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Christmas

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Original poster

Do your kids get everything on their lists?

105 replies

00100001 · 28/11/2020 18:39

Just curious.

My friend gets their kids absolutely everything they ask for plus extra.
My other friend will use it as inspiration and maybe get 3-4 items.

My kid never did a list 😬

OP posts:
KitKatastrophe · 29/11/2020 09:24

My daughter is nearly 4 and has asked for a peppa pig tooth brush and kinetic sand, so she will be getting both.
When she is older it will depend what the list is. We have a budget for Christmas so it she puts on lots of cheap things she would get them but lots of expensive things probably not.

Fizbosshoes · 29/11/2020 09:28

Depends how many things are on the list.
When they were younger I used to suggest limiting FC list to 5 or 6 things.
DS put a birthday list up this year. I think it had 8 items on it, none of which were especially expensive. I got 4 of the 7 things, and gave a couple of the items as suggestions for relatives who often buy things that are a bit young for my DC if not given more specific ideas and the 8th thing he is getting for christmas.
Both DC want phones for xmas so hoping their lists arent too long as I wont be able to afford much else.

Oreservoir · 29/11/2020 09:31

@Mrsi2020 we only bought one gift from Santa.
It wasn't to get the credit, it was to ensure that if dc had friends who got less (or more) they didn't think Santa favoured some dc over others.

JammyDodgersandPeas · 29/11/2020 09:32

No, because I have a massive fear of spoiling them. The list is quite long and I tell them that it's a list of suggestions of things they'd like to receive, if that makes sense!

Fizbosshoes · 29/11/2020 09:36

They don't ask for massive things (consoles etc) from Santa as that would be cheeky, they can ask us instead and we will decide.

Interesting that a few PPs have had a similar idea that you dont ask santa for tech. My DS has for a long time, put his most expensive thing on his list to FC, and says I will ask Father Christmas for that because I know its quite expensive, I think he feels he is saving us money!!

I'm enjoying this thread more that most of the xmas ones where you're in the minority if you arent spending £400+ on each child, and told if you have teens it's almost the law to spend £100 on an item of clothing and £500 on tech, regardless of your budget!

Camomila · 29/11/2020 10:12

Yes but I've told him that Father Christmas only brings one thing each, nothing electrical (elves can't make it), and knows how big your house is (eg, he can't a climbing frame in a flat or a ride on tractor)

He asked for a toy crane truck he saw on Messy goes to Okido and luckily I found the exact same one on Amazon. It was £35 which is more than I'd want to spend on a toy truck but I think that adds to the magicalness of it as its not something he'd get normally (he sometimes gets to choose a small toy car/truck at the supermarket as a reward for dentist/jabs etc as long as its less than £5)

Camomila · 29/11/2020 10:13

*have a

Moltenpink · 29/11/2020 10:15

Yes, but we have firm words before they write them about Santa not liking greedy children

VettiyaIruken · 29/11/2020 10:16

Yes. I tell them the budget and they make their lists.

Gatehouse77 · 29/11/2020 10:19

No. I see the list as a guide not definitive.
I don't want to foster the Dudley Dursley type of child.
It also means they can learn to save up for something they really want. We have bought vouchers (given for Christmas or birthdays) off them to give them the cash to do that.

MadamShazam · 29/11/2020 10:23

If I bought DD everything she had asked for I'd be taking out a bank loan! So no, I don't. However, she knows that out of the list she makes, she will get most of the things she wants, depending on budget. Because she is an only child, me and DP are careful not to spoil her too much!

DelurkingAJ · 29/11/2020 10:33

Father Christmas brings a big present and the stockings here. We then do another larger present. But lists are clearly for inspiration (we are swerving the Mighty Pups tower as DS2 is nearly 5 and already has a Paw Patrol tower so it’s a lot of plastic with limited useful life!).

Someonesayroadtrip · 29/11/2020 11:10

No, they do tend to tick any list the entire smyths catalog though 😂

I asked them to take their list and chose 5 ish items each and they got all those item I think, of similar items. Then I take inspiration from their other lists.

One of mine asked for a kayak, which I've not got but we will probably get at some point but not as a Christmas present. Another asked for a bike which we will just get in the spring.

