When family have bought an item that was on list to Santa

[LindaBlinda]

My eldest is 9 so we're in the dangerous territory of over questioning about Santa.

One of the items on her list to Santa is what she's getting from my Mum. It's a big gift.

How would you personally answer the question about how Santa knew not to bring it?

I'm thinking maybe Santa/Elves can check Amazon orders? In case my flouncy/magical "he just knows" reply doesn't quite cut it this year.

Just before the typical MN replies start - I know in the scheme of things this isn't a big deal, but we've had a crap year and worrying about these little things is a lovely distraction.

Santa sees everything so he saw the gift had already been sorted so got him something else instead. Don't make even the tiniest issue of it

'I don't know' is a really good answer. After all, why would you know how it all works? You just observe that it does, like the kids do.

It helps that DD is generally quite willing to believe that I don't know stuff

Santa brings one present. Other people buy the rest.

"Wow I don't know either. Must be part of the magic. Maybe gran called him? Or the elves check on grandparents? It amazing."

Don't give all the answers as they can pick holes in it.

At 9, she already knows Santa is not real.

He just knows!

‘I don’t know’ is my stock answer. Then DS3 (10) comes to his own conclusion. (I believe via his brother that he knows but isn’t ready to let go).

@Scarby9

If she says anything ( which she may well not): 'Was that on your list to Santa? Good job he didn't choose to get you that, then, isn't it? What would we have done with two?!'

This is how we work, Santa doesn't get everything off the list because then noone else would have anything left to get for him and people like to get him things he wants

Father Christmas fills the stockings in our house. Makes it much easier when it comes to the bigger gifts being from us / grandparents etc.

Some people struggle so much to be able to give anything at Christmas. Imagine going into school in January happy that you have received new socks and bubble bath from Father Christmas only to find out that he has favoured everyone else by giving them a PS5, huge boxes of Lego / Barbie etc...

I find it so fascinating how other people treat Santa in their homes. Is amazing how different everyone is. Santa brings everything in our house. But family still have to pay for it! Same when we were little!

How would you know? Santa doesn't reveal his methods to everyone, does he?

You asked your mum to get it as Santa is having staff shortages at the elf factory with covid.

We just put small stuff in the stockings and bit items come from us. I wouldn’t overthink it too much.

I don't think most 9 year olds truly believe so this will just be another experience which gets her thinking more (if she still believes anyway). I'd just say that santa gets you what he thinks you will like.

I know it’s hard to believe this when you’re still in the Santa magic stage but it’s not the end of the world when they stop believing, particularly if they work it out logically for themselves.

It can be crushing if other dc make fun of you, or someone deliberately tells you, but there’s great satisfaction in figuring it out.

When mine worked it out, I didn’t answer their questions, I asked them what they thought. It wasn’t the first time they asked, but eventually I was hearing a detailed, logical account of why it wasn’t possible.

I was really proud of them, and they were proud of themselves too. And we agreed to keep playing the “Santa game” for the time being though they now take part in it too. And I charged them not to tell (that’s a parents job)

I think you have a lovely opportunity with this situation. She might put two and two together and it’s absolutely the best way to find out.

Thanks all.

Just to answer a few earlier questions:

Santa bring stocking and the couple of things DC write on the list.

Everything else is from us or other family/friends.

I think she may have caught on but isn't telling us, hence the extra questioning, she's also VERY big on magic, especially when it comes to littler kids, so wouldn't ever want to rumble Santa when she figures it.

You're all totally right about the saying less the better.

Santa visited the kids at school today. I asked her after school how Santa was - and she straight away said "I'm pretty sure it was Mr Davis in a Santa suit but it was lovely that he spread the Christmas spirit and it was really fun." And I agreed how nice it was for him to make the children happy and I bet reception were super excited. (This conversation was out of the earshot of any younger kids)

As I don't want to try and insult her intelligence by trying to convince her a man she knows in a cheap fake beard was someone else.

So I think us agreeing today how lovely and kind it was that Mr D did that to make the children happy and it was very Christmassy starts us on a gentle path to the truth. As last year she told me that they can't all be the real Santa when you meet them, and I agreed to that.

If she asks about the gift then saying that he never seems to get doubles, so must know somehow, is the perfect reply.

As I'm all for the "once you know, then you're Santa too" angle of believing.

Merry Christmas!!