How do you explain that FC doesn't bring *everything* they want?

(39 Posts)
MegBusset Tue 04-Dec-12 22:29:21

Just trying to manage expectations with 5yo who a) still believes in FC and b) has started throwing a few requests that frankly are too late in the day!

I burbled something about there not being enough room in the sleigh but just wondered what everyone else's killer lines were smile

WankbadgersBauble Wed 05-Dec-12 16:05:31

FC brings the stocking, and one present, not the biggest or the best, but always something thoughtful. FC presents are wrapped in extra glittery gold paper with lots of curly ribbon and big bows.
All the other presents are named and everyone is thanked.
The stocking is filled with tat to keep DD quiet and busy until the sun is up grin

ethelb Wed 05-Dec-12 15:50:03

Father Christmas knows that your parents are able to give you some other presents on Christmas day in addition to his, so he is giving some of his presents to children who don't have that priviledge.

Plus, a Father Christmas list is a wish list that you have kindly requested of Father Christmas. Not a demand list!

Santa Claus doesn't have room in his sleigh for all the things DSD asks for - there wouldn't be enough room for the other kids' toys. He also doesn't like to hear DSD moaning or complaining about what she didn't get, and does not deliver Barbie dresses for Christmas just because DSD whines about it.

Last week, we finally unearthed a "Message From Santa" CD that DSD got for Christmas a couple of years ago (which had been cast into a box and left there during a couple of house moves). CD Santa tells DSD that he will bring her "even more than she's asked for" and "things that are not even on your list because I am Santa and magic, and I know everything." Thanks, CD Santa. angry

DSD, who feels a bit lazy about writing a letter to Santa on the best of days, is now being informed for the very first time that Santa's elves don't have the same magic as Santa, so she really needs to write that letter and tell the elves what she wants. And that it takes a few weeks for Airmail to reach the North Pole, so she needs to get it done quickly. grin

Frontpaw Wed 05-Dec-12 14:07:50

It's not helped by Muslim DBIL who absolutely adores Christmas and reverts to a six year old at this time of year!

MegBusset Wed 05-Dec-12 14:06:35

Frontpaw I'd explain that not everyone celebrates Christmas, FC brings presents to children in families who do, other families celebrate different festivals instead...?

ScarfHatSunglasses Wed 05-Dec-12 13:33:54

We also only do stockings from Santa although if there was a desperately desired present it would probably be in the stocking.

We also do the 'it's not nice to be greedy and Santa won't buy everything you want'.

I'd like to avoid the letter-to-Santa altogether but last yr the dc's wrote them at school including items cut out of the next directory hmm

DeafLeopard Wed 05-Dec-12 13:28:25

Santa only does stockings here - came about after DD asked for nothing other than a "real pink unicorn that can fly me to fairy land" as "Santa is magic and can do anything" confused

It also limits things to what we can afford - as someone has said before Santa doesn't do xbox etc.

It gets tricky when all the wider family is together as dsis has younger DCs but chose to ignore my correct approach and go with Santa brings everything - it also means that my DC thank the giver, whereas hers do not.

Taffeta Wed 05-Dec-12 13:24:23

I thought I was doing fine with DS (9), the understanding that we are getting a family present (a Wii U) for Christmas, so no big requests will be granted.

Then he found the Sports Direct catalogue. He filled in the "wish list" he found inside it. hmm

And presented it to me. "Mummy, can you get this to Santa please?"

15 items on it, ranging from £69.99 trainers to £3.99 ankle guards. "Errr, DS, Santa isn't going to be able to get you all this"

[horrified look] " But Mummy, it says wish list on it!"

<shakes fist @ Sports Direct>

FC/Santa would bring all the presents on the list ... if DC had behaved impeccably for the whole year ... grin

Actually in our house he just brings little things; main presents come named from Mum & Dad, Grandparents etc.

Frontpaw Wed 05-Dec-12 13:04:02

My mum used to say that Santa didn't have room for everything, so you had to let him choose. He did once manage to get a whole bike down the chimney though!

Slight deviation.. DS is now asking if the child we sponsor in Sudan will get a isn't from Santa... Not sure how to explain that one (he is Muslim) away as he has been told that all children in the world get a pressie.

ChiefOwl Wed 05-Dec-12 13:03:59

Love the way everyone does it so differently smile Santa does stockings and the most desired present here. Stocking is often full of things mummy has said no to! Large Nerf guns, bubblegum, coco pops ...

CharlotteBronteSaurus Wed 05-Dec-12 13:03:14

we go with a list to FC being just for ideas, not a shopping list
FC knows best what would be a good present for you, even better than you do, although he will try and get at least one thing from the list as well.
and although FC is magic, the elves aren't and so there might not be enough of <insert popular item here> to go round.

