Can’t Let Santa Steal My Thunder

Posted December 22, 2008 at 10:02 pm by Beth

Warning: Santa Spoiler – If your kids are reading over your shoulder, click away . . . CLICK AWAY NOW (and come back later).

I was finishing up the wrapping of gifts the other night. When I was done I went downstairs to the secret stash area, as in, the basement/office, to assess and organize. I wanted all “Santa Gifts” to be in one area, and all of the gifts from “Mommy and Daddy” to be in another for purposes of ease of distribution come Christmas Eve.

But when I separated the gifts out into their consecutive piles, I noticed a pattern. While they were roughly equal in quantity (two or three from Santa, and two or three from us), I cannot say as much for the quality when viewed from my children’s perspectives. It seemed that I had subconsciously labeled all of the books and more practical gifts (read: underwear and socks) as gifts from Santa, while the more fun stuff was clearly from, well, me. And maybe it wasn’t so subconscious. I suppose I can recall a few instances when wrapping where I specifically thought to myself, “Oh, he’s really gonna like that – that should be from Daddy and me . . .”

I mean, I can’t let Santa take credit for all of the awesome gift giving when I’m the one who made the gift selections, right?

I still switched some labels around and reorganized, giving “Santa” the majority of the “good stuff.” I remember when I was growing up that Santa was the bringer of decadence. The gifts from Santa on Christmas morning were clearly chosen based on Wow-Factor, and they never failed. They were big and they were in mass quantity. I marvel now that my parents were able to stand by and watch the man in red get all the credit for their hard labor. I suppose they knew that years later we would put it all together and know it was them all along, but still. I suppose joy is joy when it comes to watching your children rip through papers and packages.

But I’d better not hear anything about how great Santa’s gifts are and how lame/suckey/boring Mommy’s gifts are. I just don’t know that I’d be able to contain myself.

Tags: jealous of Santa, Santa Competition, santa gifts are great

Jane

Right, Joy is joy.Watching children delight is Christmas is the fun.
Alli

Honestly, among other factors, that was one of the reasons we decided not to “do Santa”. I’m selfish that way, I guess. I want my kids to know that mom and dad picked out the really awesome fun gifts that they wanted. You’re right, joy is joy, but I want the credit. And I’m not afraid to say so.
http://imperfectparent.com Allison G-MOD

How funny this article pops up, when the subject came up as we were wrapping presents last night.
My son wants a Nintendo DS. Badly. And he’ll tell anyone that has ears about it.
I decided that ‘mom and dad’ would be giving it to him, not Santa. I clothe, bathe, feed, and raise the boy 365 days a year. No way was the big jolly man gonna take credit for that, when he only comes around once a year, and the kids really never actually see him, right?
Well, Dh really wanted Santa to be the one to give him the gift, since it was the one and only thing he asked Santa for. If he didn’t get it from Santa, he might think he was naughty or Santa forgot about what he wanted. “He’s 7 years old, Honey. This just might be the last year he believes in Santa. Let’s make it a good one.”

I guess I can’t argue with that logic, huh? (sigh)

My girls were easier. They asked Santa for things a little more realistic. My 3 y.o. daughter even put on her Christmas list to Santa “I want 3 pieces of chocolate, and 4 pieces of candy cane.” (well, she didn’t write it, she drew pictures of it) I think I can handle that.
http://mommieblogs.blogspot.com Courtney from Mommie Blogs

I am not there yet as my little superman is only 17 months, but it made me think… what would I do? Is it awful, as I not sure if you posted this in jest, but I think I would split the good gifts (even steven)…

totally selfish, I know!
http://originaldisneygirl.blogspot.com Kelly_Belle

Allison…too funny! Little Melanie wants a Disney Princess Bike so badly, it’s all she talks about! She just “knows” Santa is going to come through and make it happen!!!

But…dang it! I bought it! I hunted it down! I spent all that time searching and wondering if I would be able to find it! I’m the one who hid it at her Godparents house! Why shouldn’t I get the credit for it? Why should I stand by and watch this precious “almost 3 year old” give some man who only exists in her mind the credit for my work?

Oh right…because once upon a time…I too believed in the jolly old man in the red suit. And nothing pleased me more than getting the My Little Pony dream Castle from him one year. I just knew that he had read my letter and made it happen.

Ughhhh….they saying being an adult sucks (which is true sometimes), but “being Santa” without the credit sucks more.

I really can’t wait to see my little girls face when she lays her beautiful brown eyes on that bike in a couple of days!!!
http://www.imperfectparent.com Rita

I dunno, being a Festivus convert myself (after reading Hillary’s entry, that really hit the spot), I’m so tired of Christmas the way it is. Right now, if you’re not into the big Christian element of it, then it’s really just a celebration of crap, isn’t it? Everyone goes out and buys a bunch of crap and exchanges it with each other. I buy some crap to give to you, you buy some crap to give to me and we all buy mountains of crap to give to the kids. Plus we have to wrap the crap in other crap specially bought for the purpose of wrapping this particular holiday’s crap. And, we have to buy special crap to cook for this one and holy holiday as well.

