Just a little vent...

[sdjen]

Details- my nephews are 7 and 9 and live several hours away so I have to mail gifts. My brother told me a couple of days ago that they got the kids a PS4 for Christmas. So, I thought a couple of games would make a great gift. I found a great deal at target for two games I know they would love so I ordered them.

Tonight he texts me to see if I can cancel the order. He said that he forgot it was their gift from Santa and if I get them the games they will figure out who Santa is.

Am I right to be a little irritated? What would you do?

Thanks

 

[EMom]

How you about telling them you asked Santa what he was getting them and once he told you, you decided to get the games?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

They can't say, "These are from Auntie, she heard you'd asked Santa for a PS4!"

 

[emmybee]

They are 7 and 9. Why are they still believing in Santa? But anyways, you can always counter with another fantastical story about how you asked Santa Himself what he was going to get the boys as you wanted something to complement the gift. But I'm a smarty pants who doesn't get along w/ my own brother, so take what I say with a grain of salt. Obviously, I don't blame you for being annoyed. It's super rude to dictate to someone else on what a gift should be.

 

[RedAngie]

A 7 and especially a 9 year old don't know who Santa is? Send the games anyway. The kids will probably play along with Dad's fantasies.

 

[justgrace]

A 7 and 9 year old are now supposed to be too old to believe in Santa? That's first and third grade. I guess kids these days are expected to grow up faster and faster.


Anyway - Are they being sent to you? If so, you could just hold them back until just after Christmas. Or you could say that their dad told you they asked for a PS4 from Santa and you wanted to get them some games to go with.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I see no problem with a 7 & 9 year old believing in Santa. My son figured it out at 8, but my daughter still believed at 10. Both of them appreciated the fantasy when they learned the truth.

I don't blame you for being annoyed. However, you can either talk to your brother and see if it would be okay to say that you asked Santa and got the games for the system, or cancel the order now and get them something else. You have time to change the gifts if you'd like. It seems to be an easy fix to me. (But, yeah, I would be annoyed.)

 

[ashley0139]

Why doesn't dad just wait to give the kids the gifts from you until after they open the PS4? I don't get it.

 

[elphaba91]

Firstly, I think it's really sad that people think a 7 & 9 year old can't believe in Santa! However, I'm sure they will believe that Santa told you about the PS4, if they even question it. I remember when I was in Prep (I was 5, but most kids were 6) we had to write letters to Santa that were actually sent home to our parents. I remember being so disappointed when Santa gave me a Pocahontas book instead of the video I asked for, however when my auntie gave it to me instead I just came to the conclusion that Santa had either told her I wanted it or seen that she'd already bought it for me. I don't think kids will really start questioning things until they're ready.

 

[jdb in AZ]

If they unwrap your gift after they get the PS4 I doubt they'll question how you knew.

BTW, my son found out about Santa when he was six. The Jewish neighbor boy told him.

Then our son wanted to tell his four-year-old sister there's no such thing as Santa. We told him that's fine, if he doesn't believe then Santa won't bring him presents. Both kids are adults now and still "believe."

 

[Disneylover99]

OP, send the gifts anyways.

My kids are 12 and 9 and still believe in Santa. Seriously. I can't believe it either. But I would never tell someone not to send a particular gift for fear of discovering the truth. Let the parents figure out what to say to the kids about the gifts. There are lots of stories that can be made up, if that's what they want to do.

 

[anniemae]

While I think it's crazy, I would probably just return the gifts and honor my brothers wishes. I would not want to be the reason the kids found out about santa. I would give them gift cards to best buy, walmart, or whatever store you bought them at so they can pick out their own games.

 

[LiveYourLife]

Why doesn't dad just wait to give the kids the gifts from you until after they open the PS4? I don't get it.

This. Exactly this. It's not that difficult.

OP, send the games to your Brother and let him figure it out.

 

[bas71873]

This. Exactly this. It's not that difficult.

OP, send the games to your Brother and let him figure it out.

Why doesn't dad just wait to give the kids the gifts from you until after they open the PS4? I don't get it.

I don't get this either. I have to ship my niece & nephew gifts every year (gotta love Amazon Prime) and my brother wraps them and puts them under the tree and they don't open them 'til Christmas Day.....after Santa?

 

[firecracker725]

Don't open them until Christmas morning, perhaps?

 

[Allons-y!]

Details- my nephews are 7 and 9 and live several hours away so I have to mail gifts. My brother told me a couple of days ago that they got the kids a PS4 for Christmas. So, I thought a couple of games would make a great gift. I found a great deal at target for two games I know they would love so I ordered them.

Tonight he texts me to see if I can cancel the order. He said that he forgot it was their gift from Santa and if I get them the games they will figure out who Santa is.

Am I right to be a little irritated? What would you do?

Thanks

I think that you both are overreacting. He is probably figuring that this may be the last Christmas that both of his kids believe in Santa, and he probably had a knee-jerk reaction to the possibility of them figuring it out on Christmas Day (can you think of a worse time to learn the secret??).

And instead of helping figure out a solution, you seem to have jumped right to being irritated. These are your nephews, after all...I'm sure you can work with your brother to make this work.

I would add that there's a cute Christmas picture book series called Auntie Claus - if you go with the previously-mentioned idea of being in collaboration with Santa, the book might be a cute gift to include with the games!

 

[luvsJack]

Maybe they are already questioning and he is just trying to keep the magic going? If you have already ordered them and they are being shipped, why not aks if he can switch them out with other gifts he has bought them. Make your games from Santa and another gift from you.

 

[mom2rtk]

The judgment I see on this board every year about kids around this age believing in Santa just amazes me.

Who the heck cares?

I do think it's rude of the dad though to give the OP ideas then call her up and ask her to return them. Just open them after Santa comes.

 

[Kimberlyann11]

Why doesn't dad just wait to give the kids the gifts from you until after they open the PS4? I don't get it.

I think the brother is worried the kids will see the games and think "how did OP know Santa was getting me a PS4? There's no way Op would know unless...dun..dun..dun... My parents are Santa!!!!!"

I think that's it anyways. Sometimes adults really overthink Santa.

 

[Tiffylv]

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