How do you ask your kids what they want fo christmas

[Laureli]

How do you ask your kids what they want fo christmas/ from santa
Whether it be out right asking, making them write a wish list, circle in a catalogue, cut and stick from a catalogue or all just surprise gifts
Just curious:) please no negative or hate 💜

I've never asked them before. I just gauge their interests. This year is the first year that DS6 (eldest) has remarked to me 'I want Hot Wheels tracks for Christmas.'. Unfortunately for me I'd already finished buying for him but I'm looking out for some to add.

When my DC were little I would ask them what they wanted for Christmas, and those presents would go under the tree.

The Father Christmas gifts were in their stockings and those were things DH and I chose for them, usually a net of chocolate coins, a tangerine, some small toys, books, or knick knacks, and sweets.

When little we did Christmas lists. Father Christmas bought stocking and one gift, the other ideas were for family (and us as parents) . Now they send me links in WhatsApp :-)

We do the 'take a photo for Santa' thing every time we see something in a shop/advert DS thinks he'd like (and that I don't want to buy right then!)

I've filed these in one folder, at some point in the next month we'll scroll through and he can pick the one 'big' gift he wants from Santa, and smaller things he can ask for in his stocking, and then write it into a letter.

My older ones write a list, my younger ones have a Smyths catalogue delivered, and when it arrives they cut out and stick the things they'd like on to pages. Not only are they making their lists، but it keeps them occupied for ages!

Don't kids write letters to Santa any more?

Letter to Santa asking for relatively modest gifts.

Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
Something to read

I know it’s cliched but it worked for us. Then all the big presents were from us / family (and thank you letters sent accordingly!)

My kids write Christmas lists that we send to Santa 😊

FC brings something that they'd really like but I've said is too expensive or something they've pointed out or something he knows they will like. He often brings us a big Lego set that there's no way I could afford. Or sometimes it's something small.

Youngest is 9 and sometimes writes a small list. He knows that there's no point asking for things that I've said no to or that are too old for him. There's usually about 4 things on the list.

We always did a letter to Santa, after much consideration of the Smyths catalogue.

We did 'suggestions lists' that had a closing date.
Santa only brought stockings, low value gifts only, all proper presents from family.

My youngest are 9 (twins) eldest 14. I’m quite pragmatic so will give them a budget and they will tell me what they want after careful research. I’ll buy some extra bits fluffy socks , books, pjs, relatives buy for them etc. Not hard done by but not massive pile either. They do need at least one thing from me to open on Christmas Day. My kids are a bit thrifty (like me!) so have taken to having token gifts and then getting more bang for their buck in the sales.

My youngest 7/8 does a Santa list.
My oldest 13 sent a clip on WhatsApp with 4 things.

The oldest might end up with a mix of the items and cash he can get the 4th.

Youngest list is mixed Birthday / Christmas list that im working on getting to a sensible level with ideas for ths GPs too.

I hate the circling things in catalogues, they end up asking for stuff they don't really want, just for the sake of asking for stuff.

I get them to write a letter to santa. They get 3 things from santa, something from dh and me and a stocking from santa too.

When they were younger, they’d cut things out from a Argos or Smyths catalogue. As they got older I’d get them to write a letter to FC and now I just ask them to text me links 😂 I always add things I think they’d like but with the eldest i never pick clothes or trainers as I’d get it wrong he’s very low key no big logos.

Most of the time I just pick things I know he'll like.

Other times I'll just ask directly.

Never done lists or letters and he's never believed in Father Christmas. I remember trying to get him into FC when he was younger and he looked at me and said, "I know it's you who buys the presents!" He was 3. He's 10 now.

13yo write a wish list.
We pick things off it.
This year it includes: fancy treats for the dog, lots of love, and a lovely Christmas day with family.

...alongside a gaming computer, new PS4 controllers, a wallet...

Letter to Santa. Sometimes Santa would write back and say that he doesn't do certain gifts like the year she wanted a tablet. It came then from us, a lot easier to put restrictions on it.

Normally her list was 4-5 gifts, we then added things we knew she would like like board games, books, some surprises like getting her started on Playmobil or Lego.

It was also the one time of the year she could ask for any character merch as Santa is nicer than the mean parents who hated the Disney store.

We never started buying earlier as I found she would change her mind or wanting to add on and also to push Christmas firmly into mid-November the earliest.

Now she (17) sends me an email with links.

DD writes a letter to Santa, usually in November so the elves can shop the Black Friday sales 😂

From about June any time they say they want something I say we'll put it on the Christmas list. I keep it on my phone and then share it when other family ask for ideas.

I ask them. They are late teens now, but we never did letters to Father Christmas. In my family, Father Christmas just fills a sticking full of little bits and bobs. The main presents are from whoever bought them.

We do writing a wish list. The idea is that it is long, shared with everyone who buys presents, and they do not get everything on it.

So far I’ve managed to coach Santa letters to have one specific and realistic ask! Not sure how long that will last.

My youngest is preverbal, so we cut and stick from the Smyths catalogue etc.

I’ve had that happen before, so I’ve bought what they’ve asked for and saved what I’d already bought for their birthday

My DD8 writes a wish list, one to santa with things like toys, pj's etc on it and then one from family with other stuff on it ( I get the lost with things like iphones, tablets etc on it). She always gets the stuff from santa in a special sack on Xmas morning and sometimes the elves will bring her small gifts during December.