Just a little vent...

[NewRVLady]

this happened to me one Christmas many many years ago-like in the Stone Ages

At our family gift giving a week before Xmass I received a box of tiny doll clothes-in shiny fabrics...and all I had was a big ,almost lifesized ,"baby Doll".

I got one of the first Barbie Dolls from Santa that year

 

[cijay]

I was so young when my brother told me about Santa that he had to tell me WHO he was before he could tell me what he knew about him. So, Santa never came to our house but it didn't ruin Christmas at all. It actually made it better because we couldn't afford much in the beginning so when my friends were getting Easy Bake ovens and Road Race sets and we were getting a board game and Christmas pyjamas we knew why. By the time my dad got a job in a department store (staff discounts) we were so used to getting said board games and pyjamas, we didn't really ask for more than that (though board games morphed into record albums instead). After awhile we decided to not bother with gifts at all.

It's still pure joy one way or the other.

It's also joy to see a kid who believes in Santa and it's nice to see how long it can go for but it does backfire when your kids are so old they're asking for expensive things. We joked to my friends that their kids were soon going to start asking Santa for cars.

But I think the main problem here was that the games were going to arrive before the system which makes me wonder, like some people...why not let them open the gifts AFTER they open their system or if the kids get into it, say you bought them for a gift exchange at work.

 

[zoemurr]

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.

Sorry..I agree with this one. Can you save the games for birthdays? The way our family traditions have worked out I don't get to do any of the planning for most big holidays. Christmas is my only one. I am very protective of how it goes. For years both grandmas have tried to "trump" Santa and it has really upset me. As the parent this scenario wouldn't bother me (you getting the games) but you getting them after I asked you not to would. Please let this be a small blip in your holiday season.. there are so many cool things to get kids at that age. Don't let this damper your holiday or theirs. Have fun!

 

[dclpluto]

What you mean there is no Santa Claus?

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Kids SHOULD believe in Santa at age 7 & 9. They grow up way too fast already.......

 

[SparklePixie]

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.

A 7 and 9 year old shouldn't know who Santa is. Good grief, let them be kids for a little past 2nd and 4th grade.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Kids SHOULD believe in Santa at age 7 & 9. They grow up way too fast already.......

So kids who don't believe are growing up too fast?

 

[nugov2]

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.

A 7 and 9 year old shouldn't know who Santa is. Good grief, let them be kids for a little past 2nd and 4th grade.

I guess folks would want to call dcfs my dd11 still believes, but of course so do I.

I don't see why you can't say I heard you asked Santa for a ps4 and had a feeling you'd be getting it. I have had my family get games for systems in the past for christmas when Santa brought the gift and the kids never questioned it. You already bought it it seems silly to ask you to return it.

 

[cmarsh31]

I sort of get both sides - my nephew is getting Disney Infinity, so I wanted to buy him some of the characters, until I realized that we open gifts together on Christmas Eve and Santa is bringing the game on Christmas morning (he's 9, I never even questioned whether or not he believes!)...but had he gotten it before we exchanged gifts, I see no reason why I couldn't have "known" somehow from Santa that he needed the characters - after all, I'm a mom and my kids totally believe I have veto powers with Santa (even if you ask for a pony, Santa will not bring you one because I said no).

*eta* Holy Run-on sentence, Santa!

 

[zoemurr]

I guess folks would want to call dcfs my dd11 still believes, but of course so do I.

I don't see why you can't say I heard you asked Santa for a ps4 and had a feeling you'd be getting it. I have had my family get games for systems in the past for christmas when Santa brought the gift and the kids never questioned it. You already bought it it seems silly to ask you to return it.

Because her brother asked her not to. I'm not sure upsetting him is worth it for a few games If he wants to purchase something she finds inappropriate (for whatever reason) another year I would hope they could also discuss that before hand. People's feelings are much more important than "because I wanted to", or "I don't understand". His kids, his Christmas.. go with the flow. Save them for birthdays and find something even cooler. And honestly.. if I asked you not to purchase something and it came in the mail I probably would just not give it to them. This could blow up into something huge when OP could just be the bigger person and move on.

*For the record I would be fine with the games.. but as I said I have had trouble with Grandmas and Santa before.. so I can sympathize with the brother*

 

[dclpluto]

Seriously kids should know there is no Santa Claus at aged 7. They probably know a lot sooner than we did because of the Internet. As soon as mommy or daddy wasn't watching they googled Santa Claus

 

[sdjen]

OP here. Thanks to everyone for their input.

I think I'm going to go ahead and send the games but tell my SIL to wrap them so they are from "Santa". I know they would really love to have them (and I got a great deal). I already have other items from me that they can open on Christmas Eve. In our family we do presents on Christmas Eve and then stockings and Santa gifts on Christmas morning. My 9 yo figured out Santa a couple of years ago but she still gets something to open in the morning.

I'm also doing a family gift of movie candy and a theater gift certificate so they can go see the new Star Wars movie. I probably wouldn't have been so irritated if he would have told me before I ordered them. I would also have liked to save them for birthday gifts but ones birthday was yesterday and the others is Tuesday. I would have to wait a whole year (meaning I would probably lose them somewhere )

Thanks everyone!

 

[tcufrog]

I've told the kids that Santa asks for our approval regarding the gifts he brings them before Christmas. We've also told him that Santa does that so that we don't accidentally buy for them what Santa plans to bring. This was because my youngest asked Santa for a puppy and we knew we weren't going to get one. We've also told them that Santa only stuff kids' stockings so grownups stuff each other's stockings as an expression of love. So far my 4 1/2 year old and 8 1/2 year old think that's reasonable and believe it's true.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

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 would cancel the order, buy something else and move on with life.

I would respect this simple request of my family. I just do not sweat stuff like this. I recommend it, it is very freeing.

 

[Allons-y!]

Seriously kids should know there is no Santa Claus at aged 7. They probably know a lot sooner than we did because of the Internet. As soon as mommy or daddy wasn't watching they googled Santa Claus

What?? Maybe we live in different kinds of areas, but I don't know any 7-year-olds who are browsing the internet enough to learn the truth about Santa. Oh, and I teach, and I can tell you that it's very normal for a child of that age to still believe.

 

[bsblady01]

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.

at seven kids still think santa is real and so do most 9 year olds

 

[bsblady01]

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.

santa is still real too kids that age. I was in 4th grade when I stopped thinking santa was real

 

[mom2rtk]

Seriously kids should know there is no Santa Claus at aged 7. They probably know a lot sooner than we did because of the Internet. As soon as mommy or daddy wasn't watching they googled Santa Claus

LOL.

Says who?

I will say though that your original post was far more interesting.

 

[RedAngie]

A 7 and 9 year old shouldn't know who Santa is. Good grief, let them be kids for a little past 2nd and 4th grade.

The 9 year old already knows. The 7 year old probably knows, or at least suspects. Nobody says they can't be kids. But kids know the truth way before most parents are willing to admit.

 

[Skywalker]

I am surprised that some people think 7 and 9-year-olds are too old to believe in Santa? What the what?? Those are the prime Santa-believing years! Old enough to anticipate and have great fun with it, young enough to not be too cynical lol. I have known some 9-year-olds that don't believe, and those are usually because the parents never wanted to get involved with it in the first place, or because some older sibling or neighbour ruined it for them. But by far most kids I have known under 10 years old did believe and quite a few up to age 11 or 12.