The jig is up in our house, but Santa used to bring the couple of gifts that were too expensive to afford or too big to have fit in the car, etc.

The kids discuss with us what they are going to ask Santa for (one small gift), so we know what to get. It's wrapped.

I don’t like lying to my kids so we dont really play up the whole Santa thing. We don’t say anything about Santa; it’s all kid-directed. So if my kids want to leave Santa cookies and carrots for the reindeer, I’ll play along and pretend Santa and the reindeer ate them. And if they ask which things are from Santa I’ll probably let santa have the credit for whatever’s in the stocking. But the gifts are from us and other relatives and are all wrapped.

Anonymous wrote:Only some. A few unwrapped gifts.

Most gifts are wrapped and from their moms. Any expensive gift is from their moms as well.

I grew up poor and never could figure out why my friends got tons of gifts and I only got one or two even though I was very good. I felt 1000% better when I learned that Santa was fake and there was nothing wrong with me.

The one thing I felt strongly about after having kids is that any expensive or big gifts came from us not Santa. My wife grew up rich and didn't care how we did it with the kids because they did Christmas travel instead of traditional gifts.

This! I don’t want any kid feeling bad because Santa didn’t bring them as expensive gift as their friends. Santa give a few not expensive things and the rest are from mom and dad.

Santa brings 1 moderate gift (this year it’s a $40 LEGO set he’s been eyeing). Mom and dad buy the rest.

Santa brings our kids the big gifts (dollhouses, bikes, game systems). These are the things they asked him for and are left unwrapped under the tree. There are also smaller gifts that come from parents, siblings, other family. These are mostly “needs” that Santa may not know that the kids want or need (coloring book, specific accessory to the toy they got for their birthday earlier, electric toothbrush). My kids “buy” gifts for others starting at an early age too.

Now that kids are teens they still know that they will get 1-2 big items from their wish list from “Santa”. (Which is sort of code word for aim big.

Recently My 13 yo was reminiscing about gifts from earlier years and was sort of in awe and appreciative of what we parents went thru to hide her bike that one year.

He fills the stockings and gives one big gift to each kid.

Santa brings all the kids' gifts in our house. Relatives also give gifts that come from them. This was how my husband and I grew up as well. Has never confused the kids.

Santa only brings some presents. He delivers them at night on Christmas Eve after DC goes to bed. Santas presents are in different wrapping paper. Santa never gives things like socks or anything useful; his gifts are always fun or interesting.

Santa generally brings small things that fit in the stockings hung up by the chimney with care.

Santa brings them all! And relatives gifts come from relatives, not Santa.

Anonymous wrote:Only some. Also, santa doesn't wrap, but does assemble most things.

+1

Only some. A few unwrapped gifts.

Most gifts are wrapped and from their moms. Any expensive gift is from their moms as well.

I grew up poor and never could figure out why my friends got tons of gifts and I only got one or two even though I was very good. I felt 1000% better when I learned that Santa was fake and there was nothing wrong with me.

The one thing I felt strongly about after having kids is that any expensive or big gifts came from us not Santa. My wife grew up rich and didn't care how we did it with the kids because they did Christmas travel instead of traditional gifts.

From parents - something you want/need/wear/read (not necessarily 4 presents, could be more if they're little)
From Santa - 1-2 bigger toys each (but not huge, nothing needing assembly) plus stockings

Everything wrapped. Santa uses Santa paper, which was probably a mistake in retrospect because it makes it more of a hassle.

So many lies.