Gifts: Santa vs. Mom & Dad

[Grendalynn]

.... Now here's the catch, all presents for daughter #1 was wrapped in 1 Christmas paper and only that paper. All presents for daughter #2 was wrapped in another Christmas paper and only that paper. No other present to anybody else, was ever wrapped in two two Christmas papers. Strange I know.

Santa did the same things for us as kids and I have continued the tradition. Back in teh days of taped on name tags, this way we would know who got what if the tag was missing. There were 5 of us kids, and our presents were piled under our stockings. If something got toppled over or a missing tag, it wasnt a crisis!

..... I'm thinking DD11 has to figure it out soon!

My DS10 is a believer and I am just waiting... I am afraid a little magic will be gone, so I am sucking it up as long as I can!!

....We wanted them to have reasonable expectations regarding gifts and to express appropriate thankfullness for the gifts.

We also feel the same and our children have never received everything on their list. We also make it a priority to give gifts to the less fortunate. Its the thought that counts and Family that matters most.

In our family, Santa brings 3 gifts for each child(usually the ones the kids wanted the most). The reason for 3, is that is how many gifts the wise men brought when Jesus was born!

I think this is a great idea. Even though we are not followers of the Bible, I think this is a great tradition and worth the knowledge of the legend.


Thanks for all of the great feedback. Its aways fun and interesting to see how others do things. I refuse to go into debt for the Holidays and want to be sure my kids and family rememeber the real,true meaning of christmas. Granted most of the magic is focused around the Man in the Big Red Suit!!

 

[dzorn]

Well let me tell a little story. While shopping at Walmart I spotted the ipod nanos and asked DDs if it is something they would like for christmas. I told them it would be their one big gift. Youngest DD proudly announced don't worry about the price I'll ask Santa he always gives the big gift. You and Dad give us the cheap stuff.

Denise in MI

 

[quentina]

All of our gifts come from Santa however; our kids believe that santa gives us a bill. My oldest explained this to the little ones while looking at the TRU big book today.

This has always worked in our house.

 

[foltzy]

In our house we do things a little different. We have a 2 and 4 year old. They get a ton of gifts from my parents, my sister, DH mom and step-dad, DH Nana and DH brother (They use to get a ton from DH father but this will be our 2nd Christmas without him).

So because of this Santa does the stocking gift and the chocolate bar. He also gives the kids 2 smaller presents. We do the big ticket item and then 2 other gifts. All the gifts from my parents are signed from Santa.

Each person has a different wrapping paper. DD will have Tink or Princesses this year. DS will have either Toy Story or Cars. I usually go on what they are totally in love with at the moment, they're still young. Mine is usually wrapped in Silver (Santa only brings stockings for the adults) and my DH is usually wrapped in Gold.

Only thing that isn't allowed under the tree, clothes (except the present they open Christmas eve that is from my parents which is a new set of PJ's for that night). This is going back to my childhood and my mom thought that clothes for Christmas was a cheap out, so no clothes. I like it and so we still do it.

 

[mamalle]

santa has always brought the most wanted gifts and normally the most expensive. This year mine are getting one large gift each: dd a Ipod tough and ds some legos.. Their joint gifts from santa will be two wii games.. everything else like clothes, books, shoes are from mom and ad..

 

[Coll0610]

Most gifts are from Mom and Dad and we open those on Christmas Eve, so DS and DH can spend the day in their pjs playing with their new toys. Santa brings one or two things on Christmas Day, and it's always something to play with in the car (like a new DS game). Santa must know that we drive 2 hours to my parents on Christmas Day...

 

[Skatermom23]

Santa always bring everything in our house! My kids are 18 and 16! I still remember when they found out the truth about Santa...within in an hour or so it dawned on them that all those cool things really had come from mom and dad! That light bulb moment made it so worth while!

 

[puffkin]

When I was growing up, all the gifts were from Santa. However, with DS our plans are to make the "big" gift from Santa and a few other things and the stocking. The balance will be from us and the pets.

