what presents does Santa bring to your children?

balletshoes

JC9297 wrote: »

The thing about saying Santa brings all the presents is fine until they get to school and realise that some of their friends get better/more presents than them, try explaining that one.

already been there - but kids accept quickly that things are not the same in every family. My DD's 2 best friends at age 5 didn't get Santa at all as they were from practising Muslim families.

sock-knitter

when my kids were younger, i bought all the presents, and santa delivered them if they had been good
saved them asking why santa bought some kids more expensive things than they got.
santa always left the kids some presents at grandmas too, so when we visited grandma, she always saw them unwrap their presents, and kids had their presents spread throughout the day

balletshoes

*Louise* wrote: »

My MIL used to say that Santa had left gifts at her house for them, but again, I asked her not to say that so the kids knew could appreciate that she had bought them. Plus, everyone knows Santa only comes to one place you stay

I tell my DD Santa can find you anywhere you are on Christmas Eve - as we're never at home in our own house when Santa comes.

gizmodo_2

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

Santa brings a stocking and one main present (ie something off the list)

This was same for me when I was a child and I've planned to do it with my children. When I was a child I was allowed to open the stocking and 1 main present without my parents (I guess it was a way to keep me occupied and for them to have a longer lay in ).

SingleSue

It is so strange to read about the stockings, we never had anything like that when I was a child...just our present sacks which were all from our parents or family, or the tree presents (I suppose you could call them stocking gifts) but again, they were little extra presents from our parents.

In our minds, the only thing Father Christmas did was deliver them on behalf of our relatives and only once he had checked with our parents that we had been good children.

So, my children do not have stockings, they don't have presents from Father Christmas (apart from when they were younger and visited Father Christmas in his grotto) and they don't get new pyjamas on Christmas Eve (now where did THAT tradition come from?)

But even though we seem to do it differently to others, our Christmas was just as special and the children thought of Father Christmas just the same as others...as a special, magical, kind and giving person.

Not that they believe in it now though.....I do try to convince them but at 12, 14 and 17, they are beyond that stage.

One question though - When did you realise that your children stopped believing in Father Christmas? For me, it seemed to be a gradual thing with the eldest believing for longer than the other two but there was never a definitive "I don't believe in Father Christmas" moment.

For myself, I am not sure it ever sat well with me...my logical brain just couldn't get past seeing people rushing around the shops buying toys or relatives delivering presents, or that Father Christmas knew we were staying somewhere other than at home...plus when we were staying somewhere other than home, the fact the car seemed more packed than it usually was!

But then I was always a bit of a questioning nightmare as a child (what's changed huh! )

kegg_2

I think once they leave primary school then it is a safe bet that they know santa is not real. Most will cotton on by around 8 or 9 but go along with the whole thing to humour us poor parents. Mine will still say can santa get me so and so for christmas but we both know what they mean is can i buy it for them. It is just a little game we play

Loopy_Girl

I also sussed out years ago to get different paper and then hide it for the Santa presents after one of my friends kids commented that 'Santa uses the same paper as you Mummy' (this was before I had my daughter so I was ahead of the game on that;))

Loopy_Girl

Tulip09 wrote: »

My young ones are 11 & 12 now and still belive in Santa.

Really?! Do you actually believe that?!!

Loopy_Girl

sashadesade wrote: »

I don't have any kids, but when I was a kid all the presents were from Santa. It never occured to me to question why my parents never bought me presents because no one did but Santa. My parents had to work their backsides off to buy us presents but never claimed an iota of credit for it, other than passing on our lists to Santa, because they wanted to keep the magic alive for us. Now I'm old enough to understand that, I admire them greatly for it!

I'm hoping that my daughter thinks the way you do in years to come

As for the poster saying that Santa is a 'religion':rotfl:he's a mystical figure who delivers presents...and as far away from the true story of Christmas as you can get!!

I really feel sorry for these parents that ram it into kids from an early age that there's 'no such thing'....what harm can it do to have a bit of magical and sparkle for a little while once a year. I remember when I was at a Mum and Toddler thing years ago, this woman announced that she couldn't 'lie to her precious child' so there would be no Santa - how sad

balletshoes

I do think it depends on what your own experience of Christmas was as a child though. For example, if you've never had Santa visit your home and leave you pressies, you won't miss it, will you?

Don't get me wrong, I had magical Santa-filled Christmases as a child, and never want to deprive my child of that now. I do vividly remember when I discovered Santa wasn't real, but you know, not once did it occur to me that my parents had lied to me out of anything other than a wish to make things magical.

I suspect my DD isn't really decided on whether Santa is real or not (and I know she has friends who have told her he doesn't exist) but if she asks me the question outright, I intend just asking her what she thinks and believes, because thats whats important.