MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: What's more important - MoneySaving or Santa?

Lerv

Our children still believe in Santa and we tell them that we have to pay for all of the toys that Santa brings because he can't afford to pay for everything!! That way they understand why they can't have everything they want. Works for us!
P.S. we have never lied about Santa, we say that some people believe and others don't and it is up to them to decide.

Poppygirl_3

When our girls were small, we told them about there being a Santa. I think all kids should have a belief in Santa. My childhood memories of Christmas are still with me and I'd do it again for any grandchildren I had.

I think the best thing to do is be honest. We always got the girls to write a Christmas list that we would "post" to Santa with all their present requests on it. We then got a letter sent to them,with their name on, from Santa, which they loved. We told them that Mum & Dad could only afford so much for prezzies and we would send the money to Santa, he would look at their list, and give them what he could. That way they were not disappointed when they didnt get all they wanted. They had small prezzies (stocking fillers) from Santa on the bottom of their beds for when they woke up.

If it was something big that there was no way we could afford, we told them the truth. We couldnt afford it. Like all kids, if you're honest with them, they accepted the answer.

Dont get me wrong, we did get into a little debt over Christmas, but it was never anything we couldnt pay off in a couple of months.

Most of the problems stem from some parents NOT saying no to their kids and therefore they expect it all the time.

ladyrow

Oh I just had to post to this one - my children aged 6 and 9 still very much believe in Santa -not because they get big presents but because he gets them the one present that nobody including their parents have been able to find. The look on their faces when they open that special present is a wonderful moment - yes I guess we create it so we have a wonderful moment with them too, but what is wrong with that.
My boys have had things that are not available in the shops, an old star wars figure from e-bay, one time it was an at-at that had half it's bits missing - we couldn't afford the complete one off e-bay, we added a note from Father Christmas to say that he had found this poorly at-at and knew that although he couldn't get the new one for my son that he was sure Alex would love this poorly one that had been neglected - OK so it was a big lie but basically my kids are happy ones that will deal with the deception knowing that we did it because we love them.
Already they have had to deal with deaths in the family and we have had to explain how it is important to have magic memories to remember that person so they never die, so I am sure they will understand mummy and daddy trying to create magic memories for them.
This year Father Christmas will have spent £10 on their stocking presents so it doesn't cost much to keep the magic alive.
Long Live Father Christmas - I wonder what he will bring me this year!!;-0

silly1

In our house, Father Christmas brings the contents of the stockings which are small, inexpensive items like sweets, matchbox car, pens etc for the little ones and make up, hair accessories for the older girls. it does get a bit more difficult for teen boys but I enjoy putting Stockings together more than the "big" presents because it's a surprise.

Using this method means you can still keep the fun of Santa going without spending a fortune and the kids know who everything else came from so they can thank them.

BARGAINADDICT_4

I always had a stocking & a present from Santa, and would NEVER shatter my daughters world by telling her Santa doesn`t exsist.
I was bought up by my dad who worked hard so I could experiance the magic of xmas, my stocking usually consisted of a few treats as well as all the practical things mentioned in the above posts, I never had all the "latest" things but never went without.
I definatley went overboard with the whole xmas thing last year and even my daughter(whos nearly 5) said Santa had bought too much last year!! so, he won`t be doing it again this year.
My kids are probably a bit spoilt, but it`s only once a year. We are not well off,but I buy throughout the year and also save up vouchers coupons and do surveys etc to help with the cost,it amazes me every year when a dig out all the things i`ve had hidden away throughout the year.
My eldest is 13 and no longer belives, but has to play along for his sisters sake. He does get Playstation games & things for xmas (the cost of this is shared through the family) but doesn`t get much throughout the rest of the year.I refuse to pay over £40 for the latest pair of trainers, if my son wants a more expensive pair he has to pay for the extra himself(from birthday,xmas money or by doing extra jobs and earning the money) He understands that he can`t have everything he wants and hopefully so will my daughter when shes older.
The peer pressure seems to be starting much earlier these days, but my kids have always been happy with what they get.
:xmastree:
I only wish Santa still bought me a stocking!!!

dalesmum

I've thought about this dilemma many times. I can still remember the magic of finding a full stocking at the end of the bed when it had been empty the night before (I'm 46!) and the mild disillusionment when I finally worked it out. I solved it by asking myself whether I would rather have had the magic and therefore the subsequent disappoinment, or whether I would rather have had the truth - and the magic wins hands down every time ....

Dealing with disappointment is also part of growing up but I think it's also important to believe that magic can happen.

morpork42

Nutty Netty -

I think every one should lighten up a little - christmas is magic!!!

I think every one should lighten up a little - christmas is magic!!!

Couldn't agree more.

