Do you wrap christmas presents from Santa?

United States
December 23, 2006 6:58am CST
I was wrapping my kids Christmas presents last night and wondered if other people go through the same trouble as I do to make my kids believe Santa really brought them presents. I will buy "Santa" paper, "Santa" gifts tags, and write with "Santa" handwriting. It has worked every year now, my kids are 8, 6, and 5, but I think my oldest one might catch on this year. She has really grown up this past year. So, how many actually wrap separate presents from Santa and to what extent do you go through to make them believe?
5 people like this
53 responses
• United States
23 Dec 06
My wife and I never went through all that...we always felt that their presents were a good way to let the kids grow closer to God. Not to argue about Santa, or say that were some crazy right wing christian family. But we definately feel that God exists, and that if we can show the kids that all their gifts come from Him, all the more reason to not confuse them about Santa. After all, Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus being born...so we just don't bother with the whole santa thing.
• United States
23 Dec 06
I like the fact that as a christian, you teach that to your childern. To celebrate us being christian, we make a birthday cake for Jesus, since it is his day, and read the Christmas story from the bible. We also buy presents and give to families who might not be able to have a Christmas. I like to believe in both. The magic and the celebration of Jesus Christ.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Dec 06
thats a good idea about the whole birthday cake thing....I like that. I think what I meant by the whole post was that we just felt like we wanted to make SURE that our kids really knew the meaning of christmas. Some friends of mine the other night told me that they have their kids make a list of 7 presents that they want...then tell them that they will get 3 of them, because Jesus got three gifts. Its a good idea, but my wifes parents al well as mine are all divorced so...with all the grandparents there is no way my kids only come away with only three presents. :)
@kawillow74 (1416)
• United States
24 Dec 06
I am sure your daughter will soon catch on i did the same thing but when they started school it ended my son said mom why don't you just say they are from you and dad instead of santa but yes when my kids where little i did the same thing.
1 person likes this
@medooley (1873)
• United States
23 Dec 06
We do not wrap the presents from Santa in our house. We have the toys out and ready to go. Just curious, do you take the toys out of the box before you wrap them? If not, how do you explain that Santa makes the toys, but yet he still puts them in the box?
• United States
23 Dec 06
We told our kids that Santa and his elves can't make all the presents so they buy some from the stores. And we don't take the present out of the box before we wrap them. We just decide which ones are from Mom and Dad, and which ones are from Santa. Usually the ones they ask Santa for when they see him are the ones we put from him. That is so cool how everyone does Christmas different. That is why I love Mylot because I get a peek on how everyone lives. Very neat!
@patgalca (18370)
• Orangeville, Ontario
23 Dec 06
My girls wondered how I was able to take a gift that didn't work properly back to the store when it came from Santa. I simply told them that the stores have an agreement with Santa Claus. Actually, I think I called it a Santa Clause (before the movies came out). They believed that.
• United States
23 Dec 06
you can always do like a do both my girls believe santa the oldest is 16 but she doesn't believe in "the santa" like most people she knows as well as my 6 yo that everyone can be santa if someone is giving u a present then they are playing as santa its easier to explain this to kids then to have them think there is one true santa and have them mad at u when they find out there is not
1 person likes this
@missy1 (104)
23 Dec 06
get agrip,how long do you want to lie to your kids for,you teach them lying is wrong so lead by example.do you really want them to think santa does all the hard work.
• United States
23 Dec 06
Thank you for sticking up for Santa and the magic of Christmas!
1 person likes this
• Canada
23 Dec 06
You obviously have no kids... because it comes a time when the magic of Christmas is mostly about the children. It's not a lie unless you believe in conspiracy theories and you figure Santa is one big conspiracy. Your answer is not appropriate at all.
• United States
23 Dec 06
It's the magic of Christmas that we want our children to believe in, not the deception. YOU need to get a grip! Bah-Humbug!
1 person likes this
@armywifey (882)
• United States
23 Dec 06
My daughters write santa letters a few weeks before christmas and I always wrap my presents and title the from Santa, we make a big charade on christmas eve to leave santa milk and cookies and carrots for his reindeer, then when the kids go to sleep we bring all the girst and arrange them around the tree and fill theie stockings. My daughters always wake up early on christmas morning to see what santa has left them.
• United States
23 Dec 06
That is exactly what we do!
• United States
23 Dec 06
We used to just put the unwrapped toys where ever they would fit because there were so many of them and the children were so young. One year my son told me that he didn't believe in Santa and that it was mean to tell such a lie. I told him that Santa only came to those that believe in him, he could tell his friends whatever he wanted to but in this house if you say Santa isn't real, he won't bring anything for you. This kept him from telling his sister and even though we now wrap all of the presents I sign them as Santa and it's a fun joke we have. My son is now 17 and my daughter is 13 and they both want Santa to continue his yearly visits.
@vipul20044 (5793)
• India
23 Dec 06
Well its fun to see that glimpse of anxiety on their faces no I mean really and then you dont wanna kill the christmas spirit they are juz kids!
• United States
23 Dec 06
Exactly! I agree!
