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Original poster

Shared Santa present

51 replies

Wallaroo21 · 09/12/2025 14:07

We were planning on doing stockings and 1 main present each from Santa for our 2 and 3 year olds on Christmas Day before heading to families for the day. They will get more presents there of course and then we want to do the rest of the presents from us at home on Boxing Day as a mini second Christmas Day.

They both when asked say they want a rather big semi expensive toy from Santa so I’m considering saying it’s a shared gift for them both but now doubting if that will be a bit disappointing on Christmas Day. Or am I overthinking it?

OP posts:
BobblyBobbleHat · 09/12/2025 17:48

I'd just give them an extra one each from Father Christmas, so the shared one and then one of their own each.

Stompythedinosaur · 09/12/2025 19:38

We often gave shared gifts, but they were things like a toy kitchen that could be used at the same time.

I think the Bluey plan as a shared gift might be tricky, but it's very hard if that's what they are both asking for. I agree that there should at least be two sets so it's easier to play at the same time.

Bellie710 · 09/12/2025 19:47

I always started with a small present from Santa and anything big or expensive was from us. Santa should never get the credit for the good stuff you have bought and also it stops all the kids whose parents can't afford much wondering why Santa bought Johnny an Xbox and you only got a jigsaw.

cha04 · 09/12/2025 19:53

you’re going to create hell for yourself by giving a shared present at that age. Good luck. Youll ruin you day with the tantrums

PurplGirl · 09/12/2025 20:00

Wallaroo21 · 09/12/2025 14:07

We were planning on doing stockings and 1 main present each from Santa for our 2 and 3 year olds on Christmas Day before heading to families for the day. They will get more presents there of course and then we want to do the rest of the presents from us at home on Boxing Day as a mini second Christmas Day.

They both when asked say they want a rather big semi expensive toy from Santa so I’m considering saying it’s a shared gift for them both but now doubting if that will be a bit disappointing on Christmas Day. Or am I overthinking it?

A shared present is fine but not if it’s the only present. OP, why not just do all the presents from you on Xmas morning ,rather than your mini Xmas on Boxing Day idea. I don’t know about you, but my xmas memories were all about the excitement of waking up to open all of my presents at home, then having a fun day with my extended family. I think if you give them their other presents first, so they’ve each got things to play with and be excited about. And then give them the Bluey thing as a special shared toy, that would work better.

apintofwine · 09/12/2025 20:08

I disagree with everyone it seems and think it would be completely fine to have that as a joint present. It would be played with together anyway, and the big one would be bossy about it no matter whose present it was surely… (they would in this house anyway!)

ccridersuz · 09/12/2025 20:26

As a mother of twins, at that age, a shared present was a nightmare and usually given by a family member.
They way we got around it was to pretend it’s mummy or daddy’s present, so we all share.
or got out and find similar but slightly different additional toy.
But, most sharing toys were a real headache and we put a stop to it.

Donimo · 09/12/2025 20:37

I have 3 year old twins and last year they had a shared main present - a tonie box. They have shared this really well. And those who say children can't share at that age are wrong. My girls have lots of shared toys. This year they both asked for a baby Annabell. With this I have brought one each though as they won't share this (and we already have 1 baby Annabell which is my eldest)

Whyamiherenow · 09/12/2025 20:57

I think you just have to do what you think is best but if you’re already worrying about it then I don’t think it is worth the stress. Get what you think they will appreciate the most especially if you are away from home.

on a separate note, you’re lucky! My then 2 year old asked for a chinook (we see them a lot flying near our back garden. He insists our 70 year old neighbour is the pilot) - I found a mini matchbox version at great expense for what it was; this year he has asked for a rainbow train and rainbow carriages for his train track ….. Santa has been working hard in her workshop painting trains and trucks and carriages!

TMMC1 · 09/12/2025 21:38

I’m struggling with the concept of a 2 and 3 year old asking for a semi expensive present.

That aside you are setting a precedent for very expensive future Christmases as they get older

MatronPomfrey · 09/12/2025 22:26

Mine got a toy kitchen to share at that age. I don’t have the space for 2 so sharing worked well.

Cob81 · 09/12/2025 23:01

Wallaroo21 · 09/12/2025 14:48

It’s this, it’s in Costco which we go pretty much weekly so they see it often unfortunately. Obviously the 2 year old mainly says it as he’s copying his sister but they are both adamant that is what Santa is bringing so I’m worrying one of them will be disappointed at it being chosen for the other. I suppose I was thinking it’s large enough in size to share but perhaps asking for trouble!

That seems fine to share, maybe get another Bluey vehicle aswell though, Aldi has loads of Bluey stuff, so they can play together and have them both as sharing presents. I have 7, I’ve always done sharing gifts that they can play with together.

Original poster
Wallaroo21 · 09/12/2025 23:25

TMMC1 · 09/12/2025 21:38

I’m struggling with the concept of a 2 and 3 year old asking for a semi expensive present.

