If we got a big present that we had negotiated with our parents for, or had been with them every week when they paid the lay-by, we considered this to be a present from them, and not brought by santa.

My parents would also do the stocking filler presents, to make it look like we had lots. This was chocolates, lollies, and cheapy toys from Cost Plus like flashing swords, water pistols etc.

There were some years when we only got the cheapy presents from WA Salvage but we were happy as our stockings were full of things we could play with all day. My parents who were both educators explained to me since that they felt it more constructive for us to have a variety of things we could share and go between all day, rather than getting into fights about one item, or getting bored with one game.

But we considered the fact that our stockings were full and that Santa had brought us gifts to be the real reward. As kids don't have a concept of monetory value, they're not going to appreciate one big gift, they'll remember lots of scmall gifts much more. I have no problem that my parents may have spent no more than $50 on us each some years, but we had fun, and that's what Christmas was all about. It wasn't about trying to score anything big, it was about having fun.

It's a bit fraudulant of particularly older kids that they tell their less well off friends that Santa brought them an Xbox.

I like gifts that get the kids to use their imaginations, rather than things that have them sitting there like lumps.

Lex and I were just playing with his wooden blocks. Halfway through, we each picked up a long one, held it to our ears like a telephone, and had a conversation.

Expensive toys, especially expensive toys that market themselves as educational, are rarely that good. We had Lex liking several verses of Old McDonald's farm, then someone gave him an electronic stuffed cow that promoted itself as educational - it sang one verse of Old McDonald, the cow one. After that, it took ages to get Lex to want any verse that wasn't the cow one.

Sorry, that's all a bit random, but yeah, a mix of assorted small and interesting things are much better than a couple of big presents.

yep, agree with all of that.
Also, these electronic toys that claim to give you feedback from actions, are only just an electronic feedback. They don't teach kids things like pressure, amount of force to put on something. They also don't teach kids to explore, because there are never any unintended consequences of use.
As such, a toy whereby you just press a button, has far less things to explore.

We do the wishing tree aat Kmart each year, which reminds me.....

We have a local version where you drop off gifts. If I can dig out my Doctor Who stock, I'm planning to drop in a small mix of non-movers with a couple of hard-to-gets figures.

Hmmm, the last few years I've worked in an office which participated in a toy drive for underpriveleged kids, I'll have to go out and find one this year.

Hmm, that's a good idea!

I haven't actually said in the past that any presents were 'from Santa', she's only just getting the concept of Santa now. I'll probably not specifically say who the presents under the tree are from, except the ones from people other than me -family etc :)

I believed in Santa until my eighth Christmas, when it occured to me taht Santa and Mum had the same handwriting....

_That's_ something I'm careful about:-)

But I suspect Puggle is going to read something over my shoulder really soon now, and the gig will be up for him:-)

I can't actually remember specifically believing in Santa, Easter Bunny etc and then finding out the truth. Not sure whether I worked it out really early, or I've suppressed the memory :)

In much the same way that it occurred to me as a child, that if the cat was able to write me a birthday card, surely I would find other notes around the house like "Turn the heater on!", or "Stop buying dry biscuits." Perhaps even a "And by the way, where are my testicles?"

In our house, Santa doesn't give the cool presents:-) He fills a stocking, so there's some chips and lollies, undies, a small toy or two, and usually some craft material.

Actually, that's not entirely true... He usually gives the family a present. Typically games (Stacrobats and Make'n'break were both Santa presents), although some years he's given us DVDs (Shaun the Sheep last year:-) ).

The 'big' presents come from us:-) (Actually, the big presents usually come from one set of grandparents...)

I really like your idea about the one present from Santa.

I really like your thoughts on this.

I think that this is a wise, simple, obvious idea and therefore doomed to be ignored in the wider population.

Im' trying to stick to one main gift for each special occasion - ie. birthday and Christmas. We also do the stocking filler thing, so now that J has a Thomas trainset he will really just be getting a couple more engines for Christmas. I think my parents went a little overboard the first year, they were excited, that's OK, but I think I have persuaded them to hold back a bit more now. I'll be interested to see how A fares though. She only received a fraction of the gifts J did for being born, people dont' get as excited by the second one, so I'll be interested to see how her first Christmas compares too. Not that I mind either way, I'm just making observations.

I must be greedy but I want to credit for the good presents. So I give the good presents and Santa brings the stocking stuffers. Because, frankly, I want the thanks going to me....

I remember some discussions I had with my friends in mid-primary school, when we'd all found out about Santa. Some of my friends at the time felt annoyed that Santa had always given them the big prezzies, and felt that it should've been their parents who should have the credit... so I have to agree with you (and DannyOz).

Weasel gets her big presents from her parents. Santa gives her a bunch of little things in her Christmas stocking. It's a nice compromise.