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Christmas

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Original poster

DD just found her "santa" presents

180 replies

MrsMerryMent · 18/12/2021 11:01

I only have myself to blame but help me salvage this Sad

Dd is 5 and very very excited for christmas

We dont have alot of money this year I managed to get 2 playsets of a type of toy she likes on marketplace brand new in boxes and my plan was build them up and they would be sitting out 'from santa'

Picked them up this week been very busy and hid them in a cupboard in a room she never goes in...well somehow curiousity overcame her and shes found them!!!

Santa should have been making them ib his workhouse!!!

How do i resolve.... buy new gifts from santa and those ones she found are from me!?

My own fault and I probably feel disproportionatly sad about this Sad at least she is getting nice gifts but have i spoilt the magic...(yes...)

Dont know what i am looking for help me feel better!!!!

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 19/12/2021 18:11

@NoSquirrels

Good opportunity to reset that Santa brings stockings and just one gift you’d like, the rest from parents. So yes, I’d give from you and put something that you were going to give her as the surprise Santa present.
This ^^ We grew up thinking that the stocking came from Father Christmas, and the presents were from people, whom we had to thank or write thank you letters to.
Lovemusic33 · 19/12/2021 18:16

Agree with others, Santa brings stocking gifts and one thing you asked for (no way Santa is getting all the credit in my house) 🤣.

I would explain this too her, maybe buy another gift from Santa and say the play sets are from you?

Jellybean015 · 19/12/2021 18:27

@AnotherMansCause

Santa is just the deliveryman. We buy everything - DD knows this - but FC has to check it against the list to make sure DD deserves it. Otherwise items may get sent to another child who deserves them more than her. She has seen us buy the occasional thing, & gets excited, & next day they are gone! Grin
This!!! This is what we say!! Mummy's and daddy's buy the presents, santa collects and wraps and delivers them back, but ONLY if they've been good! If you're not good they go to another child who has been good!
JemimaPiddleDick · 19/12/2021 18:29

I’m sure I read somewhere that because of the pandemic Santa’s had to take round some presents early to make sure the very specialest children get their toys on time.

CaMePlaitPas · 19/12/2021 18:31

I second the delivery man comment.

I have told my kids I have regular meetings with Santa to talk about behaviour and present expectations. These are collaborative meetings and the outcomes change, depending on Mummy's memory, the kid's behaviour and Mummy's mood.

He then drops the presents on the balcony for Mummy to wrap on Christmas Eve.

You haven't ruined anything, get her a stocking from Santa as pp have already said. Have a lovely Christmas x

luverlybubberly · 19/12/2021 18:33

I've heard of people using the "I'm hiding this for a friend" excuse. Coincidence that OP's child will get the same but I assume that she knows that toys aren't unique and tailor made for her?

Cantstopeatingchocolate · 19/12/2021 18:39

Ive recently changed my job from retail to office (ironically to have more family time) as a result I have DD(4) with me ALL the time at weekends.
I've been buying gifts with her there and saying that Santa comes and collects them as he doesn't have enough elves to make all the toys so parents help out a bit.
I'm not sure that'll be good enough in a few years but I'd rather not line the pockets of Amazon etc and I like to shop local.
Next year I'll take a few days annual leave before Xmas so I can do a big Xmas present shop when the kids are at school.

MobyDicksTinyCanoe · 19/12/2021 18:42

Weve always done stockings and a small random gift from santa which was usually something like a pack of matchbox cars or a comic. The santa gift would be wrapped up in gold paper with lots of ribbons so it stood out.

We've had Christmases when we've been really short of money so im glad their expectation that Santa could clear out toys r us and bring world peace with one tap of his nose was never planted.

BitterestPill · 19/12/2021 18:44

If you want to keep the Santa magic alive, I would take everything out of the boxes and hide that (some where she definitely won't look!) Then show her the empty boxes and say "Santa wasn't sure which one you wanted so I borrowed the box from the shop to take a picture" then do the whole ooo lets hope he gets the pictures I time and all that. Then when you set them up Christmas morning don't forget just a little bit of glitter. Saying all that, I told my kids From early on that Santa brings family presents, board games mostly, so two board games would be wrapped in 'santa' paper and the kids would open them together

Harmonypuss · 19/12/2021 18:51

You could just tell the truth!
Kids hate it when their parents lie to them, especially when they find out they've been lying for years.
My kids were never lied to, they always knew I'd bought their gifts, so have had no reason to hate me for lying to them, as I did/do with my own mother.

