xmas wants

lolababy

Just thought Id share a tip with other parents on xmas presents. Im sure that most of us are feeling the pressure of getting that most wanted toy only to find that shops have run out of stock. My tip is for your child to write a wish list but to tell them that father xmas will choose which present they will receive.That way at least you wont feel under pressure to obtain that one toy.

Iv done this with my daughter who is six and it works a treat. Another tip is to take your child to the toy shop and let them find other great toys
Think about how the toy makers sell toys to children and take on board their tips to get your child interested.Make a big deal of how much fun your child would have and that other children would love to own one.

Sounds like telling granny how to suck eggs but we all get sucked into the hype by shops and forget that we have a choice.

gairlochgal

or teach them that a surprise is cool. Mine rarely ask and I love it that way.

bonty44

What happens then when their best mates get everything they have put on their Christmas lists?
My DS1 is a wonderful child, works really hard at school, is really well-behaved and thoughtful but thought last year that Santa thought he was naughty and didn't deserve lots of big presents because he didnt' get a ridiculous amount of stuff.
His best mate, for example, got a PSP and a Wii for Christmas, as well as a bike, a new fave team football kit and £100 worth of computer games.

elona

bonty

In our family Santa only fills the Christmas stocking which we left out with a mince pie, drink and carrot for Rudolph. Stocking had sweets, comic, small toy or maybe a dvd or book as well.

Everything else was from Mum and dad, Grandad, Auntie so and so etc.

I never thought it was fair that relatives etc spent time and effort on presents and "Santa" got the credit.

Oldest Dds are 24 now, middle is 20 and youngest is 15 and the stocking is still enjoyed (possibly more than the main present) but now has things like nail varnish,mascara, lip gloss, eye liner - but still some sweets or chocolate.

We have told DDs since they were small we have been saving so they could stay on at school, go to college or university if they wanted - and that we wanted them to have choices later in life rather than lots of "stuff" for the sake of it.

I also used the arguement that if they got everything they wanted at the age of 11, 12 etc, then what was there to look forward to at a milestone birthday like 16, 18 etc?

OrkneyStar

Teach them that not all mummy's and daddy's have endless funds and that they will get what we can afford!
I HATE Santa and well will have a difficult time this year, especially as some person dressed as Santa is coming to Playgroup....do we not take DS (and have him not get a present) or do we go along with this silly Santa thing ? I don't want him believing in the silly crap of Santa, but equally don't want him upsetting other friends/parents by saying Santa is not real! And before you all call me a party pooper, we will teach him about the wonder of Christmas and what it is all about, but certainly not Santa being real!

LilDevil

A couple of years ago my very savvy SD turned round and said, Don't worry daddy, I know you can't afford it so Santa can get it for me :eek: :eek:

This was all said with a smirk on her face knowing that she had us over a barrel (she was at the does she/doesn't she believe in Santa stage of her life!)!

kindofagilr

bonty44 wrote: »

What happens then when their best mates get everything they have put on their Christmas lists?
My DS1 is a wonderful child, works really hard at school, is really well-behaved and thoughtful but thought last year that Santa thought he was naughty and didn't deserve lots of big presents because he didnt' get a ridiculous amount of stuff.
His best mate, for example, got a PSP and a Wii for Christmas, as well as a bike, a new fave team football kit and £100 worth of computer games.

Then its up to you as his parent to explain that is not the case.

It amazes me how much spme kids get for Christmas (not your son, the friend)

bestpud

I love reading how different people 'do' Christmas!

Santa only provides the stocking here - I can't be doing with the messing about some parents put themselves through!

I also cannot understand why some parents say all the gifts from relatives come from FC as well!! I argued this last year as it makes no sense to me whatsoever!

Sooo, if it is a case of children comparing themself to others, make it clear FC only brings one or two gifts and the rest are from you. That way it is a simple case of explaining some people are better off than others.

It is also a great time to teach the value of non-material wealth!

I simply won't allow my children to get hung up on what others have because I don't think envy is a nice attribute, personally.

They have always been told they will get a selection of gifts from their list and, if a relative asks what they want, I usually pick something from there for them to buy.

I do like the idea of FC though - I wouldn't want to avoid it altogether!

Hermia

bonty44 wrote: »

What happens then when their best mates get everything they have put on their Christmas lists?
My DS1 is a wonderful child, works really hard at school, is really well-behaved and thoughtful but thought last year that Santa thought he was naughty and didn't deserve lots of big presents because he didnt' get a ridiculous amount of stuff.
His best mate, for example, got a PSP and a Wii for Christmas, as well as a bike, a new fave team football kit and £100 worth of computer games.

I know what you mean. I grew up in a poor family and remember being constantly told that good children gets present from santa. There was a girl in my school who was a really horrible spiteful little bully. She used to get literally hundreds of expensive Xmas pressies as her parents were wealthy. I remember my best friend and I having a conversation about why santa gave her so many presents when she wasn't as nice as the rest of us were.

fernliebee

When we were little, as another poster said, we had a stocking with little bits in from santa and everything else was from mum and dad. This meant they could say, we don't have much money this year so you might get a bit less. My mum used to say this every year though and we could never notice the difference (I think kids don't really understand cost so much.)

We will do the same with DD as I want her to know that we have chosen her presents for her it hasn't just magically appeared.

As far as not telling children about Santa, I think fair play to you. My brother and his wife don't tell their 2 boys (2.5 and 7 months) about father christmas. They have stockings and presents but they just haven't mentioned anything to them about santa. Obviously as they get bigger they will ask about him as they will see him everywhere and other kids will talk about him etc, then you have the choice of telling them it's just a story but shhhh don't tell the other kids, or just letting them make up their own minds ie WHo do you think santa is? What do you think he does? etc....

I have a funny story about my friends whose kids are older now, but when they were little they were told that Santa didn't exist, he was just a corporate selling tool etc etc, then when they started school they told their Dad that he had been lying to them all this time as Santa was real, because everyone at school said so!

I think whatever you tell them they will make up their own minds, personally I think it's a nice story and kids are so willing to play along with make believe I don't see how it will hurt them to play along with the story for a couple of years, however if my kids ever ask me outright "is santa real" I will have to tell them the truth, I can play along with a story but I can't outright lie.

RachelW1987

My mam used to write a note on a couple of things that said 'To Rachel Hope you like it Love Santa' then the rest were from Mam and Dad and Grandma and Granda

I don't remember comparing things with other kids at school though, I don't remember feeling like I didn't get anymore or less. I just loved Xmas no matter what.