Santa Questions?

[scottishduffy]

So DH and I were having a discussion last night. We were decorating the tree and I was wrapping the 3 gifts we got for our 6 month old. I turned to DH and asked, "Alright, which one is from Santa and which ones are from us?"

He looked bewildered and said "They are ALL from Santa. It's Christmas and that is the guys job!"

I was equally stunned and dumbfounded. "What... Santa got you everything each year?!?Your mom and dad (in theory) just got you NOTHING and that didn't seem odd to you?"

We were both equally dumbfounded by the other. So how does it work in your home? Does Santa bring ALL the gifts with nothing under the tree being from Mom and Dad? Does the big red guy just bring a couple things each year while Mom or Dad get credit for the rest? DH and I are both rather convinced our way is the norm.

Yes, I know at this age it doesn't matter and she won't notice. I more thought of it as in interesting issue.

 

[maslex]

I know this has been discussed on here before and you'll hear a lot of different ways that people "do" Christmas BUT in my household growing up, Santa ALWAYS brought EVERYTHING. Actually, I never realized that in other households, that "mom/dad" brought some gifts while Santa might bring others.

It was something I never heard of until just last year or maybe the year before while reading a thread on this board. LOL

I've also heard (on here) that Santa brings the "big gift" and mom/dad bring the rest. I've heard how Santa wraps his gifts in certain paper while the mom/dad gifts are wrapped in separate paper

But I'd have to side with your hubby on this one.

 

[SleepyMom]

Mom and Dad presents are under the tree leading up to Christmas and Santa leaves his early Christmas morning, all in a pile with his own wrapping paper. The big ticket/asked for items and stocking stuffers come from Santa and Mom and Dad get everything else.

 

[goofyintoronto]

So DH and I were having a discussion last night. We were decorating the tree and I was wrapping the 3 gifts we got for our 6 month old. I turned to DH and asked, "Alright, which one is from Santa and which ones are from us?"

He looked bewildered and said "They are ALL from Santa. It's Christmas and that is the guys job!"

I was equally stunned and dumbfounded. "What... Santa got you everything each year?!?Your mom and dad (in theory) just got you NOTHING and that didn't seem odd to you?"

We were both equally dumbfounded by the other. So how does it work in your home? Does Santa bring ALL the gifts with nothing under the tree being from Mom and Dad? Does the big red guy just bring a couple things each year while Mom or Dad get credit for the rest? DH and I are both rather convinced our way is the norm.

Yes, I know at this age it doesn't matter and she won't notice. I more thought of it as in interesting issue.

I wondered the same thing as you. I personally didnt think it was fair for 'Santa' to get credit for all the cool xmas gifts...there's no way i could give my son "nothing" for xmas...so i always marked one toy from Santa, and the rest of the really cool gifts was from me. I wouldnt have it any other way. Cause if i had every gift from Santa, i know my son would be wondering why i didnt get him anything. Lol.

 

[jeepgirl30]

Growing up it was a mix. very random mix too! My mom didn't go big at christmas, she isn't the best gift giver out there. We got socks, underwear, etc. I was the only kid i knew who got underwear from Santa.

DH completely agrees with OP's DH and everything should be from Santa. I thought it was weird, the kids get us gifts why wouldn't we give them something? So we give them one or two little things or the clothes are from us the rest is all the Big Guy.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Santa brings one big item per kid (and fills stockings). Everything else is from whoever bought it (us, grandparents, etc). I never knew peopel did the everything from Santa thing until I read it on the DIS
Personally, I want my kids to know the PEOPLE in their lives love them and appreciate them and want to give them gifts--and I want my children to be able to thank the people who go to that trouble

 

[MrsDuck]

In my house, my parents usually gave half, and Santa usually gave half.

I assume that's how DFi and I will do it with our kids!

 

[ICF]

I chose 50/50, but it's really more like 70/30.

As parents we give a few gifts (usually 3 or 4) that appear under the tree one at a time in the last couple of weeks before Christmas.

The rest of the gifts -- usually 8 - 10 or so are from Santa and don't appear until Christmas morning.

 

[YodaGirl]

I said 50/50, but I'll elaborate.

Santa typically gives three gifts One of DD's three this year is a LeapPad Explorer, case, and games, so I guess it's more of a "themed" gift.

