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Twas the night before Christmas...

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:36 pm
by mum23*
All this talk of pressies has me wondering what those of you with older DCs have done about Father Christmas?
We are a very Christmassy family and even went to Lapland and met Santa (a lovely gift from the grandparents, we went with them and my SIL and her children). Very dark, very cold and a fire lit sleigh ride to his house...
I have never had the "official" chat with mine but last night while chatting around the table I did say to my girls (14 and almost 13) that as they don't really want toys anymore then it is not really for Father Christmas to bring things in his sleigh for them as that is for children who want toys but that he might still bring some toys for DS who is younger and still likes toys. Some of you might think at almost 11 he is too old but I would love to hear what you have done and I am wondering if I should have just said nothing?
Did you...

Have the chat and a slight change of stocking hanging traditions?
Say nothing but assume they know and keep things the same stocking wise?
Say nothing but assume they know and change things?

I am thinking of asking DDs if they would like a different, more grown up stocking to hang as all three have similar stockings which are velvety and decorated with little appliques of toys etc
or should they no longer have a stocking???? what is the feeling out there in EPE land? or do you think I'm a nut for even thinking about this?

Re: Twas the night before Christmas...

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:42 pm
by Guest55
I'm afraid my DC has never believed in Father Christmas ... we still hang stockings but he knows that presents come from us/relatives.

It has never detracted from the magic of Christmas -

Re: Twas the night before Christmas...

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:06 pm
by scary mum
We've never had the conversation, but they all seem to know, but as Guest55 says, it doesn't detract from the magic and we still hang stockings.

Re: Twas the night before Christmas...

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:06 pm
by scarlett
My DD who is 7 still believes in Father Christmas and I think my DS who is 9 might half think he is still real :shock: but then we are a rather " magical family " and I regularly paint acorns gold and leave them on window sills or make tiny little fairy dresses and leave them with a note. I know some might think that is awful, but I don't and my children all have vivid imaginations , so I like to think I'm helping them with their education !

I think lots of little presents in a stocking is the best bit for children...I hate just having a couple of presents , and I've been dropping hints for years that Father Christmas could perhaps visit me , but to no avail. :(

They don't have to have toys in a stocking either.FC is a dab hand at toiletries and hair accessories too. Mrs FC spends 3 months of the year teaching him. :)

Re: Twas the night before Christmas...

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:49 pm
by solimum
I have three DC who each have their own fabric stockings (as made by Grandma many years ago) and are (at ages 24, 21 and 17!) perfectly happy to go along with the pretence that "Santa" has carefully selected the contents! The main difficulty is that they don't go to bed early enough, even after we have staggered home from our traditional Christmas eve drinks with the neighbours, for Santa to do his rounds in complete safety! I have actually always quite enjoyed trying to find a things in threes which can appeal to them all but possibly with a personal twist, such as mugs, pens & pencils, CDs, toiletries, wind-up toys or other silliness from Hawkins Bazaar, chocolate orange, face flannel, beer bottle opener... .. A mixture of the practical, the silly and the edible seems to go down well, and Santa's ingenuity is much admired.

I guess once they either stop coming home for Christmas or start bringing the partner/children I'll have to stop but so far it seems to work!

Re: Twas the night before Christmas...

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:11 pm
by push-pull-mum
I never had a stocking growing up (cue violins now) but when I was 20 I went to stay with a boyfriend's family over Christmas.
Imagine my surprise on Christmas morning (after I had navigated my way past the alarm system and electric fence his parents had set up outside my bedroom door to prevent nocturnal bed hopping) to find a handmade stocking crammed with goodies hanging from my door knob.

Such lovely lovely people. :D

Re: Twas the night before Christmas...

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:23 pm
by DenDe
My older 2 are almost 12 and although we've never had "the conversation" (not that one anyway!) they have let me know that they don't believe any more. However, at the suggestion to DD that this year we would do away with the stocking full of goodies and buy her a year's mobile phone subscription instead she replied that she would prefer the subscription for her birthday as you "have to have a stocking for Christmas." (Actually more of a pillow case)

With 4 DC to buy bits and pieces for I'm looking forward to the year I don't have to spend 3 months Christmas shopping, so you've worried me Solimum!

As for a stocking for any future boy/girlfriends - bah humbug!

Re: Twas the night before Christmas...

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:28 pm
by Marylou
Our youngest is still only nine, which means we can probably weave the magic for one more year! DD1 and DD2 have been promoted to the role of "Santa's Helpers", though things do get a bit complicated as they still get their own presents with the younger ones. DD1 at the grand old age of 18 seems quite happy about this, though! :roll: :lol:

Re: Twas the night before Christmas...

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:34 pm
by inkypinkyponky
Oh push-pull-mum, how sweet. What lovely people indeed!

Our DS is only 5 so does believe that FC delivers some little prezzies to the end of his bed. Bigger prezzies from the family are under the tree for after breakfast.

The estate where we live has a parade every Christmas Eve with a van towing a small trailer with (the real!) FC sitting on an armchair, with a standard lamp too. Totally illegal trailer but all the years Mr inky towed FC around behind his Landrover, they were never caught by the police! All the roads on the estate are driven along, and hundreds pf people come out of their houses to watch. It's really special!

DDs are now 17 and 14 and still have to believe in FC in order to get a stocking filled with goodies, but like solimum says, they stay up too late for a middle-of-the-night secret delivery. Got rumbled one year as FC tried to make way across a really messy bedroom, fell over something, smacked head hard against the wall and shrieked 'f***' extremely loudly! :oops:

Re: Twas the night before Christmas...

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:46 pm
by aliportico
Father Christmas only brings the stocking presents here, which aren't big presents, just books and maybe a piece of clothing, and bits and pieces and silly things, and the essential satsuma! So yes, my 15 and 13 year olds will still definitely be hanging theirs out :)

Sometimes dh and I do stockings for each other but not always. A few years ago my MIL stayed over Christmas Eve and we did a little stocking for her and she was pleased I think. She is supposed to be staying again this year, so I guess we might do it again. Last year my cousin and his family were here, and my cousin-in-law and I had a lovely time filling the 6 kids' stockings :) When we get to partners being here for Christmas, they'll almost certainly get stockings too :)