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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

What age to start ‘Santa’?

30 replies

Caspianberg · 24/12/2021 05:48

Ds is 20 months.
Am I supposed to be leaving a mince pie out, and empty stocking and all that this evening?
Or will it just go over his head this year?

OP posts:

emmaluggs · 24/12/2021 05:54

It’ll be over his head, but you’ll enjoy it none the less 😃

TulipsGarden · 24/12/2021 05:59

He won't have a clue. I had a 20 month old last year and while he enjoyed (the very quiet) Christmas Day we had, he didn't know it was anything special.

This year he's nearly 3 and is so much more aware. Nursery have been hyping up Christmas all month, he loves the Christmas tree and has asked Santa for something very specific. This is definitely the first year he knows what's going on, and it's brilliant.

PinkWaferBiscuit · 24/12/2021 06:15

He probably won't have a clue DS has just turned 2 and is just starting to understand.

However we've done the whole stocking, mice pie and leaving Santa a special key thing since his very first Christmas at only a few weeks old because it's a nice memory for us and something lovely to do together. We knew he wouldn't remember but he we also figured won't remember lots of what we've done in his life so far so if you want to do it him remembering or being aware shouldn't stop you.

InDreamland · 24/12/2021 06:18

DD1 is 22 months and DD2 is 11 weeks old I'm still doing stockings for them both. Even got To DD1/2, from Father Christmas stickers 😆 I did a stocking for DD1 last year too. Neither of my girls have clue this year about FC but I'm doing the stockings anyway because I want to 🤭 I won't bother with the mince though. I reckon DD1 will get it next year and get excited.

Original poster

Caspianberg · 24/12/2021 06:26

Oh he has a stocking with some gifts in, but I was just planning to leave it out full overnight

No nursery yet. And in different country so confusingly they won’t do ‘Santa’ either. But that’s another hurdle in future.

I think i might leave it tonight, if I try leaving a mince pie or biscuit he will probably just want to eat it and get angry if he can’t just before bed.

OP posts:

GiltEdges · 24/12/2021 06:43

Honestly, at 20 months he probably won't have a clue. But then I also think it's really child dependent. DS is almost 3 and we were really expecting him to be into all the Santa stuff this year, but he's not remotely interested. I'm sure he'll still be happy to accept all the presents tomorrow though

TulipsGarden · 24/12/2021 08:50

Sorry - 22 month old, not 20! So a bit older but still no clue.

He won't understand the mince pie, he'll just be affronted that you won't let him eat it 😆 I'm not even planning to do that with mine.

PanettoneSeason · 24/12/2021 09:02

@Caspianberg I’d probably do it just for me more than anything else 🤣 DS is only 14 months this Christmas so I’ll do the empty stocking and gifts will go out once he’s asleep. No mince pie and carrot etc this year as he’s an absolute grubber and currently throws an absolute fit if he sees food and doesn’t get it 😅😬 and I’m not having a tantrum over a raw carrot before bed on Christmas Eve 🤣 I’ll start with the “food for Santa” etc next year I think

StrongerOrWeaker · 24/12/2021 09:03

Do it for yourself ( if you want to), not for him.

alrightfella · 24/12/2021 09:06

I did it when dd was 4 months old. Just for the photos really. One of her all swaddled up next to the fireplace with stocking hung up, a mince pie and carrot etc out then a photo in the morning of her in a Christmas sleep suit in her bouncy chair with her stocking all full surrounded by presents

Sux2Buthen · 24/12/2021 09:07

Never too young, never too old
MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎅🏼

Happyelfjokeday · 24/12/2021 09:10

If you leave out the stuff you can get a cute photo - mine are older now & like looking back on pics of themselves as babies/toddlers trying to take a bite out of santas mince pie!

StruggleStreet · 24/12/2021 09:11

DD is 2.5 and I don’t think she really gets it yet, she sort of knows who Santa is but I don’t think understands what will be happening tomorrow. She’s definitely not at the point where she is excited about it. Im looking forward to next year when she’ll be much more aware of it.

Fallagain · 24/12/2021 09:39

My 2.5 year old gets it and so did her older sister that age.

At 20 months I would do it just for a couple of photos and for your own enjoyment.

SleepingStandingUp · 24/12/2021 09:42

Do it and take photos. I have a lovely pic of DS at 7 months chewing a huge carrot for Rudolph

Original poster

Caspianberg · 24/12/2021 11:10

Oh god can you imagine, meltdown caused by raw carrots Christmas Eve.
I hadn’t really thought about it, but Ds definitely will just want to drink the milk and carrot this year.

I think we will take plenty of pictures Christmas Day. He will enjoy food, friends over and gifts. And save the Santa snacks (for me)

OP posts:

mam0918 · 24/12/2021 11:15

We never actively did Santa... pop culture kind of does it for you.

We do a stocking regardless (tradition of the real person St Nick, not Santa).

Original poster

Caspianberg · 24/12/2021 11:28

@mam0918 - ah see St nikolas fills childrens boots here on 5th December ( just normal shoes with sweets usually), then the ‘Christ kind’ comes on evening 24th ( he will bring main gift).

And Santa the 25th ( who brings stocking), too keep the English tradition up

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Angel2702 · 24/12/2021 11:29

We’ve done it since their first christmas, they are my favourite photos.

shreddednips · 24/12/2021 11:30

We started when my DS was 23 months, he enjoyed taking the presents out of the stocking. We assumed he had no awareness of what was going on until he found one of his little presents a few months later and said 'Santa put it in my big sock!' Either way, it's a lot of fun for parents 😁

Chocoqueen · 24/12/2021 11:46

Erm, well my DD is 4 months and I was going to still do it. Her Santa presents are wrapped in different paper as well . I know it will all go over her head but for some reason I couldn't bring myself not to! (DH thinks I'm mad)

PinkWaferBiscuit · 24/12/2021 11:51

@Chocoqueen

Erm, well my DD is 4 months and I was going to still do it. Her Santa presents are wrapped in different paper as well

. I know it will all go over her head but for some reason I couldn't bring myself not to! (DH thinks I'm mad)

If you're mad then so was I. DS wasn't even 2 weeks old for his first Christmas but I still did it all.

He doesn't remember but the pics are lovely to look back on and it's a nice memory.

NellieBertram · 24/12/2021 11:52

I didn't do the full mince pie-and-carrot, putting out a stocking Santa stuff until my eldest was over 2.
The previous year he was only 16 months so didn't understand the concept of Santa.

For a 20 month old I would do presents of course but probably wouldn't try to explain a strange old man creeping into his bedroom at night...

Next year when he's coming up to 3 will be the perfect age to establish Christmas traditions.

UndertheCedartree · 24/12/2021 11:56

I did it from my DS's first Christmas at 8 months. Of course he didn't understand but it was magical for me. I'll never forget my DD's curious look on her face at her filled stocking on her first Christmas at 9 months - so sweet!

Original poster

Caspianberg · 24/12/2021 12:19

Thank you

He does have a stocking, it’s not like I’m not giving him any gifts.
Just whether I needed to show it to him empty, and then filled by Santa, and all that jazz. I think it’s just one year too soon, so il just reveal it full in the morning

Now off to built the pikler triangle that arrived in many pieces.

Merry Christmas everyone

OP posts:

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