He does leave the big ticket items...the stuff that mom and dad wouldn't buy.

We always give presents from mom and dad. That's how it was growing up for DH and me.

We've done Santa presents differently each year in regards to presentation. The one that we like best, and will be doing this year, is to take everything out of the box and just leave the toys under the tree. We've wrapped before in gold paper, which looks really cool, but I just hate wrapping.

I did hear from a lady at church that her nieces never received presents from their parents - only from Santa. The girls told her at one point that mommy and daddy didn't love them because they didn't receive presents from them. Because of that, the lady won't give "the fat man" any credit for stuff. NOW...that being said, I think that it's important to teach your kids that love for someone isn't tied to what they do or do not give you. Just thought that I'd pass on that experience, though.

 

[lovesmurfs]

You need an Other.

Most gifts are from Santa (even for DS17...LOL), but there are a few from Mom and Dad (usually the ones we buy through the year that the kids know about, or ones that they may have "discovered").

 

[JaneBanks]

I'm with your husband. Santa gave all the gifts! I never once thought "Why didn't Mom give us anything". It just never crossed my mind.

As for being grateful and being able to thank relatives for gifts they gave, we were grateful and we did thank them, when we saw them on Christmas and received our gifts from them. Of course, we didn't have family from out of state or really, anyone who lived more than a half hour away. If we did, I could see my mom saying something like.. "And this gift is from Aunt so and so, we have to call and say thank you later" or something like that.

 

[jen0610]

We never had an exact count, but both kids got the same number of Santa gifts. Not every thing was from Santa.

On some tags, it will say mom, dad, mom and dad, and others would be from Krystal (our dog, which the kids though was funny). Santa gifts were always wrapped in paper that was stricktly Santa paper.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

50/50 here. My kids (and I as a child) receive gifts from aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins... I think it would be really strange if the parents were the only ones in the kids lives that gave them nothing. Maybe when they're older and know Santa = parents but I would not do 100% Santa when they believe in him. I would feel like I was stiffing them.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I voted "one from Santa", but it's really usually 2 or 3 or 4. Less than half, though.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Santa brings one big item per kid (and fills stockings). Everything else is from whoever bought it (us, grandparents, etc). I never knew peopel did the everything from Santa thing until I read it on the DIS
Personally, I want my kids to know the PEOPLE in their lives love them and appreciate them and want to give them gifts--and I want my children to be able to thank the people who go to that trouble

I totally agree with this!!!

Forgot to add one thing to my previous statement, in addition to the 'one' gift from Santa....Santa is also responsible for everything in the stockings.

 

[Hoodie]

Other.

We give 1 gift. Santa gives stockings and 3 gifts (to limit myself - otherwise Santa would be giving a lot more.)

We are giving the biggest gift this year.

 

[lecach]

My DH and I grew up the same as you and your DH. In DH's family Santa gave all the gifts - parents gave nothing. In my family it was a mix.

With our son it's tough. Santa gives the biggest gifts but we still give him some things. This year Santa is bringing a DSi and I know DS is going to be THRILLED. I really want to take credit for it but DH thinks I am crazy.

 

[NMAmy]

Santa brought one big gift and filled the stockings. Everything else was from Mom and Dad.

This cut down on greediness and a mile long wish list. DD would spend hours deciding what one special thing she wanted Santa to bring her.

I was so glad I'd done it that way after my divorce when I didn't have a ton of money. DD understood that she wouldn't get as much from me but Santa still came, of course.

 

[Mandychelle79]

I picked Santa brings everything but a few caveats

1. The jammies that they open on Christmas Eve are from mommy and daddy
2. Mommy and Daddy PAY Santa for all the gifts ( that way if they complain about not getting something the whole mommy and daddy cant afford that isnt a big deal)
3. Mommy and Daddy buy the wrapping paper and send it to santa and he leaves the left overs ( DH didnt hide the paper well one year)
4. Each kid has their own paper so we dont have to do name tags. Last year and this year paper is the same.

ETA- Kids pick out their own wrapping paper.

 

[RadioNate]

It is kinda a mix. Santa gives the majority of gifts.

Each kid will get 1-2 things from me, 1 practical and the other fun. The rest from Santa. The kids also exchange gifts with each other.