Help I'm out of my depth...

[scrappydappydoo]

I am soo useless at this Father Christmas thing and I managed to get my dd1 (3) in tears today by not explaining it properly.
dd1 asked how does santa know what I want for Christmas. I say we're going to visit him and you can tell him. So DD1 says Santas going to bring a flying tinkerbell doll. Me (panicking slightly cos santa has not brought her a tinkerbell doll): well santa doesn't bring big presents like that just little ones in your stocking - maybe we can ask aunties, uncles, grandmas to buy a tinkerbell for you. DD1 starts sobbing saying but why should I tell santa what I want if I'm not going to get it I just said we'll talk to santa when we see him

I just didn't know what to say to her I just feel like everytime I open my mouth I dig a deeper hole - help!!! I actually made my child cry over this - I feel like the worst parent in the world..

tell her that santa's only the guy that delivers the pressie./
bit like the postman.
you tell him what you want then he tells the relatives what she wants. the nthey send the stuff to him and he keeps it safe till christmas eve when he delivers them.

Sorry had to go and sort kids out - Like the idea of santa telling relatives what to buy. Am now considering going and buying tinkerbell doll to avoid similar episode on the big day.
How do you deal with santa disappointment I mean if dd asked for a pony she's not going to get it so what do you say??

I always told mine we bought their presents and sent them to Santa but only their stockings came from Santa it kept their expectations down.

In our house, FC brings stockings and may bring a bigger present from a list of their 'wants'. He can not afford to bring everything on the list. The list is just suggestions and FC chooses.

Only for very well behaved children of course.

We are vague about how all the big presents arrive but if asked, I would probably say I bring those as my two are now 8 and 4 and might find some of them (hopefully after they have been wrapped!

I find vague is good

Yes, vagueness is always a good plan. If you just don't know about lots of stuff, then it won't come back to bite you on the arse when your DCs are older and work out you've been telling them very specific lies for years.

Here, FC brings one decent present and a load of tat. I "don't know" how he decides what the decent present is going to be.

not much help for this year, sorry, but foe next year, start asking what she might liek from Santa from around the end of October, and get the one present she's actually going to get fixed in her mind. Or when she sees somethign, helpfully suggest that she might like to ask Santa for that. Then if she gets "confused" when speaking to the man himself, you can "remind" her what she was going to ask for.

Or even better, write a letter to Santa and leave it out (Santa usually collects our when he fils the Advent calendars - Granny made a lovely patchwork calendar with 24 little bags around 14 years ago, we all thought it was a lvoely idea, now there's three of the damn things and (counts frantically on fingers) 72 of the bloody bags to fill, and stupidly Santa wrapped up the individual presents when he first started, so BE WARNED ). Ahem, anyway...

Santa might leave a small Santa shaped chocolate in place of the letter, then you don't need to visit a grotto at all [hate grottos emoticon].

Ds has asked for the moon, a buzz lightyear and a castle for Xmas. He is getting 2/3 : he knows he won't get everything anyways - the list is for 'suggestions'. DS (3) is obsessed with the thought of getting a buzz though so he would be devastated if he didnt get one I should think!

do you mean the moon literally? if so, see here!

You know when you THINK your kids have stopped believing but don't know for sure, how would you approach "testing" the water so that you can have a chat about how and where the magic is created? (i,e, family/friends)

lol iheartdusty unfortunately he wants one 'with eyes'!!!

clock

posters

DS is 4 and I have been saying to him that we can ask father christmas for anything we want and he 'may' bring some of the things. Basically its just giving father christmas ideas but he chooses himself in the end!

Father christmas only brings stocking stuff anyway. Big presents come from people!

www.portablenorthpole.tv/home

This site is good, especialy if you can download a photo.

I have to admit, I look at my dd (newly 4) and I think she doesn't believe this crap does she? She does though.

Iheartdusty that clock is scary, like the face on that programme Step Inside.

Ive always told my kids that they can ask Santa for lots of things, but they wont get everything they have asked for, Santa will try his best to get a few of the things on their list and will also get them a surprise.

That way I can discard he things I know are rubbish, that they wont play with, and buy them something I know they will like.

Santa brings all the presents from us because we have to send him the money to pay for them.

Ive only got one DC who truly believes now though But as the saying goes in my house, If you dont believe, you dont recieve.

Argghh! This is so complicated!!!
I think we're fine - she hasn't said anything to dh and if she was really traumatised she would have so I think we've bypassed that. I think I'm going for the santa tells the relatives what to buy and going to a quick ring round to find someone who hasn't brought a gift yet if they can get her flying tinkerbell.. someone is now going to post saying how rubbish it is aren't they? sigh