How Does Your Santa Operate?

Lounge By indydebi Updated 31 Dec 2008 , 6:34pm by 7yyrt

-Tubbs Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-Tubbs Posted 22 Dec 2008 , 10:27pm
post #31 of 39

It's lovely reading about all the different family traditions!

Ours are pretty standard. Stockings at the end of the bed with little stuff in, the proper presents under the tree - everything wrapped.

Something different I noticed on moving to Canada, is that the UK Santa (or Father Christmas), was a little boozier. Instead of milk and cookies, we left him a small glass of sherry and a mince pie! *mmm mince pies - need to make pastry. Now.*

marmalade1687 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
marmalade1687 Posted 23 Dec 2008 , 2:01pm
post #32 of 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

My sister and I still believe in Santa!! Santa represents the magic of Christmas and if you don't believe in the magic ... the magic of a child's innocent belief, the magic of a child's smile at the wonder and the lights, the magic of the music and the decorations .... then it's just another day on the calendar. thumbs_up.gif




I'm with you Indydebi! When I was 6 years old, my parents had just divorced. My mom had to work a late shift at the hospital where she was a nurse, so my grandmother was taking my brother and I home late Christmas eve to spend our first Christmas as a threesome with our mom. As we were walking down our street, I happened to look in the door of a house (the screen door was open) - Santa was in the house! icon_eek.gif He was just a few houses away from mine, and I was not asleep in bed yet! I made my grandmother run down the street at full speed so that we could get home before Santa got to our house!

I have told this story to my own children, and they still believe in Santa (they are 10 and 13) - the Spirit of Christmas is very strong in our home. I have been very lucky to marry a man who feels the same way that I do too!

Merry Christmas everyone!

sweeteats0919 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sweeteats0919 Posted 23 Dec 2008 , 3:02pm
post #33 of 39

I remember when I was younger we always left cookies out for Santa and of course all the presents were wrapped. Some of the presents were addressed from Santa and then some of them were from my parents.

I also remember one year we left an apple in the driveway for the reindeer and then next morning it had a big bite taken out of it. My brother and I were amazed that the reindeer had taken a bite. I dont think we will forget that year. Christmas is a magical time for children. I know when I have kids I want to make it a special time of year for them.
Merry Christmas

MikeRowesHunny Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
MikeRowesHunny Posted 23 Dec 2008 , 4:46pm
post #34 of 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by TubbsCookies

It's lovely reading about all the different family traditions!

Ours are pretty standard. Stockings at the end of the bed with little stuff in, the proper presents under the tree - everything wrapped.

Something different I noticed on moving to Canada, is that the UK Santa (or Father Christmas), was a little boozier. Instead of milk and cookies, we left him a small glass of sherry and a mince pie! *mmm mince pies - need to make pastry. Now.*




Ah, now you see that's the proper way to do it! Booze & mince pies always win the day at our house too! I believe port is the tipple of choice this year lol! I made the mince pies this afternoon (gorgeous Nigella Lawson recipe that's studded with cranberries - really delish!), 24 in all, although there are now only 18 remaining icon_redface.gif (not entirely down to me I hasten to add!)

Larrimore Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Larrimore Posted 23 Dec 2008 , 6:29pm
post #35 of 39

Our Santa always comes on Christmas Eve, and yes everything is wrapped. Santa always puts a new ornament in your stocking and wraps it in your special wrapping paper so you know which presents are yours under the tree. He also leaves the extra wrapping paper behind. And I have always been the first one up and have to beg my daughter's to get up to see what Santa brought them. icon_confused.gif (I kept wondering if there was something wrong with them lol) Once my oldest daughter got old enough, I would take her clothes shopping prior to Christmas, then wrap her clothes in her special paper, and she had to act surprised when she opened them Christmas morning so her little sister would not catch on. She did a really good job too!!!! Oh, and if the present was something the girls were to share with each other, then it would be wrapped 1/2 & 1/2 with their paper and they would have to open it together. My DH and I also started staying home on Christmas day so the girls could play all day instead of having to run to the in-laws or my mom's. This year though, we are going to my oldest daughter's so she does not have to drag her 2 year old son away from his presents. yippee! I get to play with toys again on Christmas morning!!! And since my mom is alone, my sisters and I trade off each year and we take mom home with us on Christmas Eve (or in my case, I would run up to her house on Christmas morning and pick her up before my girls got up and still have to beg them to get up)