Last year though I was all set and we went to see Santa the week before Xmas and all he asked for was a guitar and lollipop. Luckily I found a $10 guitar at Target and of course a christmas lollipop. So we made those from Santa and the other stuff from us. He was thrilled to pieces. This year I am not going to tag his gifts until I find out what he wants from Santa

 

[disneydonnad]

My Mom and Dad used to put up the tree after we went to bed on Christmas eve- After we came back from Midnight Mass- No wonder they were always so tired-lol. BUt it was amazing to see the tree all decorated and beautiful with presents underneath!
In our house, Santa brings DS 3 presents- to remind him of the gifts the Wise Men brought to Jesus.
I usually prompt him before it's his turn to sit on Santa's lap so he remembers what he's been asking for- (and what I usually have already purchased We have a great at the mall and he usually will look at the Mom and Dad for a signal and will also say that he will try but won't know what he'll bring until Christmas eve. Last year DS wanted a skateboard and when I nodded he told him he'd try to bring it but made him promise to use his helmet and pads. Now when my son doesn't want to wear them I can say "But you promised Santa". Santa also uses special paper that he leaves for me to use the next year-

 

[eyor44]

In our family, Santa brings 3 gifts for each child(usually the ones the kids wanted the most). The reason for 3, is that is how many gifts the wise men brought when Jesus was born!

Santa brings three to each child in our house also for this same reason.

In our house, Santa brings the good stuff and Mom and Dad the other stuff. If you don't believe in Santa, then you just get clothes and stuff. Ask my oldest DS, one year he insisted Santa wasn't real and then didn't get the Nintendo stuff he wanted. Mom would "never" spend $$ on video games. Now at 23 he warns his siblings to never question if Santa is real or not.

My mother broke my heart at age 6 by "telling me the truth". She wanted all of the credit. I could care less about credit. I want magic.

 

[mickeyboat]

Santa brings the good stuff, mom and dad bring clothes. Santa always brings things mom and dad refuse to buy.

DDs are 10 & 9 this year and a few weeks ago asked me straight out if I was Santa. I told them the truth and we had a good laugh about it.

 

[It's A Small World]

Santa, the reindeer's, and the elves get all the credit in my house. I usually sign the gift tags from Donner or Blitzen or Mrs. Claus of the Elves. My girl's really get a kick out of it! My dad started doing it years ago when we were kid's and now I carry it on. It's a lot of fun.

 

[PixiePlanner]

Santa fills stockings and leaves one gift each, sometimes a family gift too or a hidden gift for DH. Mom & Dad do the rest. It may be selfish but I want a thank you! We have told the kids that Santa can't bring everything on the list or else he wouldn't have time to make everyone else's gifts. They seem satisfied with that answer.

One thing that Santa does every year is track in snow. The first year, I had forgotten completely. DH yelled for DS, "Get down here! What did you do?" Flash thru my mind: It's Christmas, please no yelling! As DS ran down the stairs to the family room, "Dad, I promise I didn't... what's that? I took my shoes off... the footprints are coming from our fireplace..." The awe and amazement were priceless. When I mentioned something about it melting, DS stated that it won't melt because its magic Christmas snow. DS has since told DD that same thing.

Santa tracked snow at my parents house a couple years ago. They don't have a fireplace so he used the door. I am sure he will leave "tracks" again this year.

A little baking soda works miracles.

 

[puffkin]

Santa, the reindeer's, and the elves get all the credit in my house. I usually sign the gift tags from Donner or Blitzen or Mrs. Claus of the Elves. My girl's really get a kick out of it! My dad started doing it years ago when we were kid's and now I carry it on. It's a lot of fun.

I like that idea. Too cute! I'll have to see if DS mentions a favorite elf or reindeer this year and try to tag a gift like that!

Santa fills stockings and leaves one gift each, sometimes a family gift too or a hidden gift for DH. Mom & Dad do the rest. It may be selfish but I want a thank you! We have told the kids that Santa can't bring everything on the list or else he wouldn't have time to make everyone else's gifts. They seem satisfied with that answer.

