Does Santa get all the glory in your house?

[lesliekatya]

Yup, Santa gets all the credit here. Mom and dad buy books and clothes. We buy birthday presents, though. We're not totally lame.

 

[Wendy31]

Santa gets the glory! He fills the stockings & brings the best, most "exciting" gifts.

Our Santa doesn't wrap gifts though - he sets everything up in a festive Christmas morning display - usually 1 big gift (THE gift, the one they really, really wanted!), a couple of other gifts, & then some smaller things - a coloring book, a book, calendar, fun socks, DVD, etc.

They do have wrapped gifts from us under the tree - clothes mostly, some books, maybe a toy or some kind of activity/game. But the "big" stuff is all Santa.

I've never understood the parents who worried that Santa was getting all the credit.

 

[jevs]

Santa brings all the gifts though obviously changes as the kids realise Santa is fictional.

 

[Magpie]

I didn't want my kids' belief in the magic of Christmas to hinge on whether Santa could manage to deliver that one "perfect" toy each year.

Growing up, I really, really despised those 80's era Christmas movies where parents were all, "I HAVE to get that toy, or my child's Christmas will be RUINED!" (Anyone remember people getting into fist fights over Cabbage Patch dolls?) It always felt like the height of crass commercialism to me.

And besides, I grew up with a single mother and not a whole lot of money to spare. I had no confidence that we wouldn't have to pinch pennies ourselves, when we had kids of our own.

So, instead, I taught my kids that Santa is the Spirit of Giving. I read them (among many other stories) both "Yes, Virginia" and "A Christmas Carol", including this bit...

"The sight of these poor revellers appeared to interest the Spirit very much, for he stood with Scrooge beside him in a baker's doorway, and taking off the covers as their bearers passed, sprinkled incense on their dinners from his torch. And it was a very uncommon kind of torch, for once or twice when there were angry words between some dinner-carriers who had jostled each other, he shed a few drops of water on them from it, and their good humour was restored directly. For they said, it was a shame to quarrel upon Christmas Day. And so it was. God love it, so it was."

The gifts of the Ghost of Christmas Present are gifts of the spirit, not things you can purchase in any shop.

That said, every Christmas morning, the children would find two small unwrapped gifts nestled under tree among all the wrapped goodies from various relatives. These two gifts were always odd, magical little things, made of tin or leather or cloth, such as you might imagine an elf making. And the adults would always claim ignorance as to how they got there, or where they came from.

And it's funny, but, while many of the toys they asked for over the years have been outgrown and given away, they still have all their "Santa gifts" (even though, in some cases, they've forgotten where they originally came from - I know, because I helped my son pack them when he moved out a few months ago).

 

[powellrj]

Santa always got the glory here and we also used wrapping paper so that each child would know what gift was theirs. I did have to tell them at one point that parents help pay for gifts because my oldest couldn't figure out why we did toys for tots and angel tree gifts every year if santa brought everything.

 

[bethbuchall]

We were lucky that our children never seemed to have the "magic of Christmas" dependent on what Santa brought. I've never felt the pressure to get the one special toy or feel that Christmas would be "ruined." One of our favorite stories to re-tell now is the year that my youngest wanted a Nintendo DS. He wasn't getting one, though I can't remember why. I don't know if he was too young or if he didn't make that desire known until too late. Before he unwrapped each gift, he'd say, "Maybe this is my DS." But then was happy with whatever he unwrapped. I was cringing a bit by the end, but there was never any dismay even when the very last gift wasn't the DS.

I really do like Magpie's tradition, though.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Sorry but I think its really dumb to tell kids that parents pay Santa. What kind of magic is that?

 

[#1hoosierfan]

Saints brings the most wanted gift each year. It is the only one not wrappped.

The boys know I have veto power though. My 7 year old wants a drone, and it is NOT happening. (Santa is bringing an Xbox One)

 

[prestoncaldwell]

My husband read a post of his aunt's on Facebook yesterday that said she and her husband always told the kids that Santa brought the Christmas gifts, but she and their dad paid Santa for them "so the kids knew who to be grateful to." My husband was shocked and appalled (maybe that's a bit too strong of a word, but he was close).

Santa only fills stockings and brings one unwrapped gift (usually the biggest/most wanted/most expensive) to each of our kids. The rest of the presents (wrapped) are from us.

Wondering how you do it in your home and do you share my husband's feelings about what his aunt and uncle did when their kids were younger.

Last year, my DD, 6 at the time, wrote a letter to Santa asking him to feed homeless kids as a gift to her. This was uncoached. I was so incredibly moved. We donated to a local food bank, and I asked in the notes that they send a receipt to my daughter instead of me, as this was to be her gift from Santa. They sent her a letter telling her that Santa had stopped by to help feed people on her request, and sent photos of him. I have never seen her eyes light up like they did when she received that letter, and I've never been more proud than anyone in my life. This was her ONLY gift from Santa because I wanted her to fully understand that giving means sacrificing.

