Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Sept 29, 2014 16:06:12 GMT -5
We have done Santa, but haven't made a huge, huge deal about it. My family buys the kids so much that I didn't want too much coming from Santa. Every year my now 8yo comes up with an unattainable gift and tells me it is ok, because Santa's elves can make it for her. One year my mom took on one of her requests as a sewing project. This year, she is asking for a kid sized hamster wheel. That doesn't exist, does it? I think I saw a human sized hamster ball on CSI once. (Don't ask) |
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steph08
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Post by steph08 on Sept 29, 2014 16:07:22 GMT -5
DD is only three months old but I cannot wait until the years when she believes in Santa. Yes we will do it and I will go overboard.  My mom still does presents from Santa and numerous others - the elves, Jack Frost, frosty, Rudolph, then people pertaining to the gift - Luke, Han, Yoda if it is Star Wars themed, scooby Doo if it is a gift for the dogs, etc. We left out cookies and milk and carrots for the reindeer. I still love Christmas. DH lost the magic but now with DD he is always saying how excited he is for Christmas.  Only problem I am going to have is getting the in laws to just give presents from themselves at their house. For nephew, they are like "Santa dropped this here." Or "Santa left this with aunt Steph." No, no he didn't! |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 16:07:23 GMT -5
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justme
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Post by justme on Sept 29, 2014 16:08:25 GMT -5
One of my mom's charity groups did the Santa chair at my city's yearly Christmas festival day. It was the same Santa every year. Not only that, he was also the Santa in the Christmas parade. Needless to say, that made it so much easier to convince us kids he was the real one - especially since he'd remember us because we'd hang out there all day. I remember one year when I was starting to not believe to have gotten a call from Santa. I was convinced it was my dad on one of the other house phones (with those old school portable ones with antennas) that I ran off to go bust him outside. Turns out he was just out there chopping wood! I was wrong!! Got me to believe at least one more year.
Found out years later it was something the paper would do if you paid a couple bucks.
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Abby Normal
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Post by Abby Normal on Sept 29, 2014 16:10:52 GMT -5
I don't think any of our cats believe in Santa. They do, however, believe in the "Tuna Fairy"  Our dogs get stockings. Always have. They get a new bone to chew on and a couple toys to play with while we open gifts. Keeps them from trying to eat the wrapping paper. |
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Sept 29, 2014 16:11:03 GMT -5
Please tell me just-barely-two year olds are big enough to get into the Christmas magic. Christmas sucked last year. BB was only a year old, way too young to get into the spirit, and the rest of us were in serious Grinch mode for God knows what reason. We didn't even put up a tree. We just couldn't get excited about any of it.
It's my absolute favorite holiday and I cannot wait for my kid to get into it... I'm really, really hoping she's old enough to at least get somewhat worked up this year. Advent calendar with chocolates, tree decorating, visiting SF to see Ghirardelli and all the crazy decorations...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 16:12:31 GMT -5
My kids love Christmas. We do a sock advent, and we've gotten in the habit of picking up cool socks whenever we see them throughout the year. It's still fun  |
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lynnerself
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Post by lynnerself on Sept 29, 2014 16:25:46 GMT -5
I still do Christmas stockings. The kids will be 27 and 28. Things will change if and when there are grandkids.
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emma1420
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Post by emma1420 on Sept 29, 2014 16:52:15 GMT -5
Please tell me just-barely-two year olds are big enough to get into the Christmas magic. Christmas sucked last year. BB was only a year old, way too young to get into the spirit, and the rest of us were in serious Grinch mode for God knows what reason. We didn't even put up a tree. We just couldn't get excited about any of it. It's my absolute favorite holiday and I cannot wait for my kid to get into it... I'm really, really hoping she's old enough to at least get somewhat worked up this year. Advent calendar with chocolates, tree decorating, visiting SF to see Ghirardelli and all the crazy decorations... My niece was 2 and a half last Xmas, and she knew about Santa, but she wasn't that excited (until she saw the presents). We went all out, creating boot prints and "snow", etc. This year she's already talking about Santa coming, so I think she's caught on more this year. I do think that we all worked on priming her for this year. Even I get still get a stocking from "Santa" every year (despite the fact that I'm in my late 30's). I adore Xmas. |
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sesfw
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Post by sesfw on Sept 29, 2014 16:58:58 GMT -5
I'm really, really hoping she's old enough to at least get somewhat worked up this year.
Babybird might still be too young. Take her to see Santa at the mall and get a family picture taken. Get one each year.
Once she starts pre-school or kindergarten then the excitement will build. |
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Sept 29, 2014 17:01:22 GMT -5
Babybird might still be too young. Take her to see Santa at the mall and get a family picture taken. Get one each year.
Yeah, I don't see that happening. She's not real big on strangers right now. She might enjoy watching him with the other kids but I think attempting to put her on his lap would result in the classic "WAHHH THIS MAN IS KIDNAPPING ME WHY WOULD YOU LET HIM DO THAT MOMMY?" face that we see in a bunch of Santa photos.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Sept 29, 2014 17:21:08 GMT -5
Growing up, we did the Santa thing.
