DS9 Changes his mind on Santa List

[JamesMom]

Hello, Just a vent about DS9 (b-day in 14 days).
Back around Thanksgiving, he was all about Lego Ninjago. He REALLY wanted the Fire Temple set as he had already spent his allowance on collecting some. He watched YouTube videos and was excited to see the cartoon on TV. He lived, ate, and breathe Ninjago. So when his $120 Fire Temple set that was #2 on his 2 item wish List for Santa (#1 was ipod touch) went on sale for $100, Mom, aka Santa, snatched it up and it is sitting wrapped in the truck on my hubby's car.
Flash forward to last night. DS comes to me in tears that he is wasting his wish on the Ninjago set. He now wants the smaller Hogwarts Castle set (which I have in reserve, unknown to him, as a reward for reading the Goblets of Fire book -- he's on page 450). He claims no interest in Ninjago despite playing with them with a friend just last week.
Here are my options:
1 - Stick with the original plan - give Ninjago for Christmas and reward Hogwarts when book is finished (ie. around birthday)
2 - Return Ninjago to Amazon and replace with Hogwarts
3 - Put both under the tree with a tag from Santa on Hogwarts ("Heard you are making great progress with Goblet of Fire - Keep up the good work")

BTW - DS6 is getting the Big Hogwarts set for Christmas. Also, we have a tradition of when he finishes a book (first 2 I read aloud) in the HP series we get a Lego set - so far, quidditch, the Burrows and Hagrids hut were rewards. DS8 read #3 on his own. Also, no movie until the book is read, too

What would you do?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Since your son still believes in The Magic of Santa Claus , I would give him the Hogwarts set and send back the Ninjago set. Santa 'heard' his upset about wasting his wish, and wanted to make this another Merry Christmas for him.

disclaimer: this I NOT meant to open a discussion about believing in Santa - note the specification of Magic.

 

[Stitch76]

I would give him the Hogwarts set from Santa.
I would hold onto the Ninja set and see if maybe he decides he wants it for his birthday, if he doesn't then I would send it back.
Also, I would make no mention of it being his book prize, and just get him something different when he gets his book read.

BTW great job already having the thing he wanted, if it was me, I would be making a frantic run to TRU right about now!

 

[ilovemk76]

Hello, Just a vent about DS9 (b-day in 14 days).
Back around Thanksgiving, he was all about Lego Ninjago. He REALLY wanted the Fire Temple set as he had already spent his allowance on collecting some. He watched YouTube videos and was excited to see the cartoon on TV. He lived, ate, and breathe Ninjago. So when his $120 Fire Temple set that was #2 on his 2 item wish List for Santa (#1 was ipod touch) went on sale for $100, Mom, aka Santa, snatched it up and it is sitting wrapped in the truck on my hubby's car.
Flash forward to last night. DS comes to me in tears that he is wasting his wish on the Ninjago set. He now wants the smaller Hogwarts Castle set (which I have in reserve, unknown to him, as a reward for reading the Goblets of Fire book -- he's on page 450). He claims no interest in Ninjago despite playing with them with a friend just last week.
Here are my options:
1 - Stick with the original plan - give Ninjago for Christmas and reward Hogwarts when book is finished (ie. around birthday)
2 - Return Ninjago to Amazon and replace with Hogwarts
3 - Put both under the tree with a tag from Santa on Hogwarts ("Heard you are making great progress with Goblet of Fire - Keep up the good work")

BTW - DS6 is getting the Big Hogwarts set for Christmas. Also, we have a tradition of when he finishes a book (first 2 I read aloud) in the HP series we get a Lego set - so far, quidditch, the Burrows and Hagrids hut were rewards. DS8 read #3 on his own. Also, no movie until the book is read, too

What would you do?

I would d0 #2, since you can make his wish come true, why not.. I might wait a few days to send the item back to Amazon. He could always get it for Christmas.

 

[ekatiel]

Mean mommy here . We have a rule that once you talk to Santa, you can't change your mind. I usually use the line, "What if every kid changed his mind a few days before Christmas, how would Santa's elves be able to make all those new toys in time?" However, since you already have the set he wants, I might make an exception this time. Just be sure to cover your bases by saying something like, "Since I knew you really wanted this one, I sent a message to Santa, and he happened to have an extra one on hand." That way, you won't be stuck with another mind-change next year 2 days before Christmas!! Good luck with whatever you decide!! --Katie

 

[torinsmom]

Well, if he believes in Santa, I would give him the Ninjago set from Santa. Otherwise, you set yourself up for him changing his list every year and expecting Santa to fix things. I would give him the HP set from you, and tell him you decided to fulfill his wish this time, since he is doing so well on the book. If he really doesn't want the Ninjago set, you can send it back after Christmas.

 

[LJSquishy]

I would opt for option 2. If he feels he wasted his wish on the Ninjago set, it seems as though he must really not want it even though he was playing with the sets with his friends. Santa hears wishes, and you are able to make your son's Christmas magical, so I say return the Ninjago set! If he is at the age where he may be suspicious about how Santa knew he changed his mind, I would probably give both gifts....but then you would need to make sure any of your other child(ren) had an equal number of gifts to be fair. I definitely wouldn't say you "sent a note to Santa to change gifts" as I think that takes all of the magic out of "how" Santa knew.

For completing the book, I'm sure there is a smaller set or something else HP-related he might like.

 

[WantToGoNow]

Since you already have both sets, I personally would give him both. My ds10 wants that Ninjago Temple but it's not in the budget for us - he's getting two smaller sets. He hasn't believed in Santa for 4 years now - you're days are numbered on that and this could easily be your last year.

