Do you do Santa/Father Christmas in your house?

[Buddleja]

Still trying to get over the shock of a friend telling me that she and her DP don't do Santa because they don't think it's right to lie to their children (all under 6)

Is she alone in her thinking or is it a more common line of thought than I realise?

weirdos

There are several MNers that think this. It's not uncommon.

DD is only 2 and a half so a bit new to all of this. We have told her all about Father Christmas but very much as a story, not a reality. No reason why, it just felt the right way to approach it.

She's a bit like me when I was her age. I never believed, used to laugh at Mum and Dad from aged 2 and firmly saw it as a story. In fact, they were worried I'd tell my big brother the truth. DD seems to accept it's all just a story but one she likes nonetheless.

We do Santa. Lots on here don't and think it's terrible to lie to your children and that only stoopid kids believe in it anyway. Whatever. My stoopid kids can get counselling when they're older if it's messd them up .

We certainly do have FC here.
I don't know anyone who doesn't, however I do know lots of people for whom Santa only brings a small stocking allowing the parents to get credit for everything else.
In our house all the childrens presents come from Santa.

oh yes, it's one of the most wonderful things i remember about my childhood!!

Do you think it depends on how your parents 'did' xmas?

my mum gave us lovely xmas's, and she says that her mum did the same.

We never lie to ourmy kids about anything, we go out of our way to always tell them the truth about everything.

but imo Santy isn't a lie, it's a lovely christmas story that is enacted every year to the joy of millions of kids and it nakes christmas such a magical time for children it's such a shame if they don't get to experiance it.

My cousin never really had santy presents... (due to lazy parents who couldn't be bothered to keep up the pretence and found it easier to give him his presents before it was even christmas day than to make any attempt to 'do' Santy) and he just doesn't seem to get the same excitement and pleasure out of christmas that other kids do, it's quite sad really

lol, forgot to delete the 'my' when i changed my typo... now i just look weirdly possessive!

ALL the presents notsoteenagemum? as in all the presents you might buy or all the presents that come in with DCs names on ie that aunty or a friend might have bought.

I have a friend (another one!) who tells her DCs that every single present they get are from Santa (this will include the ones I've go out and brought and wrapped for them) and I have to admit that i had a bah humbug year this year and though shag is I'm not getting them anything if they don't know it's me that put in thought went out and sought to get the gift

My own DSs get the 'big' pressie from Santa and bits and pieces in their stocking (scrap book stickers that sort of thing) and then me and DH given them something small such as a book/clothes and then anything else anyone else wants to give them comes from the person giving it!!

Not believing in FC doesn't mar Christmas you know. I never believed but I adored and still do adore Christmas. It was magical and fantastical and brilliant and exciting. I didn't need a fat bloke in a suit to make it so. It isn't an either/or situation.

Like your comment LastofTheMulledWine.

I am not sure whether to do the Father Christmas thing wholeheartedly or not - DS not 3 yet, so not really an issue this year.

I remember Christmas being a massive letdown after I found out there was no FC .

Perhaps FC could be more of a character that may or may not exist, like in a story, for everyone to make up their own minds about? Or put the idea to them that every child may have their own special Father Christmas (you don't have to let on who it is). It might be nice to do some of the little traditions like leaving out a sherry and mince pie. I like the idea of introducing the idea of 'belief', rather than saying that something is true when it isn't!

I am sure that Christmas could still be fab for my son without ruining it for friends/family who believe - or want HIM to!

Has anyone else done it differently with great results?

We do Father Christmas. I've always had fantastic Christmases and love the whole thing but I can't remember a time when I completely believed or a specific moment that I found out it wasn't true.

Father Christmas just brings stockings here though. Stockings are my favourite bit anyway .

We "did" Santa with DS, but only as a story. He got a stocking with presents. All his other presents were tagged with a "from" label from us, or whoever.

DS was a very literal child, and wanted to know from very early on whether a story was true or made up. He enjoyed made up stories, but wanted to be clear that's what they were. So we never told him it was true, just that it was a nice story, and some of the background.

I don't think it spoiled Christmas for him - he still enjoys and looks forward to it, even as a huge great 16yo. So I don't think you lose the joy of Christmas by not claiming FC is literally real.

Tulips - I suspect the reason for your cousin not enjoying Christmas is more about the "not getting the presents on the day", and the "parents who couldn't be bothered", rather than the lack of FC.

We do Santa, or should I say that DH does it under pressure from me.

My family have always made Christmas time very magical whereas his family are completely boring just concentrate on the religious side of it.

As he isn't religious he does go along with it, and now that DS is 5.5 and very excited DH is actually, finally, getting into the spirit of it all.