Guess what she asked Santa for this year....

 

[Kellykins1218]

Guess what she asked Santa for this year....

A Hatchimal?

 

[rastahomie]

Mrs. Homie and I never had kids, so the point is moot, but we tell the kids that she babysits that Santa sends his gifts to adults through the mail, before Christmas, so he can concentrate on the kids. That deflects the awkward questions about why there are already wrapped gifts underneath our tree.

 

[leebee]

When I was a child Santa always stuffed the stockings (with wrapped little gifts) and brought one, unwrapped gift for each child. The rest of the gifts under the tree were wrapped/labeled as to whom they were for and from whom. Gifts started accumulating a couple of weeks before Christmas and would drive us wild with anticipation/speculation! On Christmas Eve we'd hang our stockings on the mantle but interestingly, after he filled them, Santa always left them on the foot of our beds, and we were allowed to open our stockings before getting up on Christmas morning. That sneaky Santa figured out how to give my parents a few more minutes of sleep!

When DD was young, Santa always stuffed the stockings with wrapped gifts but left them under the tree with one unwrapped gift. Stocking gifts are usually fairly practical- special shampoo, bath stuff, make-up and nail polish as DD got older, candy, gift cards, etc. Some years, Santa brought what was asked/hoped for; other years, he brought things that were even more exciting (like a collection of Disney princess figurines, or a trip to WDW!). Never once was there a complaint, no matter what requests were in a letter to Santa or shared on a visit to see Santa at the mall.

 

[Magpie]

When I was a child Santa always stuffed the stockings (with wrapped little gifts) and brought one, unwrapped gift for each child. The rest of the gifts under the tree were wrapped/labeled as to whom they were for and from whom. Gifts started accumulating a couple of weeks before Christmas and would drive us wild with anticipation/speculation! On Christmas Eve we'd hang our stockings on the mantle but interestingly, after he filled them, Santa always left them on the foot of our beds, and we were allowed to open our stockings before getting up on Christmas morning. That sneaky Santa figured out how to give my parents a few more minutes of sleep!

When DD was young, Santa always stuffed the stockings with wrapped gifts but left them under the tree with one unwrapped gift. Stocking gifts are usually fairly practical- special shampoo, bath stuff, make-up and nail polish as DD got older, candy, gift cards, etc. Some years, Santa brought what was asked/hoped for; other years, he brought things that were even more exciting (like a collection of Disney princess figurines, or a trip to WDW!). Never once was there a complaint, no matter what requests were in a letter to Santa or shared on a visit to see Santa at the mall.

That's what we did, too!

I mean, I never told the kids the stockings were stuffed by Santa, but for years they assumed it was him. And their stocking always appeared on the end of their bed sometime during the night, so that they'd find it when they woke up in the morning.

I still love making stockings for the kids, though I don't leave them on their bed anymore (I mean, one of them has moved out, so it'd be a bit difficult).

 

[prestoncaldwell]

A Hatchimal?

Hahahaha

 

[McKelly]

Santa brings all the good presents. We give them a couple on Xmas Eve, which are from us - usually clothes and a small toy.

I wouldn't change a thing - I loved watching them get up early on Xmas morning and get so excited over the load of gifts Santa brought. In fact, my kids are 18 and 16, and Santa still comes. I still see the light in their eyes as they see all the gifts under the tree. The only difference is the kids don't get up quite so early on Xmas Day morning anymore. They let us sleep until 7:00am.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We have fun with the labeling around here, even for the grown-ups. Some gifts are labeled from Santa, some from both of us, some from the pets...you get the idea.

And DS usually does have one from each of us individually - something small but special in some way.

I never minded if Santa got the credit, but DH likes more balance, and I don't mind that either.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

A Hatchimal?

That. Was. Awesome!

 

[monorailsilver]

Santa brings everything and wraps it all too including the stockings! Santa spent 2 hr wrapping yesterday and I..ahem..Santa is about half way done with that job!

I don't need any glory or praise for buying gifts. I enjoy watching my kids see and open their surprises.

 

[Poohforyou]

We don't have hard and fast rules. Santa does bring the stocking and some gifts. it depends what's asked for and what other fun stuff we find.

Santa brings at least one gift for everyone. This year I hear he's bringing crazy socks.

Santa doesn't bring everything. He also doesn't always remember to wrap everything.

 

[bbak30]

About 50/50. We do tell them that Santa sends us a bill, so that explains why everyone doesn't get the same. My 7 year old is very kind hearted and wanted to know why some kids don't get anything from santa when she was about 4.
Santa fills stockings and brings a few things. Then mom and dad put stuff under the tree.

And honestly, until about 3 years ago Santa brought everything. My 11 year old is very nosey and would always spot a gift or two. Then I had no choice but to put it under the tree or she would figure it out. She still believes, or at least I think she does. She hasn't said anything and still thinks the silly elves fly back to the North Pole every night. But, who knows.....