HoldMeCloserTonyDanza Wed 05-Dec-12 13:00:37

My parents always just told us not to be greedy.

abrotherfor Wed 05-Dec-12 02:39:22

We tell them that we buy the presents and send them to him, so he's the post man really wink

My eldest is the only one old enough to really understand and she's pretty good, she knows that we have a budget and that presents cost different things so if one pile is big and another small it doesn't mean we didn't spend the same. It's sweet when she explains it to her little sister!

OnTheBottomWithAStringOfTinsel Wed 05-Dec-12 01:30:51

One year I told DD that Santa only brings a certain limited amt of presents to everyone because the elves have to make presents for everyone & if she got too much another child would get less. She then proceeded to cross a few items off her already quite modest list (value about £15) "so that maybe a poor child could have an extra present" (I then got something in my eye).

Same child at age 5 raided her money if when she heard me talking to a friend about how much/little I could borrow to buy a house and handed me £5 to help buy our new house! (I did give it back to her - after I'd rubbed my eye to get the 'dust' out!

baileysontherocks Wed 05-Dec-12 01:21:21

We tell our dc that we have to pay father christmas once a week for the presents they receive...we meet up with elf junior to pay the money and if money is tight then we clearly say that you will not be able to have everything on your list as it costs too much and they simply accept it as we nicely remind them that some children have nothing to open at all!!

If they misbehave its as simple as i can get a refund or not pay anymore money towards their presents and up to yet my children have been perfect smile
They get money from my grandparents and presents of their choice from my parents then presemts from everyone else who as all asked me if there is anything on their list they can buy for them grin and they know these gifts are nothing to do with fc.

bubbles1231 Tue 04-Dec-12 23:12:53

I tell mine that Santa checks with me about the presents. In our house Santa only fills a stocking with little presents. The bigger ones are given by mum and dad.
Oh, and Santa has a cut off date for requests because he's got so many children to think of.

SledYuleCated Tue 04-Dec-12 23:12:14

When I was younger DM always said we should ask for generic things, like 'a board game' rather than 'Monopoly' because Santa might have an even better board game that he knows we'd like.

And always finish the letter with 'and some surprises' grin

Bestof7 Tue 04-Dec-12 23:09:33

We're harsh here: no letters to Santa allowed. He accepts no requests, no emails, no whining. Santa brings what Santa brings, and we are happy with it. And Santa only brings one 'big' pressie and a stocking, the rest comes from Mummy and Daddy, who will listen to reasonable requests. grin

Greensleeves Tue 04-Dec-12 23:07:22

I have ever explained it, it quickly becomes apparent on Christmas morning.

There are always surprises as well as some of the less- --lunatic requested items, so it's never a problem. And my kids are always so excited and high on the fact that it's Christmas, they are allowed to use the nutcracker and eat sweets in their pyjamas and Mummy, Daddy and Grandad are all tipsy, it doesn't occur to them to tot up what they've got. It's just a big fuzzy chocolatey twinkly ball of Christmasness <excited> grin

Startail Tue 04-Dec-12 23:05:54

Father Christmas sends Mummies the bill!
Poor Rudolph can't pull the sleigh if it's too heavy.

DumSpiroSperHoHoHo Tue 04-Dec-12 23:01:52

Most of Santa's Christmas prep is actually done before letters are sent, based on all-year round surveillance by Malcolm, the head of Santa's Secret Service and his crack team of spy elves.

Christmas lists are used for additional extras if time, supply and behaviour of the wishee permit...


My dd is four and i've told her that she can ask santa for one thing and she'll get a stocking. However, grandparents/aunts etc may choose to send santa things for her that he will bring.

When she saw a wrapped gift waiting for an exchange with friends, i told her that elves only make toys and so adults have to buy for each other and send to santa or give to each other if its too late. She's fine with it. She wrote her list yesterday asking for a bike saying "just one thing, i mustnt be greedy, the elves need to make toys for so many children. They'll be enough to go around wont there mummy!"

SchnitzelVonKrumm Tue 04-Dec-12 22:56:08

Father Christmas brings stocking presents here, and letters are wish lists not like when you order the groceries online, DD1

ihearsounds Tue 04-Dec-12 22:53:53

Santa does the stocking. Everyone else does gifts. I am selfish and will not allow the man in red take credit for the awesome things I buy. Plus it means when I finally can be arsed to put the tree up, I can wrap present and fling them straight under.
When the dc's have written their lists, they know that santa looks at the list and decides what to get depending on what he has. Once the letter is sent, that's it.

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