Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Sept 29, 2014 21:44:11 GMT -5
I have a couple pictures of myself sitting on Santa's lap holding each one of my boys. I think toddlers don't do weird fat guys with white beards. We got free Santa pics done at my credit union. No sense paying a bunch of money for pics of my kids bawling or freaking out. My parents didn't do Santa, and I felt like I missed out as a kid, but also feel like I don't know how to do it right. So, we're doing a little bit if Santa, but no Elf on a Shelf. That's just too freaky/stalker-ish. My 4 year old has been asking for toys lately, so we've been telling him that maybe Christmas, and that he could ask Santa for it. Today, he wants to go to the bank 'cause he's got to talk to Santa.
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andi9899
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Post by andi9899 on Sept 29, 2014 22:53:46 GMT -5
My kids believed in Santa. They were actually the ones who told me he didn't exist. They figured it out because Santa had the same hand writing and wrapping paper. I was secretly happy that I could take credit for the other half of my gifts.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Sept 29, 2014 23:14:41 GMT -5
We told the kids that Santa is a story, and never said he was real. The kids always get gifts from Santa (and the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny) because it is fun. My husband was adamant that we did not tell them Santa was real. I'm neither here nor there on the whole thing. It was easy to not have to worry about the whole hiding gifts and buying separate wrapping paper, and whatever. We also open gifts on Christmas Eve - so I didn't know how to explain the whole Santa thing. Now that we have settled into our family routine, we open some gifts on Christmas Eve and some on Christmas morning - so they get their "Santa" gift in the morning. We didn't really do that when they were young enough to believe.
As my kids grow up - I'm happy to be done with a lot of the crap of having younger kids. I loved doing it, but now I'm glad it is over.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Sept 30, 2014 5:49:36 GMT -5
My kids believed until about age 9 maybe. DD didn't believe as long because her big mouth brothers filled her in earlier, lol. And, yeah, we did it because it is fun.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Sept 30, 2014 6:24:38 GMT -5
We do Santa. And St. Nick stockings.
I don't know if DS has figured it out or not. He's pretty naive. I don't want to confirm with him, because DD1 and DD2 are still believers. For sure, he'd ruin it for DD1 out of spite.
Then there was a girl a couple years ago at a store that told DD1 Santa didn't exist. I was not happy.
I guess I don't see the big deal. We don't really make Christmas about the gifts all that much anyway. This year, the older two are getting a scooter, an ornament and something else from us (related to the Santa gift). Santa is bringing the good stuff (electronics, if we can swing it).
I'm always shocked at the little things they prefer. Decorating sugar cookies, snuggling while watching Rudolph, the tradition of getting an ornament every year.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2014 6:28:12 GMT -5
Son was more than willing to keep secret for sis because 1) he didnt want Santa gifts to stop, and 2) he then graduated to sneaking in the middle of the night and helping put the presents under the tree
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Sept 30, 2014 6:29:17 GMT -5
I think that kids don't want to admit they don't believe in Santa because they think they will then get less presents, lol.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2014 8:28:13 GMT -5
My kids believed in Santa. They were actually the ones who told me he didn't exist. They figured it out because Santa had the same hand writing and wrapping paper. I was secretly happy that I could take credit for the other half of my gifts. I don't understand the bolded part. why did you need to 'take credit' for the gifts?
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 30, 2014 9:42:18 GMT -5
Cuz you want to be AWESOME mom not awesome Santa.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2014 9:54:46 GMT -5
Cuz you want to be AWESOME mom not awesome Santa. seriously? never even crossed my mind. my kids got 2 gifts from me (1 was jammies) and everything else was from Santa. it never even crossed my mind that I needed to be the one that the gifts came from and needed to get credit.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 30, 2014 10:01:54 GMT -5
I watched a prison inmates children's tree go belly up one time because the charity wanted to put the incarcerated persons name on the gifts instead of Santa and the potential donors wouldn't put up with it. They were okay with Santa getting credit but balked at the criminal taking credit. That was interesting, to say the least. So rather than the charity saying okay, they removed the tree. Beggars being choosers, I suppose.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2014 10:05:38 GMT -5
I watched a prison inmates children's tree go belly up one time because the charity wanted to put the incarcerated persons name on the gifts instead of Santa and the potential donors wouldn't put up with it. They were okay with Santa getting credit but balked at the criminal taking credit. That was interesting, to say the least. So rather than the charity saying okay, they removed the tree. Beggars being choosers, I suppose. it's not really charity if you need to get credit for it
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Sept 30, 2014 10:08:18 GMT -5
They were okay with Santa getting credit. Just not okay the other way. I'm still not sure how I feel.
