A 1o year old girl in Australia has asked Santa for an expensive watch, designer clothes and £50 worth of skincare products, her mum has reported this week.
So is it time to ditch the Christmas wish list to prevent children from becoming greedy and asking for too much?
My thoughts are that Christmas is for children and there is something magical about having a child who believes in Santa and writing their wish list is all part of this.
My children used to spend a lot of time looking through the Argos catalogue to see what they could ask father Christmas for.
However. I also remember them seeing the toy adverts on television and saying that they wanted everything they saw. changing their minds with each advertisement!
When I was working as a registered child minder we used to fill a couple of shoe boxes full of gifts for children who were not so privileged as they were at Christmas (our local church organised this) by taking part in this the children in my care understood that not everyone could get everything they asked for at Christmas.
Maybe any parents who are concerned about the cost of the wish list and not wanting their children to be disappointed on Christmas morning could tell their children that they can only ask for say 5 presents.
I know of several families who use the threat of going on Santa’s naughty list as a way of managing behaviour – so how would that work without writing a wish list. I wonder?
Let children have the time to write a wish list while they still believe in Santa and talk to them about why they shouldn’t expect to get everything they asked for is my conclusion.
I would love to hear what others think.
More aboutChristmas with children here
As always questions and comments are welcome.
Until next time.
Karen
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Linked with
Thankfully my boys never ask for things for Christmas. I am not a fan of wish lists and expectations #kcacols
Oh.O.k.
Thanks for taking the time to read and leave your thoughts, Jade
I don’t recall our kids making a list, but as they got older, we started asking for ideas!
I find it interesting how different families have their own traditions, Michele, thanks for sharing your experience
I haven’t seen the article you are refering to but I’d say a 10 year old has no concept of money so they don’t know the watch is expnsive. I used to ask the kids to pick a present for their friend’s birthday and they’d pick something that was over $100. I’d tell them it had to be less and they’d still pick something way too expensive. They were just picking what they liked and wanted to give. (So I don’t think the 10 year old is greedy, just doesn’t get it).
I’m with Michele, with older kids I really need some sort of idea. I get a few surprises but I no longer want to get them stuff that isn’t going to be used.
#MischiefandMemories
A valid point, thanks for making me aware and for sharing your experience, Lydia
Mine write lists but with the knowledge that Father Christmas often goes off list. Not because he is mean and nasty. It’s because he “can see deep down into their soul and knows exactly what they will want, better than they know it themselves”. Job done (sniggers a little)! Thanks for joining us over at #KCACOLS
Ha! that’s a great idea, wish I had thought of it, Martina
Sophie writes a wish list but she knows that she might not get all the things on her list and it tends to help me to give other people ideas for what she might like for Christmas. We also fill a couple of shoeboxes for children and Sophie likes to help choose things to go in these. #MischiefandMemories
That sounds great, Louise, thanks for taking the time to leave your comment
Thanks for sharing this with , Louise
We have never done Santa, either as a way to manage behavior, or otherwise. My kids know where the myth started and Christmas is still a magical time for them. They also don’t watch TV or get magazines with toy adverts, so that type of wish list was never a thing. We know what our kids enjoy and have always done what we could within the financial constraints we have. They have always had somewhat nontraditional desires too. Last year, my son’s steel tongue drum and djembe were the highlights for him…at 11! So, IMO, yes, it is time to ditch wish lists and Santa as a behavior modifier. I know this isn’t a popular opinion. Don’t hate me! LOL Thanks for linking up! #KCACOLS
I wouldn’t hate you, Kendra for leaving your thoughts, that’s what I hope my readers will do
We didn’t used to do wish lists, but we do now as it helps with gift buying for relatives. We make it very clear with the little that it’s a ‘wish’ list, and it’s not a given to receive what your wishing for 🙂 Thank you for joining us for #mischiefandmemories
Sounds like you have it covered, Annette, thanks for having me as a part of the linky
We still write wish lists with our kids, but we talk a lot about how this isn’t an order sheet #MischiefandMemories
That’s a great idea, thanks, Kirsty
We only give little gifts from Father Christmas and the kids write a wish list for us but understand they won’t get everything. We also keep the list so that we can get things with pocket money, money gifts or next birthday lists! Thanks for linking up with #MischiefAndMemories
That sounds like a great way of managing it, Laura, thanks for sharing on your comment