Stompythedinosaur · 29/11/2020 11:28

Ours don't, they know that lists are for ideas of what they like, not an order.

Mustbethewine · 29/11/2020 11:39

Depends how big their lists are and what the items are. They write a letter to santa with what they want and I take it from there, they know they might not get everything.
DS1 only asked for 5 things. Got him everything apart from one thing which was a punching bag, we have no room for it or anywhere to hang it but I don't think he'll mind or notice cause I got him a much bigger TV than he's anticipating he'll get.
Ds2 included half the smyths catalogue in his letter, some of the toys had terrible reviews so I've not bought anything that over half the reviewers warned will break. My DM asked him a while back what he's asked for and he genuinely doesn't remember most of them and hasn't mentioned them since writing the letter, so not got them either (but have got him the things he really wants, this year it was tablet and lego set) But I have substituted them for things I know he'll use and enjoy plus its a nice surprise 😊

shash1982 · 29/11/2020 12:02

It depends on what's on the list that year.
One year my DD created a wishlist that cost a fortune so we didn't get everything on it that year but then another time she asked for 2 small things and a surprise so we got them for her that year.

As long as its things we know she'd like and is within budget then why not.

SquareEyes3523 · 29/11/2020 12:37

DS can ask for 3 things on his list. It's v likely he will get these 3 things plus extras. I don't let him put things on that are impossible to get like a puppy etc. This year he's put: a fun thing, a mystery item and a surprise. Which makes it really easy this time round! He's getting an electronic bear with bottle, a nerf gun and a Gameboy knock off.

SquareEyes3523 · 29/11/2020 12:38

I have also said that only 1 thing can be a big ticket item so that santa has enough to go round all the children in the world.

thismeansnothing · 29/11/2020 12:40

Nope. DD is 6 and we've always said father Christmas doesn't bring everything you ask for. That way it's a nice suprise what you do get. But I do listen/watch while she writes her letter so I know what she REEEALLY really wants the most off it. FC brings her stocking and 1-2 things off her list. Family might get something off it as well.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 29/11/2020 12:45

We only ever did Santa as the delivery person so they knew the lists were going to us not him. I wanted them to thank the people who had given them gifts and also so they knew if they had more than others it was nothing to do with how good or bad someone was.

They get the bulk from their lists, sometimes all depending on what they ask for. Sometimes I save a few items from it for birthdays. They get some surprises as well as it’s more fun. No essentials though, just things they would want as a gift.

LabradorGalore · 29/11/2020 12:46

Depends what they put on their lists. Over the years I’ve always said write a list and Santa will see what he can do but he can’t get you everything.

Now that they’re teens we operate on a what we can afford/what you’ve asked for and is it reasonable. Younger DS asked for a dog and we’ve always made it clear that pets aren’t presents but a family decision. It’s still on his list (ever the optimist) but it won’t be happening.

Older DD has nothing on her list this year. So it’s lots of cajoling to get her to give us some ideas at least.

Some years the kids lists have been long and expensive. I’d never overcommit to buying everything on their list for this reason alone.

Elsie296 · 29/11/2020 12:46

Our girls write down a wish list of ten things and know that Santa only brings 3 and a stocking.
Then I tend to divvy the items up among family once I've bought the three santa ones and a gift from me and dh. I do sit with them while they write the lists though to ensure we don't end up with ten expensive items!
So yes, they do get everything on list. List usually totals around £300 including one bigger main item around the £100 mark. X

SylvieSangFroid · 29/11/2020 12:49

Ours get three things from FC and then extras from DH and me. This year, dd has asked for something she saw on a god damn YouTube video and it doesn't exist IRL! So FC and I are having to improvise.

DS is too little to know what the hell is going on, so it will all be a surprise for him!

SylvieSangFroid · 29/11/2020 12:49

Oh yes, stockings are from FC too.

lobsteroll · 29/11/2020 12:50

I always say they can ask Father Christmas for one thing, I don't love the idea of them thinking it's normal to ask for a list of toys. (And receive them all too)

I always get whatever they have asked for and then additional presents too and I just say that he must have given them some extra surprises because they've been good