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Christmas

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Original poster

First year both kids know he isn't real.

27 replies

RevolvingPivot · 28/08/2021 21:16

I usually do

the letter (and reply) to Santa.
List to Santa
Christmas Eve Box
Cake and Milk for Santa
Carrot for Rudolph
Magic Key
Magic Reindeer dust
Presents from
Santa

Do you carry on with these traditions or stop them?? Or do you ask the kids.

They are just turned 9 and 11.

Thanks.

OP posts:
PumpkinKlNG · 28/08/2021 21:19

Gosh I’ve never done any of that! No I would stop if they no longer believe it or maybe ask them?

TheSmallAssassin · 28/08/2021 21:21

We left stuff out for Father Christmas and the reindeer until our youngest was nearly 15, and left notes on Christmas Eve. Stocking presents were from FC too, though there was a lot of "can you tell Father Christmas that...", it was all quite tongue in cheek towards the end, but we still all had fun with it. I liked getting credit finally for the stocking presents though 😁

Hellocatshome · 28/08/2021 21:21

Have they told you they dont believe or you just know? If they have told you then have a discussion about which bits they want to keep doing or if they want to do anything different. If they haven't actually told you then just cary on as normal.

Original poster
RevolvingPivot · 28/08/2021 21:21

Really? I thought I was slacking. In December my Facebook is usually full of elves doing naughty things every day and bringing treats.

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 28/08/2021 21:23

Ask them what they want to do? And make new traditions.

PumpkinKlNG · 28/08/2021 21:23

I never did the elf thing either, it’s probably just me though as I never brought mine up to believe in it they only believed it when they were told at school so I just went along with it for them but they know it isn’t real anymore as they guessed! (9 and 7)

Original poster
RevolvingPivot · 28/08/2021 21:24

@Hellocatshome

Have they told you they dont believe or you just know? If they have told you then have a discussion about which bits they want to keep doing or if they want to do anything different. If they haven't actually told you then just cary on as normal.
Yes they told me. I was sad to explain it to the younger dd but she kept asking and saying I know he can't be real. She's only 9 but I had to tell dd11 as even though she said she's known a while I had to put her straight before secondary school. I've told youngest not to tell others at school as they might still believe.
OP posts:
Original poster
RevolvingPivot · 28/08/2021 21:25

Dd11 has asked if she can move the elves so that's now her job. I did it year and moved them every day but it was so much hassle.

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Hellocatshome · 28/08/2021 21:28

You were lucky to get that many years, both my kids told me with much confiction around 4 or 5 that he couldn't possibly be real, along with the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy! We still do quite letter to santa and leave a mince pie out and come down in the morning to "see if Santa's been" luckily mine didn't believe when Christmas Eve Boxes and Elf on the Shelf came along.

Keepitonthedownlow · 28/08/2021 21:28

You can still do Xmas eve box, Xmas movies, Xmas list, maybe add on some new things too?

Newnormal99 · 28/08/2021 21:31

Mine is just turned 10 and forts year they don't believe. They were in tears at that the elves not coming so I think they will but just in cuddly toy format as I'm not moving them!

I imagine we will still do all the bits we do as she likes routine and tradition.

Lotsachocolateplease · 28/08/2021 21:33

So my ds’s are now 14 and 19.
We always left out a glass of Baileys and a mince pie for Santa and now I get my ds19 to ‘pour a baileys for Santa’!
I had a stuffed toy elf (not the doll like one) and I still get him out and hide him in places like in the bag my ds14 uses for his paper round, or in their beds or underwear drawer. They also hide the elf and last year he ended up in my car one morning!
I still do stockings, I’ve said I’ll carry them in until they leave home!
You can still do Christmas Eve box, I’ve never done this, but you still could. Even though they don’t believe anymore the excitement of Christmas will still be there. It’s a different type of magic now Smile

Original poster
RevolvingPivot · 28/08/2021 21:35

I think it will be less stressful trying to get the bin bags full of toys downstairs.