Should I ever have kids, I'll probably do the same thing.
As for when you tell them? I don't know, probably play it by ear. They'll probably figure it out on their own eventually anyway. I know I did.
I don't think there's anything harmful in it. In fact, it can be a good way to manipulate kids to behave around the holidays. |
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taz157
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Post by taz157 on Sept 29, 2014 18:02:06 GMT -5
Babybird might still be too young. Take her to see Santa at the mall and get a family picture taken. Get one each year.
Yeah, I don't see that happening. She's not real big on strangers right now. She might enjoy watching him with the other kids but I think attempting to put her on his lap would result in the classic "WAHHH THIS MAN IS KIDNAPPING ME WHY WOULD YOU LET HIM DO THAT MOMMY?" face that we see in a bunch of Santa photos. DD was 2.25 for Christmas last year and I ended up sitting with her so I could get a picture. For the presents, she was into it once it started going along with decorating the tree. I think DD will be more into it this year. I can't wait! |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 18:08:05 GMT -5
Ever read Santaland Diaries?
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Sept 29, 2014 18:08:08 GMT -5
Somewhat related, her birthday is a week from Saturday. I'm hoping that she'll understand what's going on somewhat... at least that it's her "special day" and the big party is for her. We've got some fun stuff planned and we're inviting the nice kids from the neighborhood. She's getting to the age where she's very excitable and it's fun to watch, so part of me wants her to understand why it's so exciting! |
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Sept 29, 2014 18:08:31 GMT -5
Ever read Santaland Diaries? No, what's that? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 18:12:37 GMT -5
David Sedaris. Adventures working at Macy's Santaland.
One of the things that comes up is the parents forcing the kids to sit on santas lap.
Anyway, it's a funny, funny read, or if you can see it performed somewhere. (Not his best audio...)
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Sept 29, 2014 18:14:29 GMT -5
I'll check it out, thanks! I love Christmas stuff. I still read Skipping Christmas every Thanksgiving.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 18:21:36 GMT -5
Oh, and tying themes together, when he was drug tested of Macy's his "urine had roaches and stems floating in it, but still they hired me" ... On an unrelated note, I had to look that quote up online, because when I went to find my copy I couldn't because somehow, I don't know how, all my bookshelves are stacked two deep again...  ... Sigh. How do I amass books like this...? |
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 29, 2014 18:25:50 GMT -5
My kids love Christmas. We do a sock advent, and we've gotten in the habit of picking up cool socks whenever we see them throughout the year. It's still fun Ooh, what's a sock Advent? |
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 29, 2014 18:27:56 GMT -5
I still do Christmas stockings. The kids will be 27 and 28. Things will change if and when there are grandkids. Not for me. Ill just add more stockings! |
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Sept 29, 2014 18:29:24 GMT -5
We have done Santa, but haven't made a huge, huge deal about it. My family buys the kids so much that I didn't want too much coming from Santa. Every year my now 8yo comes up with an unattainable gift and tells me it is ok, because Santa's elves can make it for her. One year my mom took on one of her requests as a sewing project. This year, she is asking for a kid sized hamster wheel. That doesn't exist, does it?  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 18:31:58 GMT -5
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 29, 2014 18:33:26 GMT -5
OMG! Wow!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 18:35:06 GMT -5
Can't add words to that pic? 12 pr of socks, a small present in each, each day someone opens a small present and gets a sock... Last 12 days it's a pair. When they were young it was a great way to look forward to things... This is aunts sock. That's the day she comes home. This sock is GG house! This sock is nutcracker... Etc. Now we just acknowledge it for what it is... Countdown to gluttony |
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 29, 2014 18:37:38 GMT -5
Perfect!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 19:43:32 GMT -5
Babybird might still be too young. Take her to see Santa at the mall and get a family picture taken. Get one each year.
Yeah, I don't see that happening. She's not real big on strangers right now. She might enjoy watching him with the other kids but I think attempting to put her on his lap would result in the classic "WAHHH THIS MAN IS KIDNAPPING ME WHY WOULD YOU LET HIM DO THAT MOMMY?" face that we see in a bunch of Santa photos. Yeah, but that makes for the best Santa pictures.  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 19:46:06 GMT -5
Babybird might still be too young. Take her to see Santa at the mall and get a family picture taken. Get one each year.
Yeah, I don't see that happening. She's not real big on strangers right now. She might enjoy watching him with the other kids but I think attempting to put her on his lap would result in the classic "WAHHH THIS MAN IS KIDNAPPING ME WHY WOULD YOU LET HIM DO THAT MOMMY?" face that we see in a bunch of Santa photos. Yeah, but that makes for the best Santa pictures.  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2014 19:50:29 GMT -5
Yeah, but that makes for the best Santa pictures.  |
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econstudent
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Post by econstudent on Sept 29, 2014 21:09:46 GMT -5
We leave Santa cookies and a glass of water. DD will be 4 this year and her imagination is huge, so we may throw in something for the reindeer if she's into it. So far we haven't told her much about Santa, so she believes what she has inferred from whatever she hears. I'd like to incorporate the story of St. Nick somehow.
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