That aside you are setting a precedent for very expensive future Christmases as they get older

Well obviously in their eyes money has little concept, they’ve seen a toy they’ve fallen in love with. To me a £50 toy is semi expensive but of course it’s irrelevant to them.

OP posts:
Luckylu123 · 10/12/2025 06:58

I think a shared present from Santa is probably a bit confusing. I’d get the bluey thing for them to share for you. Then get them each something else from Santa that they don’t have to share.

If the oldest queries it, just tell them mummy knew you wanted it so got it before you asked Santa, so Santa got you both something else he knew you’d like.

NaranjaDreams · 10/12/2025 07:03

Wallaroo21 · 09/12/2025 23:25

Well obviously in their eyes money has little concept, they’ve seen a toy they’ve fallen in love with. To me a £50 toy is semi expensive but of course it’s irrelevant to them.

Show quote history

You can get the Bluey plane much cheaper. It was £28 on special offer last week at Argos.

But it’s not a great present for a two year old, you’d need to remove some of the parts. My four year old has it. I also don’t think it’s a great sharing present, it’s not small but it’s not really big enough that my four year old can play with it at the same time as their friends… if we’ve got people over, one tends to play with the plane and one has the supermarket and they swap, so even though they’re interacting the characters and playing the same “game”, they’ve got room. At two and three, they’re going to be more in the “playing alongside side each other” phase than playing in the same intricate world… and you’re almost guaranteed that one is going to want to fold it up and fly it around and one is going to want to get the pool out and set it up as a holiday spot.

Usernamenotav · 10/12/2025 08:39

A 2 and 3 year old sharing? Good luck 😂

SJone0101 · 10/12/2025 09:53

We have 2 shared Santa presents this year.

Huge Lego hospital and a large dolls house.

There would be no point buying two of them, but they both wanted one.

SmaugTheMagnificent · 10/12/2025 10:14

Mine would happily share that (they are 4 and 2). But all toys have always been shared, except their cuddly toys they sleep with. We give toys to either one of them, or both of them jointly, and after a few days they are just shared toys. They play well together generally so maybe we have been lucky with their personalities, or maybe we have helped create this environment by always having shared toys - it's impossible to know. They are getting a joint main present for Christmas this year actually. It's a playset similar to what you're getting.

The key message from this thread seems to be that it will be fine for some children and terrible for others. You know your own kids OP!

Catdaysofsummer · 10/12/2025 10:28

I would definitely give them each individual gift at that age. We have similar situation where they get gifts from family and I started off thinking I'd split as too many but its just too much fun, we give them all their gifts on Christmas morning, watch the excitement and then have a quiet play day on boxing day. It's lovely memories. My oldest is older now and has such fun memories and we miss the total joy of seeing gifts when Santa's been! Have to find what works for you as a family but separate gifts unless play equipment and embracing the fun worked for us.

PloddingAlong21 · 10/12/2025 12:01

Why not do it Xmas day? How will you explain Santa being a day delayed on Boxing Day? I get concept of time at 2 and 3 is irrelevant but if this is a new tradition, as they get older they’ll wonder why it’s a day late.

I would do it shared but from you and not Santa and a smaller Bluey themed gift from Santa for each of the. They do not need to share.

Part of the magic of Christmas is rushing downstairs and opening the gifts, I wouldn’t spread it over two days.

Lauzg90 · 10/12/2025 20:11

I have got my 2 and 5 year old a load of shared bluey toys. I do not need two of each!
But they also have a small pile of toys just for them too.
We had friendsmas the other day and decided to try the shared aspect. They had a gift each from my two best friends and me and my husband gave them a bluey car to share. Worked great. They liked all the presents, needed a little help taking it in turns.
could you get a couple of other bluey toys, like the house, car or supermarket. Then they can ‘share’ it all but there is more than one thing to play with.
Ours each have their presents in a different wrapping paper and shared bluey gifts will be in bluey wrapping paper.

tinyspiny · 10/12/2025 20:18

As the Bluey set says 3+ get that for the 3 yo , who has more concept of what they want anyway and get another age appropriate set for the 2 yo , preferably one which compliments the original set so they can both play with both sets .

RessicaJabbit · 10/12/2025 20:26

Just get then the Duplo that a PP said.

I wouldn't buy that for a 3 year old.

DoesItEverGetEasier · 13/12/2025 07:18

If it was me, given what you have said, I would get your 3yo this one and get your 2yo another Bluey set of similar size. Better in long run than having 2 of the exact same thing but they both get their own Bluey set to open. I also wouldn’t hold back the presents until Boxing Day. At that age my kids didn’t open all their presents on Xmas day as they were a bit overwhelmed and wanted to play with everything when they opened it, so they did have the second shot at it on boxing day but it was all “given” at once. The Santa magic for us has always been coming to the living room and seeing what he has left, but we are a bit unusual here in that I always believed as a child my parents paid Santa and that’s how we have carried on so no need for separate piles.

Original poster
Wallaroo21 · 13/12/2025 08:37

I ended up buying the smaller plane set not from Costco that doesn’t have as many figures and then a beach hut play set that I thought worked quite well together. Thanks!

OP posts:
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