 

[clh2]

Since you have the Hogwarts already "in reserve" why not just switch it out...and give him the other one for his b-day?

Otherwise - you've got to tell him Santa's sleigh is already packed

 

[mom2rose&john]

#3 without the note. If you can afford both and another b-day present.

 

[Jey12]

I like option #2. I would also leave a note from Santa saying he "heard" his wish and happened to have a spare and since he was doing such a good job reading his book he wanted to make sure this gift made its way to him. Then you can either return the other set, or see if he becomes interested in it again and then give that as a reward for finishing the book. If you didn't already have the set he wants waiting for him, I would say don't put too much effort into finding it, but since it's right there I'd go ahead and give it. My thinking is most of us learn rather quickly that we don't always get what we want in life. For me Christmas morning is not the time to prove this if you can help it. For me it's all about the magic, and it's the same reason we love Disney so much!

 

[JamesMom]

OP here, Thanks for all the replies!

I got the Castle at Target when I had the $10 gift card off $50 purchase which meant I got a $50 lego set for $40. He was well into the book, so I thought why not.
I suspect he knows Santa isn't real, but when he point blank asked me about the Easter Bunny ("It's just you making the baskets, right mom?) I told him what I learned here on the dis: "You must Believe in order to Receive". He tipped his hand when he told me when the Ninjago set was on sale at Amazon... He knows that elves aren't making them, lol, but he has a younger brother and hasn't outright said there is no Santa.
I am leaning towards letting 'Santa' send Ninjago - maybe as an object lesson for younger brother? If he doesn't want it - he can not open it until his birthday at which time we can decide to send it back. I like the idea of Hogwarts being from us, his parents with the expectation he finishes the book. Everybody is covered and, hopefully-- happy. I still have 36 hours to decide, lol!
Still interested in other ideas.
Lastly, his 9th b-day present is a trip to Great Wolf Lodge that weekend with a couple of friends in for the day (Excellent Groupon deal - 1 bedroom suite, 6 passes & pizza dinner for $200!!) so I wasn't planning on getting a gift - the trip is plenty and he knows it!

 

[finz2left]

For me, Christmas is not the time for teaching lessons about not changing your mind. Since you are ABLE with no stress, I would give him the Harry Potter one from Santa.

 

[MomToPirate&Princess]

My DS9 really struggled over what few key items to wish for this Christmas from Santa not wanting to waste a wish on something that might not be the best possible choice. (unlike DD7 who rattled off a list a mile long of possible options for Santa to choose from). He has second guessed his choice several times. Luckily, the thing he didn't ask for from Santa, but now kind of wished he would have is what his sister picked out to get him so he is Win Win on the gift list

It might not so much be that he doesn't want the Ninjago set anymore, but that he also wants the Hogwarts and is afraid that by not using one of his Santa wishes for it that he won't get it since a reasonable 'Santa Wish' is more of a sure thing than just an item on a Christmas List.

If he only asked for a few things from Santa and since you already have it available anyway, I'd give him both. He's 9. Kids only 'believe' for so long. Make it as magical as you can for as long as possible.

 

[JamesMom]

OP again,

I just checked that I have until Jan 31 to return the Ninjago set to amazon. I am now leaning towards Santa giving him Hogwarts and storing Ninjago in case it wants it for his Birthday - otherwise he won't know we have it. BTW my kids know I email Santa their wish lists so Santa can know up to the last minute if they were good or not
Thanks for giving me perspectives to think about. Love the dis!

 

[superme80]

Honestly I would give him both. Christmas is a such a special time and I love to give those I love what they want if I am able to.

 

[gillenkl]

Well, if he believes in Santa, I would give him the Ninjago set from Santa. Otherwise, you set yourself up for him changing his list every year and expecting Santa to fix things. I would give him the HP set from you, and tell him you decided to fulfill his wish this time, since he is doing so well on the book. If he really doesn't want the Ninjago set, you can send it back after Christmas.

Agreed with this - I tell my kids, once the list is made that's it, no changes can be made. In the future, let him know that once the list is officially made, he can't change his mind.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Mean mommy here . We have a rule that once you talk to Santa, you can't change your mind. I usually use the line, "What if every kid changed his mind a few days before Christmas, how would Santa's elves be able to make all those new toys in time?" However, since you already have the set he wants, I might make an exception this time. Just be sure to cover your bases by saying something like, "Since I knew you really wanted this one, I sent a message to Santa, and he happened to have an extra one on hand." That way, you won't be stuck with another mind-change next year 2 days before Christmas!! Good luck with whatever you decide!! --Katie

I used to say, "Santa has the sleigh packed up already, I think" when I got last minute requests..... I miss those days! Kids are grown now.

 

[bumbershoot]

For me, Christmas is not the time for teaching lessons about not changing your mind. Since you are ABLE with no stress, I would give him the Harry Potter one from Santa.

But if she weren't able to change it, then this would be a problem.

We don't even do the Santa thing here (and he's fully aware that I'm the Yule Fairy, LOL), but once the list is made it's made.

It might not so much be that he doesn't want the Ninjago set anymore, but that he also wants the Hogwarts and is afraid that by not using one of his Santa wishes for it that he won't get it since a reasonable 'Santa Wish' is more of a sure thing than just an item on a Christmas List.

I do agree with this. I bet he just wants it all.



That close-by birthday really complicates things! The gift problems were one of the many reasons the one friend I have with a late December birthday ended up choosing to celebrate his birthday in June. (though his b'day was actually ON the 25th, making it even harder)

 

[100AcreWood]

I would do #3! I have a 9 year old as well and am so happy the magic still exists in our house. But I know it's only a matter of time.

That is so sad about him coming to you in tears. It shows that 9 is still so young .