How do you 'do' Christmas?

[Willow82]

So my 4 year old is massively into Christmas this year which is great and is very much invested in Santa bringing presents etc. I was going to let him believe that santa will bring all his presents but OH wants santa's presents to be limited to stocking fillers and for his main presents to be from family. I'm a bit worried that this might undermine his belief in santa as it seems a bit of a half way house? How does everyone approach this?

 

[Bevziibubble]

We have about 5 presents from Santa in a sack and then the rest of the presents are just from family/friends under the tree

 

[Teri7489]

Dd is really into Arthur Christmas this year so in that everyone gets a present. I asked her what she would like from Santa and she simply asked for a dolls house. From that we decided that Santa would bring maybe one or two presents and the rest are from mummy and daddy. We don't want her or our son to associate Christmas with huge piles of presents but more about santa coming, the magic, the excitement and family time. They will still get a little pile each but I refuse to buy in to the over the top Christmas pile thing - my house isn't big enough! lol

 

[Twinmum87]

Stocking is from Santa, rest they know who got it. Usually stocking is some sweet treats and a coupe small gifts. Santa isn't about giving the child everything they ask for, or having all of the latest most expensive cool toys. It is sharing , giving, caring, magic and wonder. Santa doesn't need to bring hundreds of pound worth of gifts. The tradition is a toy per child. In most films it's a small toy so I really wouldn't worry about it ruining his belief in Santa.

 

[Willow82]

Ah, ok. That makes me feel better. Thanks!

 

[Quartz]

i tell mine that santa is there to make sure every child who deserves a present gets one thing they want so no one goes without

 

[CaptainMummy]

Santa brings everything here (not from friends family, which are always tagged and say who they are from, although most people like to give the gifts to the girls themselves anyway)
Its the way it was done for my siblings and me, and I can't imagine it any other way. They will have a pile of presents each, and a stocking of little bits.
They are very much excited about the whole Christmas period, they love everything about it, and I see no harm in Santa bringing lots of presents

 

[SarahBear]

For us, Santa is just a story. All presents are from the people they're actually from. We go to my parents' house for Christmas eve and do presents there in the evening. Then we spend Christmas day with my in-laws and open presents there in the morning after breakfast. To me, having everything from Santa takes away from the giving and family aspect of Christmas. Why not have one or two things from Santa and everything else from the people it's actually from?

 

[pompeyvix]

We do a stocking and a few other items from her list which will be left under the tree in separate wrapping paper from Father Christmas.

All other gifts are from us, family and friends and are given to her as such

I don't think children question things too much. I am following how it was when I was little, but I am sure back then parents done different things with their own children. I never remember asking too many questions about it all. The main thing is that whatever you do do, you remain consistent with it each year.

 

[CaptainMummy]

For us, Santa is just a story. All presents are from the people they're actually from. We go to my parents' house for Christmas eve and do presents there in the evening. Then we spend Christmas day with my in-laws and open presents there in the morning after breakfast. To me, having everything from Santa takes away from the giving and family aspect of Christmas. Why not have one or two things from Santa and everything else from the people it's actually from?

I dont think the OP meant gifts from other people are from Santa... My girls get 'everything' from Santa but by that, I mean everything that I have bought. Gifts that other people get for them are not given from Santa

 

[SarahBear]

For us, Santa is just a story. All presents are from the people they're actually from. We go to my parents' house for Christmas eve and do presents there in the evening. Then we spend Christmas day with my in-laws and open presents there in the morning after breakfast. To me, having everything from Santa takes away from the giving and family aspect of Christmas. Why not have one or two things from Santa and everything else from the people it's actually from?

I dont think the OP meant gifts from other people are from Santa... My girls get 'everything' from Santa but by that, I mean everything that I have bought. Gifts that other people get for them are not given from Santa

I think my comment still works for that situation.

 

[_Meep_]

Stockings only from Santa here. Can confirm that as a child, this made waking up to the stocking incredibly exciting and wonderful.

 

[wtbmummy]

We do stocking and one big present from santa and santa delivers the rest from us (cause where would we put them all)

I think this works best. It was how I was also raised. I know a lot of disapointed parents as their child outgrew santa very young. The reason for this???? ALL presents were from santa yet family and friends too brought gifts. So everyone got them presents apart from their parents so they started saying mummy n daddy dont get me presents, Why not? Etc...

So i would go with your idea 😘
We also wrap santa gifts in parcel paper so its very old fashioned and easy to spot whats from santa, all with a big bow

 

[Scout]

Daughter gets gifts from family and friends and 2 gifts from me to open Christmas Eve. Everything else I buy her is from Santa, as well as her stocking, and she gets those Christmas morning. I do it the same it was for me growing up and want my dd to have the same magical feelings I had regarding Santa.

Oh, and I've never known a kid who believed in Santa questioning why mommy and daddy didn't get them anything. I know I never did, neither did my sister, cousins and friends who believed. When you grow up with something being done one way, that's all you know. Then when you realize all along it was your parents, you have even more gratitude for what they did without expecting any credit for themselves, and how selfless they were.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I do a stocking from santa but they know santa is as 'real' as the christmas tree....He is a part of christmas but he is a story.

They know who pressies are from...they know some children do not get get anything ;( I do not do naughty or nice.

 

[staralfur]

We do mostly gifts from us and then a few from Santa, and same with the stocking. Maybe closer to half and half with the stocking. I wrap the stuff from us and put in the stocking first, and then Santa comes on Christmas Eve and tops it up with unwrapped stuff.

 

[AnneD]

Mine puts out one of her socks and when she's asleep, I put in a shiny penny, the smallest tangerine I can find (small feet, small socks) and a biscuit (wrapped). I don't like massive stockings that are bigger than the child herself. Then she gets a present from us (usually a toy and a few books) and then whatever other people get her under the tree. We usually do home-made biscuits for people we are friendly with in our street and we take them around a few days before Christmas.

 

[SarahBear]

Well scratch my original comment about how we do Christmas. Violet told me today "Let's believe in Santa Claus." So now I'm considering whether or not to do a Santa present and whether or not to play into it in other ways. I hold zero Santa nostalgia and have never considered actually pretending he's real.

 

[_Meep_]

Try it, it might be fun!

 

[lindseymw]

We do all the presents are from Santa. Joshua doesn't believe in Santa (decided from an early age that he wasn't real, but still plays along for Jacob).

Presents from friends & family are labelled accordingly so they know who they came from. However, presents from Grandparents are always opened at their houses as we go to both houses on Xmas day.