I am selfish too and want a little credit. I also think it helps prolong the magic in a way. It is much more believable and less questionable for Santa to bring a few things than everything! I was 6 when I figured it all out because I just couldn't believe that mom and dad got us nothing but got everyone else gifts. Didn't make sense to me. I probably would have believed much longer if my parents hadn't made everything from Santa. Usually the biggest/most wanted gift is from Santa, but mom and dad get to give some fun stuff too and get to receive the thanks! That is MY christmas gift!!!!!

 

[SILLYANDI]

Growing up Santa always brought everything and the big ticket item was always hiding somewhere that mom would happen to stumble upon. We started this way with our own kids but then realized that
1) We we're getting any credit.
2) Kids were getting crazy with the requests because Santa can do anything
3) Christmas was over in a flash because the kids tore through the presents and it was over.
4) We had some great gifts to give the kids before our annual Holiday trip to WDW and it would be hard to explain that Santa left them early
SO....we decided Santa brings a few gifts, the big ticket comes from mom and dad and everyone gets PJ's to open on Christmas Eve so they look cute for pictures. We tend to buy less this way also AND it helps explain the economy issues because we are the ones buying (or not) the big gifts.

 

[livie1205]

my kids are 3,11,and 12 and this year santa is bringing ALL the gifts...the oldest do not think santa is real of course but grandma and grandpa are on a fixed income now and we thought it would be best just to put "from santa " ON EVERYTHING....no one knows who gives who what...I may let the kids get gifts for each other then put there names on it though.

 

[mindyd]

everything Christmas Morning comes from Santa and the presents they get all year and their birthdays are Mom and Dad. My kids think that we pay Santa Taxes they could not understand because they get a lot and others don't get anything or very little so this worked for us. My older daughter doesn't believe and my younger was questioning so this seemed to buy me another year or two.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

Call me a bah humbug.. We don't make Santa out to be the big gift giver. I was always well aware as many children are, in the descepencies of what "santa" gave one family vs other. I was always very happy with what I got but I never quite understood why "Joe and Susie" down the street got the latest model of every brand name item that was out any given year. It's not even that I wanted what they had but it did make me question at a really young age WHO Santa really was.

We hang stockings, it is assumed by the children that Santa fills them. they get tooth brushes tooth paste a little candy shampoo and a small gift (small in size and expense). This is something that they assume on their own as we don't say either way and they have never questioned us. We make it very clear, that the few gifts that they do get under the tree are from Mom and Dad or whomever else the tag says (Gramma, cousin etc) . We focus more on the reason for Christmas (we are Christian) than the gifting. Of course we do gift, it's fun! We like putting a lot of thought into what we do give, we just don't make it a huge gifting affair.

 

[WantToGoNow]

Santa does not get all the glory in this house - as a matter of fact he's barely mentioned. I took dd6 to see him Saturday and she wrote a letter - that's it. Santa brings each child 3 gifts - one is their big ticket item and then 2 smaller items. This year, it's less than that. Santa is bringing non-believer ds8 his ds and 1 game and is bringing dd6 her Bitty Baby, starter set and dd25 ordered her 2 accessory sets to go with it. If it weren't for confusing dd6, ds8 would get nothing from Santa this year. The stockings will be filled as well. Everything else is wrapped and under the tree.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I was raised that just about everything came from Santa. It was all wrapped in Santa paper. Anything from family was not in Santa paper. DH didn't really get Christmas gifts, but maybe a small toy if he was lucky, and socks, jeans, that sort of thing.

He liked our way much better, but still wants some credit, and I get that. He works hard and wants the kids to appreciate what he does for our family. So, Santa brings the majority but mom and dad get them a big gift every other year and the opposite year we go to Disney for Thanksgiving. So, this year (not a Disney year,) DD15 is getting a laptop and DD10 and DD7 are getting a netbook to share (they share a room and everything so this will not be a problem.)

Santa still wraps everything in Santa paper and if there is any left over it is hidden at grandma's for the next year so the kids don't find it. Also, everything in the stocking is wrapped in tissue paper with lots of tape. They wake DH and I up early and are allowed to do their stockings but can't do any gifts till grandma and grandpa wake up. They are early risers, but not as early as the kids tend to be, so this way they don't miss anything and they kids can still start early. I think their stockings are often their favorite part!