• United States
24 Dec 06
Mrs. Claus, Skylar and Santa - This was taken at Santa's workshop..dont they look beautiful? you can click on the picture to make it bigger..:)
Oh yess!! I actually take a step more..Sky is 4 and he is just now understanding the whole Santa deal and he has seen many cartoons where the elves make toys out of wood..and he is really excited about this, and we went and saw him today and he said his elves were working very hard..and he asked for some wooden cars..sooooo i went all over today and founbd some beautifully wooden made car and this awesome animal merryy go round!! he is gonna freak out!! lol i camt wait!! and yes I will also give me 5 presents from Santa and the rest me..special paper and bows and stocking stuffers,,i really camt wait to see his little face!! lol
• United States
24 Dec 06
That is awesome! To go out of your way to really make him believe. I wish I could see his face in the morning!
@massaj03 (4367)
• United States
23 Dec 06
Yes we always put gifts from Santa too...Some people may say its a crazy thing to do, but I enjoy it. Kids are so much more excited that way.
• United States
23 Dec 06
I always thought everyone did the same thing we do! When my husband and I got married, we never wondered or asked, we just did what we were taught which ended up being the same thing. Merry Christmas!
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
23 Dec 06
We always taught our kids that Santa was a spirit and that parents helped Santa and bought the presents. Nevertheless we wrapped some gifts as presents from Santa. We did not however have to explain the big lie when the kids were older. I myself as a grown woman got such a kick out of presents my inlaws gave me. They were always marked"from Santa". Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family.
• United States
23 Dec 06
I like that idea too! Merry Christmas!
@pendragon (3349)
• United States
23 Dec 06
I was just faced with this very dilemma,lol. I want them to have the fun of tearing open the santa gifts, but all i have is the same paper that i wrapped the gifts from myself with.They'd definitely notice this odd little "coincidence", but I could always say I let Santa borrow some paper.I think I will wrap them!
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
24 Dec 06
That's easy, just tell them that Santa dropped them off early because he had to many to give out on Christmas Eve and you had to wrap them so they couldn't see what Santa brought them.
• United States
24 Dec 06
I had to laugh after reading your post! I do the exact same thing for my kids and they love it. The older ones still want me to do it for them, and told me that they always looked forward to the wrapped santa presents. Let them believe as long as they can :)
• United States
24 Dec 06
I agree! Thanks so much. I am so glad our tradition is shared by so many.
@dienutza (449)
• Romania
24 Dec 06
my parents did the same thing too..and i was expecting santa with so much love and i was very very exiting when i thought that he won't forget about me and he will come to me bringing presents...christmas is such a pleasant holiday with a lot of wishes and happiness..i think that you're handeliing very good..kids can believe in santa because it's a tradition of us..once i began beeing sad when i heard that i child for just 3-4 years old didn't believed in santa because his parents told him that he doesn't exist..so cruel..i think that the child has to know these things when he will grow up..at about 10-11 years when he isn't such a child anymore..
• United States
24 Dec 06
That is so sad that young don't even get the chance to believe in Santa. Some parents make their kids grow so fast. Thanks for your post!
@amithzepp (153)
• India
24 Dec 06
this is a good topic
• United States
24 Dec 06
Thank you!
@shuz697 (1043)
• United States
23 Dec 06
YES... I find the kids enjoy opening presents, well we all do I suppose.. lol .. My mother never use to wrap our Santa stuff and I remember it only taking a minute tops to see everything I had if my bag which was always a bit disappointing when you have been waiting all year for this one day and its over in a minute.. I think the longer it takes to open the better too.. I'm not sure how Santa works at your place but I usually fill the bag with a lot of little things so it always takes HOURS to wrap but its worth it I think.. I always wrap it in Santa paper that the kids haven't seen and print them gift tags from the computer so they cant read my handwriting.. I nearly got caught that way last year.. I always go to a lot of trouble as well and I'm so happy to see that someone else does it for their kids too, everyone always tells me I over do it a bit and the kids dont even notice the effort Ive gone too but I don't care.. I love the look on their faces, they soooo love Christmas so to me its worth every bit of my time.. I love Christmas and buying the kids stuff I'm going to be so disappointed when Santa doesn't come anymore.. :( .. its the best part about Christmas... I never thought Id actually enjoy giving gifts more then receiving them.. Christmas is so much fun when you have kids .. :) MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!
• United States
23 Dec 06
I love Christmas too! To see there faces when they get something they really wanted is priceless. I can't wait til Monday. Thanks for the awesome response!
1 person likes this
@14missy (3183)
• Australia
24 Dec 06
My children are 12, 9 and 5 and they all still get gifts from santa. The eldest has caught on though. Santa leaves the gifts in the children's sackis at the end of their bed and then their are presents from mum and dad under the tree that are wrapped. We open all of those on christmas morning (tomorrow) Have a great christmas...
• United States
24 Dec 06
I wrap them from santa and I hate it. My parents never did. When I was growing up we opened presents on christmas eve and then santa brought unwrapped presents on christmas day. But my husband wanted them wrapped. So I am suck wrapping.
• India
24 Dec 06
I like being wrapped ... coz kids enjoy opening them that way.
@jen20619 (1300)
• Ireland
24 Dec 06
I dont usualy wrap them.My kid is 7 and unfortunely I think shes already catching on.I do my best to tell her santa is real.But so many kids where we live are always saying hes not.I just hope she does believe in the fairy tale.
• United States
24 Dec 06
My sister does it a little different I think. She wraps the presents that are from her, and my niece knows they are from her mom. And then the presents that are supposed to be from Santa she puts underneath the tree unwrapped. I dont know where she picked up that but its a little weird to me.