Shit, my child has just trumped me with Santa. What the hell do you say in this instance?

[justanotherneighinparadise]

My seven year old wants a certain expensive toy. Four year old wants a different version of it. I say, woah kids this stuff is crazy money. I don’t think it’s worth the price tag in terms of the play I think you’ll get out of it, so I’m happy to buy one version but it will be a shared toy for both of you.

Seven year old then says it’s okay, he’ll put it on his Santa list and Santa can bring it. Four year old says he’ll do the same. What the fuck was I supposed to say to that?!!!

I tell mine I need to pay santa for their presents because children have got so greedy over the years that santa can't afford to make so many toys for everyone.

We told ours that Santa doesnt do electronic gifts as they are very expensive and he has to budget toys for all the children in the world. Also they are pretty fragile and might get damp in the sleigh so its not worth the risk. They liked the logic of that. In regards to other children getting loads, we said that some parents spoil their children by adding their own presents to what Santa brought, but that its not something that our family do.

Note to new parents/those with toddlers - Santa brings small gifts that fit in a stocking, makes life a lot easier! Though Santa also bought goats for families in Africa in our house via oxfam, its was dd1's idea to ask him to help kids there one year and it stuck, despite them being adults they choose a project to donate to each Christmas, it's maternity/women's care in rural Nepal this year

We always told the kids that if you can, you pay for Santa toys do that he can buy for those who can’t afford presents. They always accepted this and knew there was a budget. I was told the same when I was young and never felt ‘hard done by’ - I actually remember feeling proud that we were helping Santa provide for others.

Santa does the stockings in our house, everything else is from us and family. I don’t like the idea that Santa gives all the presents when some families are struggling and others can splash out.

@MyOtherProfile

This is why we always told ours Santa just brings the stockings of tat and the market j presents come from family

Same here as otherwise they would do this all the time.

From the age of three our D.C. knew Santa couldn’t bring anything we couldn’t afford - because we gave him money for what he gave our D.C. to buy presents for children whose parents had no money. It’s too late for you to be helped by this OP as your kids are old enough to see the huge flaws in that logic but for parents with younger ones it might be a useful concept.

Santa has final say!
Santa doesn’t ever get everything on the list

Santa brings stockings. The main presents are from Me and DH. Santa is not getting credit for my brilliant present buying!!

Santa brings ALL the presents here

but never everything from the list. It's a wish list, not a shopping list! Some wishes you get, some you don't, and half the presents are surprises.

That has never been a problem frankly. Santa could hardly deliver an entire circus, a unicorn or Noddy's rocket for a trip to the moon, could it.
My kids letters have always been poetry I can tell you

My two were told Santa brings one small gift and other presents are from family.

Tell them that Santa & his elves have been in lockdown too this year and is going to struggle getting all the children everything they want and it’s best to have a fall back gift in case he can’t get it. I do this every year with mine.

'Santa will be checking with me as always and I will be telling him that I agree with him that all this money spent on one house isn't at all fair when some children have so little. Santa has to share things out you know.'

Just say Santa won't bring two of the same toy, because he expects good children to be able to share nicely with each other.

@parrotonmyshoulder

Ours were told that we have to pay Santa for the things he brings. Otherwise how can they understand that some children don’t get much while others get loads? Can’t let them think it’s because they’ve been ‘nicer’!

We tried that, DD asked to see the receipt

We had this one year when I said no to one of those giant ride on unicorns. Our eldest said "oh I'll just ask Santa for it then". I told her Santa wouldn't bring anything that her Mummy and Daddy didn't approve of and he would know it was too big for our house because he's been inside. She thought about it for a moment and decided that made sense.
We limit Santa requests to three per letter and they are only suggestions. He doesn't bring anything too big and expensive because we don't ask for them. I told the kids that we were so lucky that we could afford so many nice things ourselves that it would be cheeky to ask Santa for too much ("just like we don't ask Auntie Sue for anything that big"). That also seemed to make sense to them. It also explains why some kids might get much more or less than her if she was ever to ask questions.

I think it’s important that children be taught that their list to Santa is a wish list to give him ideas. It’s not a shopping list or an order form. Santa knows best what they need, so they might sometimes get what they want, but sometimes they won’t.

Santa may make and bring the presents, but you have to pay for the materials and the Elves time

Santa won't trump mummy's decision.
So if I've said no he won't bring it

That's why we said Father Christmas can only bring toys the elves can make. No plastic and no tech - too cold at the Pole!

@parrotonmyshoulder

Ours were told that we have to pay Santa for the things he brings. Otherwise how can they understand that some children don’t get much while others get loads? Can’t let them think it’s because they’ve been ‘nicer’!

My mum and dad used to say this and I carry it on. Santa brings all presents currently but then sends mummy and daddy the bill

When we have a similar dilemma my 5yo will say 'err mummy Santa MAKES the gifts he doesn't buy them so I can ask for whatever I want!' I tell her that the elves can't spend all their time making just her gifts because they have all the children in the world to cater for!

Tell him there is no Santa. Sorted.

@FuzzyPuffling

Tell him there is no Santa. Sorted.

or just don't do Christmas, don't do presents, nothing.

Some posters life must be so boring.

What is the toy? And what are the different versions of it? My approach would depend on what it was tbh