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sesfw
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Post by sesfw on Sept 30, 2014 10:10:54 GMT -5
I'd like to incorporate the story of St. Nick somehow.
Have you seen the story of Santa at the Manger?
St Nicholas was a 4th century priest, also know as Nikolaos of Myra. He had a reputation of secret gift-giving such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus. His feast day is 6 December.
If you wish to teach your children about the real spirit of Christmas it's fairly easy. As they get older you can start getting a name from a 'shelter tree' for a gift. Tell the kids they are being Santa to another person, and doing something good without the recipient knowing who did it.
It's the start of a life-time of charitable works.
When I worked at a mall Santa set I encouraged parents to sit with them and Santa for the picture. Keeps the kids a lot calmer during the early years.
I remember one family that had just adopted a couple of older (9, 12) kids from Russia that didn't understand English. They were scared out of their wits but sat with Santa for the picture. We tried to be very gentle with them and the picture was great. Hope the family is doing well.
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Abby Normal
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Post by Abby Normal on Sept 30, 2014 10:25:03 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. When DS was 5 we spent the night at grandmas house. To make sure that santa stopped there, we sprinkled reindeer food on the lawn to get there attention. It was cheerios, oatmeal and red and green sugar sprinkles. It was awesome. The pictures of him spreading it in the snow (which we actually had that year) are still some of my favorite.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Sept 30, 2014 10:39:31 GMT -5
We do it. I'm not sure we'll have DD believing a whole lot longer - she's pretty quick on the uptake when she wants to be. She's 6. I wrap ahead of time when I can. So some years I'm up too late finishing and others it's done days in advance. We put out whatever the kids want to. When I was a kid, we put out beer and cookies and sometimes whole carrots for the reindeer (which ended up right back in the veggie drawer!) Santa comes to our house early on Christmas Eve. Then the kids get to open presents during the party. We host an Open House type thing for the extended families since my MIL insists on seeing the kids open every present. I insist on Santa coming Christmas Eve. This is the limit of my willingness to compromise. Christmas morning rotates between our house, MIL's and BIL's. I accepted that when I married DH and don't try to change it. My family does a Christmas thing the Sunday after Christmas Day at my older brother's because that usually works for everyone's schedules.
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ohmomto2boys
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Post by ohmomto2boys on Sept 30, 2014 12:17:38 GMT -5
We do Santa. Kids are firm believers. They also know they don't get everything they ask for because there are a lot of kids that Santa has to take care of. We put out cookies and milk or beer. We have done the reindeer food too. We have done Christmas morning in our house, and at grandparents house. My kids are never worried about where they are - they know Santa will find them. This might be the last year DS1 believes. I will have to threaten him not to tell his little brother. We do Santa because it is fun. Stockings were a big deal when I was a kid. So now I make them a big deal for the kids. They are allowed to open their stocking presents before everyone is up. The gifts under the tree they have to wait. I do special wrapping paper for Santa's gifts. No handwriting necessary. When the kids look to see who it is from and they don't see anything - I just tell them it must be Santa because I don't have wrapping paper like that.
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Sept 30, 2014 12:29:50 GMT -5
Heck - I still believe in Santa!!! When I was a child, my mother told us that when you stop believing in Santa, he stops bringing you presents . . .
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2014 12:31:46 GMT -5
Heck - I still believe in Santa!!! When I was a child, my mother told us that when you stop believing in Santa, he stops bringing you presents . . .
Yep. I tell older son that too, so he never even hints to his brother that Santa might not exist.
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Sept 30, 2014 12:34:36 GMT -5
Heck - I still believe in Santa!!! When I was a child, my mother told us that when you stop believing in Santa, he stops bringing you presents . . .
Yep. I tell older son that too, so he never even hints to his brother that Santa might not exist.
"Santa exists forever in the hearts and minds of the children of the world."
