Santa gifts vs parent gifts - how to explain?

[Anonymous]

My 4yo is totally into Christmas and this year 100% gets the whole Santa brings presents thing (versus years past where the focus has been on omg presents for me, not even thinking who from). We’re getting all the fun questions — who is Santa, how does he fit down the chimney, Isabella’s house doesn’t have a chimney so does she not get presents etc. All cute.

That said, now that she’s more aware of gift origins, how have you guys explained how Santa does gifts at your house? Does Santa bring all gifts? Or just some? Does he give one big gift and the rest are from mom and dad? I feel like I need a game plan for explaining. DH thinks I’m overthinking it yet also isn’t prepared to answer the myriad queries we get all day long from an excited 4yo about how it all works

Would love to hear how you approach who/where gifts are from at your house!

[Anonymous]

At our house, Santa brought the gifts in the stocking (which are otherwise unwrapped) but not the gifts under the tree. The logistics of wrapping gifts and keeping them hidden was beyond me. But we didn’t play up the Santa aspect too much so there weren’t that many questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our house, Santa brought the gifts in the stocking (which are otherwise unwrapped) but not the gifts under the tree. The logistics of wrapping gifts and keeping them hidden was beyond me. But we didn’t play up the Santa aspect too much so there weren’t that many questions.

+1 and anything that didn’t fit in the stocking but was “Santa” designated sits right by the stocking.

[Anonymous]

In our house Santa brings the stocking (lays it on the foot of the bed while kid is asleep, kid is allowed to open and explore before parents wake up--bonus you get more time to sleep).

Santa gifts are NOT the expensive gifts. I hate when kids say sadly "Santa gave tommy an iPad and I just got pajamas and a book." Another reason not to give big ticket electronic items from Santa--when it breaks and you can't or don't want to replace it they can be all cocky like "fine--Santa will bring me one"

We tend to give something they asked for on their list (like once my dd asked for a fish--Santa brought the fish). Or big things that are hard to wrap like new sleds.

[Anonymous]

In our house Santa brought almost all the gifts. Santa did not wrap anything. Santa left everything unpackaged with batteries ready to be played with!

[Anonymous]

Santa brings ONE larger gift. It is sometimes wrapped in plain brown paper but if it's really big, say a play kitchen, it is not wrapped and comes preassembled for immediate enjoyment.
Family presents are more numerous and wrapped.
Stocking are from mom and dad.

Signed,
I figured out Santa bc he used my mom’s wrapping paper and had her handwriting

[Anonymous]

Santa doesn't wrap, mom and dad wrap.

[Anonymous]

Santa brings all gifts for kids, eliminating the need for parents to give kids gifts.
Not a huge fan of the Santa story and it’s implication that wealthy children are more deserving, so we don’t do extravagant Christmas gifts.

[Anonymous]

One gift from Santa plus stocking. (I’d like to get at least some credit for buying all those presents)

[Anonymous]

Santa brings one or two gifts + stocking. Everything else is from family, because I think it’s healthy for kids to understand the concept of non magic gift giving. We also get them involved in giving gifts from an early age (usually hand made to start).
It’s also an easier transition when they stop believing in Santa because Santa was just a small part of the holiday.

[Anonymous]

It honestly doesn’t matter. Santa brought all gifts in our house, but they believe in Santa for only a few years so in the scheme of things whatever you want to say is fine.

[Anonymous]

Similar to others. Santa does one or maybe two gifts. Unwrapped and if gifts are larger than can fit in the stocking- the stocking sits on the floor xmas am by/on top of the Santa gifts. We do not do random little stocking ideas to fill it. That is just a pain to complete every year so I never wanted to start it.

Kids participate in getting gift for each parent and each other, starting at a young age so they are part of the spirit of Christmas.

We too do not have Santa bring a lot. Agree with reasons above. We’ve always had small Christmases and with teens it is still going strong. Do not feel like you have to “fill” stockings and fill under the tree.

[Anonymous]

Santa gifts are unwrapped. Also agree that the believing in Santa thing ends so quickly that this isn’t a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our house, Santa brought the gifts in the stocking (which are otherwise unwrapped) but not the gifts under the tree. The logistics of wrapping gifts and keeping them hidden was beyond me. But we didn’t play up the Santa aspect too much so there weren’t that many questions.

+1 Santa only does stocking in our house, and those are only little things — candy and fruit and crayons and gloves, etc. Everything else is from the actual purchaser. Under tree presents are wrapped and put out throughout advent.

[Anonymous]

We don’t do Santa. Each gift says who it’s from. Us, sister, grandparents.