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 23 Dec 2008 , 8:57pm
post #36 of 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larrimore

My DH and I also started staying home on Christmas day so the girls could play all day instead of having to run to the in-laws or my mom's. This year though, we are going to my oldest daughter's so she does not have to drag her 2 year old son away from his presents.




Gosh, that is one area where my husband and I totally agree! Kids should never (!) have to be pulled away from Santa's toys to go to someone else's house. We always stayed home on Christmas with our kids .... and as grandparents, we go to our daughter's house on Christmas Day.

And I gotta tell ya .... nothing makes me smile bigger than when we ring the doorbell of our daughter's house, laden'd with rubbermaid containers full of presents and containers of hot foods, and then hear my granddaughter on the other side of the door screaming, "Banna's here! Banna's here!" It's Christmas all over again for her .... and her Banna is the 2nd Santa Clause!

Yeah.... being a gramma is the BEST!!!! thumbs_up.gif

athompson0525 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
athompson0525 Posted 24 Dec 2008 , 12:51am
post #37 of 39

Growing up we always got to open one present on Christmas Eve. It was always PJ's. I've continued this tradition with my kids. Which my 6 year old has gotten figured out all ready.

Santa would of course come later that night after we were asleep. All of his presents would be wrapped and he was very good about filling up the entire bottom of the tree. I would always take my time opening and inspecting what I got. But my sister would rip through everything then complain that i got more than her.

The Santa that comes to my house always uses a special paper. One that my kids have never seen. He only brings about 5 gifts or so and they are all wrapped. My kids (6 and 3) still believe but being in school now i'm figuring this is the last year. The kids are not allowed to go downstairs without mom and dad. And on Christmas I even make them wait until the dogs have been let out and everything taken care of. That way when we go downstairs they can get right to the presents. And of course there is a birthday cake for Jesus. This year he'll get cake balls as I have so many of them.

I also color coordinate my wrapping paper. Makes it easy for sorting when it is time to go to the next party. Plus each kid gets his or her own paper.

Merry Christmas

LaSombra Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
LaSombra Posted 26 Dec 2008 , 5:54pm
post #38 of 39

Santa only brings one gift in our house. He leaves it unwrapped and near the stockings, which he fills with candy/nuts. Usually, it's the biggest or oddest shaped presents that are from him anyway. The rest of the presents are wrapped and under the tree. Mommy/daddy might give more than one gift to each kid or the dog and cat might give presents but all presents not from Santa are wrapped.

7yyrt Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
7yyrt Posted 31 Dec 2008 , 6:34pm
post #39 of 39

I grew up in the woods with a large family and not much money. Our stockings had nuts, 2 candy canes, a little wrapped candy and (the best part) a real orange and apple! I used to trade my candy for the others oranges. We could get up as early as we wanted, and have the stockings and play with anything that was unwrapped. Our wrapping paper was usually cuts of fabric that mom would use to make clothes and toys for us during the year.
Back then we left a bowl of hot soup (my Gramma's idea), a bit of rum for Santa (my Grampa's contribution) and always picked and dried grass to feed the reindeer.

Frankly, I refuse to quit believing in Santa Claus! We leave some cookies and milk (hubby's tradition),the soup and drink, and a carrot (our DD's idea).
Every Christmas eve for over 50 years has found me prowling around the house at all hours, as I can't sleep on that night.

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%