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kittensaver
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We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
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Post by kittensaver on Sept 30, 2014 12:47:14 GMT -5
Looking back, my mother was very smart. She always told us that the stocking contents and "stocking gifts" were from Santa. Everything under the tree was from the family, but Santa helped her out by placing everything nicely. Smart. We never had any questions or "confusion" about Santa because of this. It was always clear what-was-what
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lexxy703
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Post by lexxy703 on Sept 30, 2014 13:11:10 GMT -5
That is how my family did it too.
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sesfw
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Post by sesfw on Sept 30, 2014 18:08:59 GMT -5
"Santa exists forever in the hearts and minds of the children of the world."
I believe in Santa. I enjoy being Santa. It's been like this all of my life.
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Miss Tequila
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Post by Miss Tequila on Sept 30, 2014 19:08:57 GMT -5
I love Santa! It makes Christmas fun! My oldest figured it out early and my youngest might always believe.
I can't imagine not doing Santa.
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NastyWoman
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Post by NastyWoman on Sept 30, 2014 20:08:51 GMT -5
Of course my kids believe in Santa as do I. At 36 and 32 they are far too young to no longer believe in fairy tales. Life needs to have some dependable fun times!
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Sunnyday
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Post by Sunnyday on Sept 30, 2014 23:51:14 GMT -5
We're fresh out of the usual parenting battle topics so I thought this one might be fun Do you do Santa in your house? Why or why not? If yes, when do you plan to tell them the truth? Was Santa done in your house growing up? Babybird isn't old enough to get Santa yet, but while I'm all for her going to visit Santa and leave cookies and milk and whatever else, I do intend to make it clear it's just for fun and a pretend story. I'm 28 and I still find Christmas fun and magical even without Santa. No, I don't believe in lying to my children. kidding! I lie to my children all the time! Come here; I have chocolate! Kidding, let's brush your teeth. We do have Santa in our household, but I wish that we wouldn't but it's hard to buck the trend when everyone is so into it. I didn't grow up with it, and I never believed. I always thought it was kind of stupid, and now that I have children, I get kind of pissed that some imaginary character is getting credit for my cool gifts. Santa got credit for the doll house last year, and we, the parents, got credit for the new socks and pjs. whoopee!
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quince
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Post by quince on Oct 1, 2014 0:51:01 GMT -5
I don't expect we'll be doing Santa. I just can't get enthusiastic about it.
We did Santa when I was growing up. I always thought it was creepy and was glad my room was far away from where we set up the tree and had a door that closed and locked.
Who knows, though? Maybe when he's two or three the grandparents will start pushing in that direction, and husband I will go along with it because we don't really care.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2014 6:58:28 GMT -5
We're fresh out of the usual parenting battle topics so I thought this one might be fun Do you do Santa in your house? Why or why not? If yes, when do you plan to tell them the truth? Was Santa done in your house growing up? Babybird isn't old enough to get Santa yet, but while I'm all for her going to visit Santa and leave cookies and milk and whatever else, I do intend to make it clear it's just for fun and a pretend story. I'm 28 and I still find Christmas fun and magical even without Santa. No, I don't believe in lying to my children. kidding! I lie to my children all the time! Come here; I have chocolate! Kidding, let's brush your teeth. We do have Santa in our household, but I wish that we wouldn't but it's hard to buck the trend when everyone is so into it. I didn't grow up with it, and I never believed. I always thought it was kind of stupid, and now that I have children, I get kind of pissed that some imaginary character is getting credit for my cool gifts. Santa got credit for the doll house last year, and we, the parents, got credit for the new socks and pjs. whoopee! why do you need credit for anything? I don't understand that thinking. do your kids need to give you credit for providing them a roof over their head and food?
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tloonya
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Post by tloonya on Oct 1, 2014 9:16:51 GMT -5
Told my daughter when she first asked that everything she ever gets - it is daddy, mommy or grandma. No Santa or Tooth Fairy are taking credits for my presents to my kid!!! Though I told her not to upset her friends. And she never did. She once ran up to me and said mom, best friend knows about Santa. I was like I told you not to tell. She said NO, her older brother found out. He was about 10 and girls were like 7...it was hilarious.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Oct 1, 2014 9:22:56 GMT -5
Santa can't bring socks and jammies? Hmmm, I may have been doing this wrong...
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