I’d be fine with just letting there be only a gift from Santa and nothing else. That way, at least it seems there’s some purpose to it, some grander magical spirit moving it along and it’s not just a big commercialistic orgasm.

I’m just tired of the shopping, the cooking, the cards, the lines, the stress of it all. Yeah, the goodwill is nice, but it seems coming up short, lately, doesn’t it? Especially for a season that started with a worker being trampled to death… in the spirit of Christmas.

I’m thinking that next year (since this one is almost done), the best gift I can give my kids is to reduce the amount of stress they put on themselves when they’re adults by removing us from this competitive Christmas mayhem. I love the idea of Santa. I love the magic and mystery and wonder of it all. The rest, I could do without. I think if we’re NEEDING to take credit for all the work we’re doing for Christmas, then we’re doing too much work. No?
http://sallinger.spaces.live.com/default.aspx mully

Not to sound condescending here, but reading all of your posts, I am remembering back a good 25 years and thinking how times really dont change much.

When I was a young mom, all of my girlfriends and I felt the same way all of you do. Christmas is too commercialized. Too hectic. Too stressed. Too busy. Too expensive. Too, too, too. I found myself dreading it and then ultimately hating it before I realized that it was ME causing it all.

Its what you make it. As little or as much as you can handle.
If you dont realize when youve gone too far or had enough or done too much, learn to recognize your signs and stop before you begin to hate the season.

I found that no one loved me less if I didnt send cards. My kids dont remember (now that they are adults) the candy and cookies I slaved over the oven and stove to make for them as much as they do, waking up on Christmas morning and spending a few peaceful moments in bed with mommy and daddy before we went downstairs to see what Santa brought them. They are all adults now and when they talk about Christmases past, what comes out is the togetherness, the family time. The riding around looking at lights. The trip to Clifton Mill to see the gorge all lit up with lights. The trip to the Conservatory in Cincinnati to see the annual live Nativity and the giant poinsettia tree. They remember waking up on Christmas morning and finding a kiss from Santa (ME!) in red lipstick on their cheeks. They never once asked or wondered why Santa might be wearing red lipstick. They remember midnight Mass and the awe and wonder of ancient Christmas carols sung by the choir and the altar lit with what seemed like a thousand candles. They remember Gramma and Grampa and a houseful of cousins. All things that cost very little if anything.

Its about the things that you take the time to do with them and less about the gifts (altho they do matter to some extent).

Having been the frazzled Mom who felt overworked and overtired and definitely OVER Christmas all those years ago, I can tell you this now, looking back, I am glad we kept the idea and legend of Santa Claus alive in our family for never again does a child have such a magical feeling as knowing that someone cares enough about him or her to hear their little voices when they ask for that one, something special gift.

It truly IS a wonderful time of year and if it takes more time and more effort and maybe costs a bit more than any other time of the year, arent they worth it?

Merry Christmas everyone!
http://originaldisneygirl.blogspot.com Kelly_Belle

Rita…the whole “point” of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus…not gifts or stressing yourself out. If anyone is causing you stress, it’s yourself. No one else can put that burden upon your shoulders, not without you letting them. Trust me, I have PLENTY of things to be stressed about right now, but I am just taking every thing event by event, day by day. I hope you are able to find the joy of the holidays again.
http://www.imperfectparent.com Rita

Yes, Mully, I’m starting to see the wisdom in that. We hugely reduced what we did for this Christmas and it is all going smoother. However, there is still that outside expectation from others, you know? We don’t live in a vacuum, our kids are around other kids and we are around other people and there’s just this huge Christmas Momentum that is very hard to step outside of and still be in touch with the outside world. Finding that balance is not so easy, but we’re working on it! Eliminating the things I don’t like and just focusing on what I do like–honestly the bitching about baking and cards was mentioned only because I’ve heard all my friends complain about it, that they HAVE TO do this and they HAVE TO do that, and it HAS TO be homemade, and so on. I gave up on that years ago, but the younger moms still feel the pressure. It’s really sad that this is what it’s become, and I really hope my kids don’t get caught up in it as adults.

This whole thread about competing with Santa though, just sat wrong with me. The idea of working hard for the *presents* and then begrudging Santa taking the credit just smacked of extreme consumerism that I had to comment on it. I’m all for simplifying and finding the joy in the magic of the season and not the joy in the STUFF that they unwrap.

Can’t Let Santa Steal My Thunder

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