gift from FC or just the stocking and everything else from me and DH. As a kid I got loads from FC (stocking and a pile under the tree), then a couple of presents from my parents.

We do a stocking from Father Christmas and then presents from us and whoever else. For some reason my in laws have started bringing a sack of presents over from "father Christmas" too and another bag of presents from them. It's so excessive and annoys me a bit that they muscle in on the father Christmas thing for no reason. To me it doesn't make sense for everything to come from Father Christmas, because surely you as a family will give Christmas presents to other people, and then your children will wonder why no one else reciprocates the gift.

Everything is from father christmas. A few people we know give gifts to father christmas for delivery! Children only have the magic fir?a short time do I'd rather let them believe it. As it happens? all of ours have believed for a long time (until about 11 or 12).

FC leaves a stocking by the bed and a big present downstairs (sometimes a couple of smaller things in a sack).

Most presents are from family members.

My childhood - everything from FC
Dh's childhood stocking from FC in his room, rest from parents or named relatives.

We chose together to do a stocking from FC downstairs hung on the fireplace, rest of the presents from us, or named relatives.

Most of the time we see relatives in the build up to Christmas, the children (now 17 and 14) have always opened those presents in front of the giver to be able to thank them personally and spread the quantity of presents rather than just all on Christmas day.

FC brings token bits like chocolate coins, bookmarks, a hairbrush, socks, small every day items plus some treats.

My sister however does everything from FC, so when my sister handed over her presents to my children my 5 year old asked why his Auntie doesn't buy any presents for her own children and yet buys for them.

The best day came when my niece was at the doubting age and my son had got a watch for Christmas, my niece asked if it was from FC my son said no, my parents. She did the I know look at my sister and then my son said but FC bought me X, totally convinced her the big man was real.

I should say Christmas is a low key affair presents wise, we tend to focus more on individual birthdays.

One main present from FC here. No stockings. All other presents under the tree are from who they're from. It was how my parents did things growing up and still explained why some children would get more presents than others depending on how big their family was etc

For some reason my in laws have started bringing a sack of presents over from "father Christmas" too

My lovely MIL wanted to do a FC left some more stuff for you here bit but I explained that considering we also see my parents on Christmas day why would FC always leave extra presents at your house and never theirs? I wanted their presents to be from them, not FC, I want my children to understand the value of a present, choosing and buying for someone.

When DH and I were both growing up all presents were from Father Christmas. Since we had the DC we say that just stockings are from FC and everything else is specified who it's from. It just seemed simpler that way to explain why some children get more or less and I felt it was important that grandparents etc were thanked for their gifts. Stockings hang on their bedroom doors and FC fills them on Christmas Eve night, all other presents are under the tree on Christmas morning.

Everything is from Santa other than gifts from family and friends.

Why do you need credit?

Stockings. Everything else is labelled and the givers need to be thanked.

This. Presents from us are labelled as such, and the DC know they're from us. It's not so much that we necessarily need credit, but it would be a bit weird if everyone else except your parents gave you presents for Christmas, wouldn't it?!

Just the stuff in the stocking. Everything under the tree is from other people, has labels etc.

Everything left under the tree plus stocking was from Santa. Relatives and friends gave their presents to DC themselves.

Father Christmas fills their stockings and leaves one tree present.

Everything we as parents buy is off Santa, from stockings to bikes, but we don't go overboard, we don't spend a fortune on 100's of presents. They are only little and I like the magic of Santa. Anything relatives give they are labelled and thank you notes are sent out.

Just wondering, those who say some gifts are from them not FC, why?

@runningonemptyfulloflove we do it this way as I can’t bear the thought of any child thinking Father Christmas has forgotten them or given them less than others. My DC are lucky but on the first day back to school if someone asked what Father Christmas gave them it could be a barbie or a game etc. All bigger gifts like switch, Xbox, bikes etc come from us.

Father Christmas fills the stockings and a sack of presents each which are then left by the fireplace. The gifts under the tree are from those who sent them. We buy most of the gifts and label them as such.

The kids are asked to write a letter to Santa at the start of December and they can ask for up to three things each. "Why just three?" my eldest asked when she was around four. We told her we were very lucky that we could afford to buy presents for each other and Santa will want to bring something but it would seem cheeky to ask for too much when we are already so lucky. She accepted this.

They also know he won't bring anything electronic (think ipad) or anything that mummy and daddy wouldn't approve of (this saved us the year they wanted a giant ride on unicorn). The reality is he always brings the three things they wanted enough to ask for plus a few extras they're not expecting. It's a sackful, and that seems like plenty.

I see this as a nice balance as it has the magic of presents from Father Christmas, those things you wanted the most. Whilst still acknowledging the the things family have given.

@runningonemptyfulloflove

Just wondering, those who say some gifts are from them not FC, why?

It's how it was when I grew up so I'm just continuing the tradition 🤷‍♀️ It wouldn't have occurred to me to change it.

I’m in Ireland and it seems to be different here . Stocking and all the presents come from Santa and one present from mum and dad . Obviously all the friends / relatives presents come from them !

Stocking and one gift here. Other gifts are from the giver.

In our case, there is a gift from us to DD as there were gifts from me to DH and vice versa, and she saw me wrapping gifts to everyone else in the extended family, so it would have been very unfair if she was the only one "not getting a present from us". So there has always been something small from us.

I always used to do everything from Father Christmas, so DS believed in all the magic.

I have a very good reason not too with our new babies. When DS was about 7, he came home from school after the Christmas break, where they'd been discussing what they had done, and what Father Christmas brought. It seemed most families had done a similar thing, and Father Christmas had brought bikes, dolls, computers, all sorts.

One little girl got very upset because Father Christmas didn't bring her what she had asked for, or very much at all. She couldn't understand. She told the teachers she'd been on her best behaviour, so what had she done so wrong that Father Christmas left her out

So, from now on, DTwins will receive a little stocking from Father Christmas, and everything else will come from Mummy and Daddy. We'll do their lists together so they know Mummy and Daddy know what they've asked for. And if they don't get much, they'll understand it's because we didn't do it, not make them think that they're not as important to Father Christmas as the other boys and girls.