Marimaur · 19/12/2021 18:57

Um I used to find my presents every. year.
My mum used to tell me the ‘big’ presents under the tree were from her, the stocking presents were santa.

Tigger1895 · 19/12/2021 19:19

@NoSquirrels

Good opportunity to reset that Santa brings stockings and just one gift you’d like, the rest from parents. So yes, I’d give from you and put something that you were going to give her as the surprise Santa present.
I hate this, Santa exist for about 6 years.They are to young to understand before 3. When kids get to 9 or 10 they then know parents buy the gifts but let’s keep the magic going for as long as possible
Sturch16 · 19/12/2021 19:25

We tell our kid we pay for it all Santa delivers it am I hell letting Santa taking the credit for buying them 🤣

mussymummy · 19/12/2021 19:29

Tell DD that due to covid santa is not allowed to wrap presents or come into your house so he sent the presents to you first. If it helps I have been a total muoper this year. I took a photo of dd age 7 presents to show my mum what we had got her and dd saw the photo as she was going through my phone x your dd will love her gifts irregardless. Is there any other presents you were planning on giving her that you can swap and they can be from santa? X

pinkpantherpink · 19/12/2021 19:35

@NoSquirrels

Good opportunity to reset that Santa brings stockings and just one gift you’d like, the rest from parents. So yes, I’d give from you and put something that you were going to give her as the surprise Santa present.
This
Mrsmch123 · 19/12/2021 19:40

@Harmonypuss I certainly didn't hate my parents for telling me Santa brought my parents😂
@Tigger1895 I'm with you on that one. They are only little for a short period of time. Let Santa have the credit and keep the magic alive.
There is plenty time when they are 9/10+ For you to take the credit🙄

Bollindger · 19/12/2021 19:44

I got told mamy years ago mine HUNTED for presents, they were 5.
Would then boast about Santa bringing said gift just before Xmas. One year it was the wind up mice. She told the nasty mum next door, who then had to spend £100 to ensure HER DD had it too. Mine was £15 in the sales .

caringcarer · 19/12/2021 19:45

Give her the gifts under the tree from you and make her a stocking with little bits and pieces she has not seen. I picked up a little maugjts and crosses game in Santa packaging £2 and I was planning to pop into my dgc stocking but he spotted them in the shopping. I just told him they were a little gift from me. I put chocolate Brussel Sprouts in his stocking instead. You can get several little gifts for £1-£5.

JingleberryChristmas · 19/12/2021 19:48

Totally agree with some other posters (that I can’t work out how to properly quote Grin) that this is the perfect year to establish that Santa fills a stocking and gifts under the tree are from you. It just makes the world of Santa so much easier as they get older (and friends who do/don’t get presents under the tree etc). Xx

Pixxie7 · 19/12/2021 19:50

If they were wrapped I would just change the wrapping paper otherwise as others have suggested buy a few cheap things that you can put in a stocking.

Sturch16 · 19/12/2021 20:02

You hate your mother for telling you bout Santa? 🤣

Mollymoostoo · 19/12/2021 20:03

St Nicholas coordinates everything from heaven and needs a network of santander and Mrs clauses on earth to make sure all children get presents. You are Mrs clause and have been busted! But she needs to keep your secret.

rosydreams · 19/12/2021 20:10

we put presents from us under the tree and smaller stuff from father christmas in the stocking i say go to poundland. colouring books,sweets,small toys you can get a bunch of stuff for a tenner to filler a stocking

Merryweather80 · 19/12/2021 20:14

I tell mine that mommy has to help with the wrapping, then I send them to father Christmas once they are wrapped. He has too much to do if he and his elves make, box and wrap. So I help by wrapping some up.

Works like a charm. I then hide the gifts over at my moms or brothers house. With three kids and a very small house I have nowhere to hide anything.

WouldBeGood · 19/12/2021 21:23

I’d just tell her that she’s been bad so no presents now