How to save it?

[oops0]

DD8 and DD4 believe in all the Father Christmas gifts.

However their big ticket item arrived early - on the doorstep fully visible as we arrived home. It wasn't scheduled to arrive until next week when I would be home!

DD8 now very upset not helped by youngest being over excited and continuing talking about it.

Any ideas on how to save this one?

Secretly I'm upset as this was probably the last year on "magic".

Can you say it isn’t yours? And quickly text a nice neighbour that you can “drop it off to” and then go and collect it and hide it once they’re asleep?

Have they written their letters? I keep saying to mine to write their letters because until then Nana and Granny and I are guessing what they want and don't want to get them the same thing?

Can it be from you because they’d been so good?
Get something else from Santa as a surprise.

That present is from you and others from santa? Surely they usually get a present from you for Christmas anyway?

Can't you just say he let you know that the elves were struggling to make enough for all the children that wanted them, so you bought one and he is getting them something else?

We are a ‘all the presents from Father Christmas’ too and had the same thing happen 2 years ago. We ended up giving DS the gift early because he’d been ‘so good’ and FC brought other presents. We obvs liaised with the big guy to make sure there would be duplicates

We say the big presents are from us and smaller ones and stocking from father Christmas. We even Use different paper etc. Also if other kids get less good presents they won't think F Christmas likes them less when they compare with the friends.

Big present are always from the parents. Smaller ones and stocking are from Santa.

We've always told ours that we buy and sort thr presents, santa and his eleves collects them and then decides which ones to deliver on Xmas day.

Same as my parents did for us.

Mitigates the risk and also makes them realise we pay for them so appreciate them more

Say one of the elves got a little bit too naughty.

We always told ds that Santa never brings anyone presents. That's for mummy and daddy to do. Santa is just the keeper of Christmas and only responsible for spreading joy, hope and fun.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

They wrote their lists and sent to Father Christmas last week.

We usually do smaller/sentimental ones from us and the big ones from Father Christmas. Maybe we change it this year - I like the idea of it being an early gift and a naughty elf (ties in with elf on shelf who has splatter my kitchen with flour overnight - I told my husband to think of something!).

Thanks

I would say I ordered it before I saw your list, I don't need it now I know Santa's bringing it.