Is Father Christmas/Santa Claus not so much a thing now?

[DottyHarmer]

I just get the feeling that there is much less emphasis now on FC bringing presents (for children obviously). I have seen online and in real life people just piling the presents up under the tree even for young dcs instead of the idea of FC creeping around filling sacks. (Perhaps always was a bit disturbing when you think about it !)

I suppose kids are more.”knowing” now and they can see everything online, see that stuff is delivered and also that gratification can be instant. The adverts atm all seem rather transactional now too.

I just was musing whether FC would go the way of stagecoaches on Christmas cards, ie a thing of the past.

FC brings stocking gifts not big piles of presents in our family. Kids are grown but they still get stockings

I never used to put presents under the tree but DH persuaded me. When I was a kid fc brought all the presents in a huge sack but we just tell dd he brings the stocking and one big present.

Well, I’m glad to hear that FC is alive and well in MN households! Definitely not going to start a bunfight about the right way to do FC, but for a start it’s Father Christmas and not Santa Claus [and scurries away from thread…..]

EVERYBODY I know and have ever spoken to about it does Father Christmas. Just not in precisely the same way your family did when you were growing up.

Other people do the same thing differently!

We do Father Christmas with our ds (age 4) however he knows that mummy/daddy (or family etc) buy the presents under the tree and Father Christmas just brings his stocking for him.
We work bloody hard for our money and we want some credit for the presents plus it also takes away the asking for ridiculous priced presents that we couldn’t afford - as we can have the conversation about our budget etc rather than Father Christmas who’s magic brings whatever they ask for - I hate that idea personally!

My almost 11 year old is still holding onto FC for dear life. In fact, I asked him if he wanted to come and pick a bike and he said he was going to pretend he didn’t hear that because he likes the surprise. He literally asked for a bike.

That said, he knows the presents are from us and that I buy and wrap them, he seems to believe we have a complicated system where Santa takes them after I have done all the hard work and brings them back on Christmas Eve. His concoction. I’ve only said I don’t know to any questions. He knows others don’t believe.

The stockings are from Santa the glorified postman.

It’s definitely a thing. Presents under tree have always been from us, the stockings upstairs with the little gifts are from Father Christmas. Keeps the magic alive whilst being able to manage gift requests / expectations.

@lottiegarbanzo Eh? I have never once said how I do Christmas

This thread was about whether FC was fading from prominence , not about my personal interpretation of his activities.

Definately a thing; are you sure the presents around the tree aren't for the adults? Myself and everybody everybody i know does Santa brings the presents for as long as possible!

I don't understand?
Fc brings stocking and also presents under the tree but he doesn't leave them in a sack. He leaves them under the tee.

I’m in my 40s and as a kid in the 80s only stockings, and one or two “big” presents under the tree came from Father Christmas - the rest were from mum and dad and relatives.

My parents didn’t put presents out under the tree beforehand, but only because they didn’t want to risk the limits of small children’s ability not to mess with them 🤣

Meaty riveta I've never met anyone who has brought dc evry present they have ever asked for
My friend group simply ask dc for list and remind them he can't get everything on it because there are so many dc and only so many elves.
We also give from fc and they are still greatful.

Santa brings all the presents in my house but they aren't all from him, he brings one special gift with a handwritten tag.

I’m Northern and working class so its very definitely Santa. He only brings the stockings in our house. All gifts from us still magically appear over night.

Definitely still a thing. He brings one present though that they ask for in their letter and the rest are from us. This way it doesn't seem like Santa likes some kids more who get expensive or more stuff. We can if needed ( haven't yet) explain that some families spend/have more than others.

DottyHarmer In Scotland always been Santa not FC. My mum came back to Scotland in the 1950s as a child and was teased in school for talking about FC.

Eh? Yourself.

You described how you think FC does things in your OP!

@NewlyGranny

In my childhood and for my own DC, FC only brought the stockings. Everything else went under the tree and the gift tags showed who each present was from.

If you raise them to think FC provides you create three huge problems:

1. Why FC is markedly more/less generous to other children;
2. Ignoring the vital social skill of thanking the gift-giver;
3. Denying them the experience of planning and giving gifts to others themselves - if FC gives everyone all the gifts, why would they ever need to?

This is how my parents did it as well.

When I was young, FC brought everything in our house (except perhaps parcels from distant aunties). In a lot of households he used a pillow case. Stockings weren’t standard.
I think he is bigger than ever now, but it’s more complicated.

Less of a thing now. Nobody wants kids sat on some strange man's lap anymore.

Santa only brings my dd one present. (North east england here) The rest is from whoever bought it. I think this has a few benefits.

Firstly, She can properly thank the people who have gone to an effort to buy her gifts, including us as parents. It teaches her to be polite and grateful. It also means she thinks of others and asks us to help her buy gifts for others as she doesn’t believe that Christmas is only about her getting presents from Santa; it is about giving as well as receiving.

She has just turned 6 and this year has asked her daddy to help her buy me a hedgehog cushion that she saw me admiring in a store for christmas. She has also asked me to help her get him a game she thinks he would like for his Xbox. It’s sweet to see her thinking of things we would like that would make us happy and the fact she has been watching our responses to things we like when out shopping.

Secondly, there isn’t a direct comparison between those who get loads of presents and those who get few. It isn’t based on how good someone has been or that Santa likes someone else better, we all get one gift. This year she has asked for a doll, last year was a scooter, the year before was doll pram, the year before that was a colouring book etc. She isn’t asking for particularly large or expensive things.

Lastly I think in movies and books Santa always brings a single gift. It seems a bit strange from a child’s point of view that he would deliver a room full of presents. Most children I know only add one or two things to their Christmas lists.

My nephew is s fucking terrified of FC.

So he doesn't even land on the roof... Just flies above and magics his present into the living room as he zooms by

When I was young, FC brought everything in our house (except perhaps parcels from distant aunties). In a lot of households he used a pillow case. Stockings weren’t standard.
We had pillow case sized sacks as stockings. One or two presents from parents and presents from other family were under the tree.

DS has a stocking half a pillowcase sized. When he was younger he had that with the book, chocolate, small things, then a main present like a lego set under the tree from me.

Santa is still a thing here. A lot of people I know are now telling their children he only brings a couple of little bits like colouring books etc, rather than all of the presents. I missed the memo for that so mine still think he brings everything!

My kids are 16 and 18 and I still can't put any presents under the tree until they're in bed on Christmas Eve...