I can't bribe them to behave now. Not that it worked before 😂😂

OP posts:
Twinkie01 · 28/08/2021 21:37

If they don't believe he doesn't come!

maxineputyourredshoeson · 28/08/2021 21:37

Last Christmas was the first year our DD’s didn’t believe - they were 8 and almost 11 (Christmas baby). And tbh we just carried on as normal but it was all done in a jokey/tradition way.

MinesAPintOfTea · 28/08/2021 21:40

My ex-fil did mince pies and Bailey’s to amuse a tipsy sil and me one year. We were both in our 20s...

HungryHippo11 · 28/08/2021 21:43

@RevolvingPivot

Really? I thought I was slacking. In December my Facebook is usually full of elves doing naughty things every day and bringing treats.
Thats because people who do that put it all over Facebook. The other 99% of people don't bother 😂
Hellocatshome · 28/08/2021 22:07

I think it will be less stressful trying to get the bin bags full of toys downstairs.

My parents still sneak the presents downstairs in the early hours of the morning and I'm 37!

stealthninjamum · 28/08/2021 22:20

Both dc know but I have lied to each one and said the other still believes in Santa and so we will be doing the same as normal this year.

This means

  • elf on the shelf will move around when I can remember (so every four or five days)
  • dd2 has already typed her Xmas list
  • we’ll put out biscuits and carrots out on Xmas eve which dc know I eat!
  • I can leave the Santa presents outside their doors and not worry about being caught
  • Santa presents will be unwrapped in my room together on Xmas morning and I’ll take photos and we’ll have a laugh

Santa’s quite formulaic with presents but they always get Beano / Dandy annuals, comfy slippers or sock slippers, chocolate orange, books, puzzles, a small Lego set or quick game to play over breakfast, a special Xmas decoration each as they have little trees in their room. I can’t imagine not having this routine anymore.

Redcrayons · 28/08/2021 22:22

The letter to Santa is now an email of links to Amazon stuff.
Never done a Christmas Eve box, as such, but definitely have a tradition of new Pjs, popcorn, and a Xmas films. We watch home alone before dinner and die hard before bed. We usually start watching the entire Harry Potter series in the run up, finishing the day before Christmas Eve.

We still have Santa presents and I still sneak the presents downstairs.
Can’t remember when we stopped the carrot and mince pie for Santa but we kept that going for a couple of year after.

One year my dad taught DCs how to play poker so we have an hour or so if that.

You evolve into different traditions.

MrsFirth2006 · 28/08/2021 22:26

My 5 daughters are 23,21,18,16 & 14. My mum still has to make them all reindeer dust to sprinkle on Xmas eve in the garden.. they have to have individual packets!
Xmas Eve boxes and stockings for each of them. I keep the traditions going for them and my one year old granddaughter had reindeer dust at Christmas with them too.

lorisparkle · 28/08/2021 22:38

I love all the Christmas traditions and will always do the ones we enjoy as a family. I have 3 Ds over the age of 11 and we have never discussed the reality of Father Christmas and my mum never had the conversation with me. We still all have stockings and leave out a mince pie etc. It is all about making Christmas fun and special - you don't have to believe in Father Christmas to do whatever family traditions you want!

thelegohooverer · 29/08/2021 06:40

Mine were younger than yours and we decided to keep “playing the Santa game”. Lots of winking and nudging. I think ds in particular enjoys believing again on Christmas Eve.

Do your two have any younger ones in the wider family that they could be Santa for? It can be very exciting to join in with adults.

Tataru · 29/08/2021 06:49

I'm 35 and my mum still leaves my stocking outside the bedroom in the night Grin

We used to leave our Santa a whisky and a mince pie, and when I found out that my grandpa drank it, I insisted we kept on doing it (much to his pleasure I'm sure!).

I think I'd maybe not do the letter to Santa unless they really wanted to write one, but the Christmas Eve boxes aren't really related to Santa are they?

shouldistop · 29/08/2021 12:38

I'd keep them up if the kids are happy to Smile they're just nice family traditions for you.