How Do/Did You Explain Christmas Presents to Kids?

[AlexanderSalamander]

My kids are 2y and 6m so I haven't had much explaining to do this year. But I've been thinking for future reference...

How do/did you explain these things to kids to keep the Christmas magic? :

1. Grandparents who we don't see much brought a bag full of wrapped presents to our house 5 days before Christmas. What do you tell kids to explain why we have these early?
2. Other people's presents. Did Santa drop them off at our house? Does he not deliver these ones to adults?
3. Did you go shopping with kids for presents for siblings/Mummy/Daddy/relatives? If so, how do you explain buying the presents (then Santa delivering them)
4. What other tips etc do you have to keep the Christmas magic for kids?

I didn't say a thank you card, I said a letter. I used to write them as a child and I receive them from friends' children every year now. No card needed, Hallmark or otherwise. I will actually write some this year as my son got his first birthday and Christmas presents.

Anyway, I'm a bit confused as you said the presents come from Santa and they're given by family members, then saying as a child you knew the parents came from the giver. So I don't know.

*presents not parents!

I think you've all taken my last comment a bit too literally. I, and my children, have always, and will always, say thank you, with voices, in person, or on the phone.
As this thread has shown, everyone does things differently, has their own traditions, so thank you cards, letters, notes, emails, telegraphs or smoke signals may be your traditions but its something that has never been in our families and we've only come across it recently and I personally find it almost lazy and impersonal when I've received a couple of cards in the past and would rather at least get a call from the child I've bought for to say thank you.
Thank you for your input on this thread. Ironically I'm not able to say that to you in person so this note will have to do

My dh has Santa exactly as you described he was the delivery man for all presents- any dropped off early had to be hidden away. I find this crazy and put compromise is that Santa brings stocking and everything else is not from santa HOWEVER whilst dc are so young they do all appear on Christmas morning not under the tree until then. As they get older I hope we don’t have to do this as tree looks very bare with no presents but it does make it impressive to go from nothing to everything. More effort to keep everything hidden though!

Santa brings a few bigger ticket items that aren't seen under the tree until Christmas morning, the rest are from us and family/friends.

Santa always put stuff in the stockings. All other gifts are from who it says on the tags.

I was terrified of using the phone as a child. Making a phone call would definitely have been quicker and easier if it hadn't been too intimidating rather than the having to write letters. How can you see the time it takes to sit down, write a letter, thank the individual for their individual gift, address and post it as lazier than a phone call?

I will offer my children the option to make phone calls rather than writing if they want to when they are older but it will definitely be the lazy, letting them off the hook option.