Christmas is magic for a child, then as you become a teenager it is more about what you can get. As an adult it can become a bit boring, until you become a parent, then the magic starts all over again. Let kids find out naturally that there is no santa.

Personally i cannot remember finding out, just a graduation from believing to uncertainty to finally finding the truth.

The realities of life are bad enough to cope with as an adult, don't dump it on a kid.

5 years to 11 years, the best part of your life!!!!!!!:rotfl:

sluggy1967

I can't quite believe that some people here equate the magic of Santa with some form of child abuse! What about people like my husband who was frogmarched to Church for the first 18yrs of his life before he decided he didn't believe God existed anymore? I would say that's a damn sight more damaging than a few harmless years of believing in Santa. At least he was never told Santa would let him burn in Hell if he didn't confess all sins as a small child!!!!!!

yf1001

well,well,well it`s good to see scrooge is alive and well in this forum.

honestly i really cannot believe some of these posts from people with young children who are happy to shatter the awe inspiring magic that is christmas!

more than one person has said that when your children find out that you have been telling them lies about santa they will hate you - oh is that right??
another said that £50 is about the right amount to spend on they`re child - really? a whole pound a week is what you`re child is worth in you`re eyes?

i have read through these posts with a tear in my eye,oh how we forget so easily what it is like to see the world through childrens eyes!
i believed in santa from an early age and didn`t find out the truth till i was around 10 years old from someone at school ( i had had my doubts before then ) but i didn`t hate my parents for letting me believe,in fact it was the opposite i thanked them for not telling me the truth,those early christmases were the best and i have the fondest memories of.

i am 37 years old and have 3 children 3,5,14 i am on minimum wage so not a lot of money and my children dont get much throughout the year,only a couple of small presents for birthdays,therefore at christmas i try to push the boat out and make it extra special for them.my two youngest children believe in santa and (i would not have it any other way) my oldest doesn`t but it doesn`t stop him being excited and talking about christmas in the week before.
my wife and i have money problems just like everyone else here so we start buying christmas presents in february and we go without things for ourselves throughout the year ( and i aint joking ive only got two pairs of trousers to my name lol ) but what gets me is the way that christmas is UNcelebrated in so many households ( going by some of the posters in this forum )
do you really think you`re child is happy on christmas day when he/she opens a present to find some cheap & nasty tacky plastic toy?
please dont get me wrong i am totally against the compitition going on in the school playgrounds to see who has the best/most expensive toy but it is very easy to say it`s not the amount spent on the gift it`s the giving that`s important when it is you that has to put you`re hand in you`re pocket to buy it?but a young child doesn`t see it that way.
also i am not religious but i do know the true meaning of christmas in christians eyes and that christmas is more than giving presents.

most of the people who have posted on this site are very good at budgeting for they`re mortgage,gas bill,tv licence etc did you not think about budgeting for a child? to me my children and they`re happiness come before any bill no matter what it is ( hey you only live once,the big companies can fight over my small amount of money when i leave this mortal coil )

i would just like to end by asking anyone who has taken the time to read this rather long post to sit back in the chair you are sitting in and close you`re eyes just for 60 seconds and think back to when you were a young child on christmas morning,look through the eyes of a child again and remember how quickly you grew up and it was all lost!

Poppy9

Why moneysaving or Santa. You can do both.

This is the first year that DD (11) knows that we are Santa. For years in school there has been one boy who kept telling all the children there was no Toothfairy and no Father Christmas etc. The children didn't believe him because they didn't want to believe him. Whenever my DD asked me if FC was real I said he was if you believed in him. She knew I sent some presents or money to him but the look on her face when FC had given her the exact thing she had said she had liked in x shop was fantastic. It may have been a hairband or a book or game, it didn't matter. She just loved the thought that he knew her and saw her.

I knew when the time was right to tell her that they were not real. When I told her "yes I am the toothfairy" she asked me if I had anything to declare as the previous year I had owned upto the Easter Bunny:rolleyes: . In March this year shortly after her birthday I am driving and she is chatting when she said "You and Dad are Father Christmas aren't you". Yes I said and felt myself welling up. She laughed but I could tell was a little upset at finally losing that part of her childhood. Then we had a good chat about why we 'lied' and I asked her if she was glad we did and she said yes, because it was so lovely, magical and special. This year she is excited about Xmas and keeps saying "oh that's nice, hint, hint" and laughing but it won't be the same. I hope she still leaves the milk, mince pie and carrot out for FC:p

My parents 'lied' to me about Xmas and I'm glad they did. I can still remember that excited feeling and looking up into the sky for his sleigh and listening for his arrival.

I have asked DD to respect others who still believe, especially her friends. Surprisingly there are a few in comprehensive school who do still believe. If they ask her she says no she doesn't believe but doesn't try to convince them. With younger children she says yes she believes.