Where are you from and what does Santa bring?

[PinkyU]

We live in Scotland and Santa brings everything that arrives on Christmas Day, family/friends who bring gifts before or after are from them. I don’t know another Scottish person who does it differently.

I see often on here that Santa only brings one gift, stocking gifts or few but not everything etc.

I wonder if it’s a cultural thing within the UK (or wider)?

So where are you and what does the big man in the red suit bring?

[RaoulDufysCat]

Don't think I have ever heard anyone in my family refer to 'Santa'!

[Camomila]

I'm from Italy, as a DC I was a bit confused whether it was 'Babbo Natale' or the baby Jesus that bought Christmas presents.

My parents did one present under the tree from Father Christmas so I do the same.

The Befana (an old lady/Christmas witch) brings stockings on the 6th January.

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

I do what my parents did for us which is stocking of small stuff from Santa and an additional visit from St Nicholas on 6th Dec when he'd fill a shoe with chocolates.
My parents are from Ireland and Germany, I think our Christmas traditions were more informed by the German heritage. We used to open presents late on Xmas eve, but I don't do that with my dc.

[Avarua]

New Zealand. Santa brings the stockings.

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

Main gifts are always from named real people.

[Starcaller]

Scotland.
Stockings and one medium gift from Santa (left by fireplace!).

[Avarua]

He's Father Christmas to my parents. The word Santa is considered to be distastefully American.

[Whymustyoubringinthebirds]

I'm in Scotland, when I was a child santa brought everything
Now with my wee one, santa brings 2/3 gifts (typically the 'main' one) and the rest are from mum and dad and family ones are from family

[Starcaller]

And always Santa in Scotland! Never heard anyone call him Father Christmas here, although DD has been watching Peppa and has said it a few times

[Goneback2school]

On Christmas eve my kids open their present from us- new PJ'S. There may already be gifts under the tree if we have seen family before Christmas. Everything else that arrives Christmas morning (including the stocking) cones from Santa. I don't think kids think too deeply about what their friends did or didn't get- mine don't anyway. I'm in Ireland.

[gogohm]

Stockings only, multiple locations in south and midlands

[GiltEdges]

Yorkshire.

My parents didn't do Santa with me growing up so I knew my gifts were all from them. With DS we do one gift from Santa and the rest are from us.

[PollyRae16]

Midlands and if I remember rightly Santa bought everything when I was a kid. However doing a little different now I have kids.

Read a post from a social worker once that said to let your children know the really big stuff comes from you not Santa as she'd had loads of poorer parents distraught because they're child had asked if they weren't good enough or if Santa didn't like them as much because they'd got less presents. It's stuck with me so Santa with fill the stockings and everything else will be from who's actually bought it

[MsSquiz]

I'm in the Northumberland/from Newcastle. I think, growing up, Santa brought all my presents that DM bought or he just brought the "big" presents (i don't remember which)

For DD who will be 2 this December, we will be having Santa bring the stocking gifts, and all other gifts from the giver (DH and I, FIL, Aunties, etc)

[Isabelle70]

My grandparents were from London where they would have Christmas stocking filled with small gifts that would keep you amused until lunch time. This tradition passed down to my mum and also to me with my children. We also do not open any presents from under the tree until after lunch.
I can't understand why the best presents should come from Santa, surely children should appreciate what gifts their parents get for them?

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

I'm 45, on Christmas Eve we got new PJs from my parents, a tradition we've carried on. We never questioned why my parents didn't give a gift on Christmas Day. My eldest did question me when she was about 3 and I reminded her we buy the Christmas Eve box and she was satisfied with that answer. Never did I or my children compare what we got with friends so I don't buy into the minimising for the greater picture and to protect friends. We just taught them to be polite when thanking relatives for gifts and never to brag or be smug with their friends (as it turns out they never even discussed it). Christmas lists never had more than 3 things on them although they got much more than that.

In the NE Christmas is massive. Santa (or Santy) brings everything for most and hardly anyone says Father Christmas rather than Santa. I personally hate the fact parents want to take credit for larger presents, the magic is only there for a short time and when they get older and realise, then they can appreciate all you did.

[TheSmallAssassin]

We've always done stocking presents (magically arrive at the end of your bed) from Father Christmas, everything else from the people who gave them. I just think it gets complicated otherwise. And to be honest, yet another thing that (generally) women thanklessly do. Christmas is about giving and receiving gifts from your loved ones.

[Largethighsbadeyes]

North Yorkshire.

Santa (or father christmas as we call him) brings the majority of the presents so stocking and some bigger gifts round the bottom. We get 1 big present from us which goes under the tree.

This is purely because when I was little, santa brought everything and I used to question why my parents didn't buy me anything and that's one reason o figured it out so soon. I was hoping this way mine would believe for a bit longer.

[OddsNSodsBitsNBobs]

Father Christmas in our house, home counties. Although not adverse to Santa and know it isnt just an Americanism!

FC brings everything in our house this doesn't mean it's all from him! so presents from us, family and friends appear with FCs gifts on Christmas morning, it's all clearly labelled from gifted. I suppose FC is a fancier more magical version of DPD! My parents did the same, love it. I've had this same conversation in real life a d unless it's your tradition people dont get it. What seems normal to you might not to someone else doesn't mean its less magical 🤔

[Largethighsbadeyes]

When I say stocking presents I mean small/medium things like books, board games, clothes etc.

We've never done the stocking for an orange/chocolate coins etc

[Chatwin]

Scotland here, Santa brought stocking and 1 main (but not massively expensive) gift. Same for DH, and same for our DCs. Parents bought higher value gifts, we do the same for our DC. presents also from aunts, grandparents etc.

I was told by DP that putting out anything other than a stocking (e.g. a pillow case or sack) was incredibly grabby 😳

[Chatwin]

@Avarua

He's Father Christmas to my parents. The word Santa is considered to be distastefully American.

I don't know anyone in Scotland who says Father Christmas, it's always Santa.

[Starcaller]

Oh gosh yes, stockings at the end of bed! The joy of waking up at silly o'clock and hearing the telltale scrunch of the wrapped stuff in the stocking when you moved in bed. Mine always had stuff aimed at keeping me entertained for as long as possible so I wouldn't go and wake my mum up And the requisite monkey nuts and satsuma!

[MissDollyMix]

For some reason I get irrationally distressed that other people do it differently to the way I’ve always known. I think it’s because some part of me still believes in Father Christmas (despite the fact that he is now me!) DH and I both grew up in the south east and Father Christmas just brought the stockings. DH’s stockings were a bit dull and had things like socks and toothbrushes whereas mine were filled with little presents. My mother and aunt used to decorate the (proper) chimney with sooty footprints, a little fake snow and some of those little stars. It was so magical and exciting, I can still smell it now. All the presents under the tree were from friends and relatives. I used to love watching the pile of beautifully wrapped presents grow bigger as Christmas grew closer. Nothing like having a sneaky poke and trying to guess what each one contained! So, we do it the exact same way for our children.
I was chatting to someone the other day who doesn’t allow ANYONE to bring presents to her house. She intercepts everything as it all must come via Father Christmas. Sounds a bit exhausting. DS did ask me a couple of years ago why he only had little presents from Father Christmas and his best friend had a Switch. I think I made up some fluff but it was a bit awkward!

[Skyeheather]

Scotland - Mummy & Daddy bring the main present, Santa brings a stocking and presents from friends and family are from friends and family.