SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

I want Santa to keep coming to our house for the kids. I love the joy that comes with them still believing (won't be much longer - DD is 12 and DS is 9). But I don't want to be Santa.

I would be happy to give "Santa" money and a list to get the presents. But then he needs to wrap them, hide them until Christmas Eve, then deliver them while I am fast asleep.

I'm so tired. Shopping is done, but stuff is hidden randomly all over my house. I'm not even sure the spreadsheet I've made is accurate, so good luck to me finding everything. For 5 consecutive nights now, I've intended to pull things out and wrap them after the kids go to sleep, but instead I end up on the couch with a book and a blanket (and sometimes a glass of wine). Tonight MUST be the night... but I don't wanna.

I'm not quite the Grinch, but I'm definitely not feeling like Claus these days, either.

[This message edited by stroppy_wanadoo at 2:53 PM, December 16th (Monday)]

((((stroppy grinch))))

You're not alone…

I'll come help you wrap yours, if you help me wrap mine.

Feel better!

(((stroppy)))

I know it's waaaaayyyy too much work, but please try to get as much enjoyment out of it as possible, because you don't have long, and all they want is stuff you can't afford, and they don't appreciate it, and the magic of Christmas is not what it was when they believed.

I miss those days.....

I am right there with you!! Same age children, same dilemma. They are awake and aware, and I just know I am going to get caught...

The large box/delivery on the doorstep questions, the balance of what Santa brings, what I give, keeping it straight and balanced and fair!!!

Ugh.

I feel ya, sister.

Well the spreadsheet was accurate. All gifts accounted for. 59% of them wrapped. Realized stocking stuffers for son are severely lacking, unless it would be acceptable to share the piles of lip gloss, smelly lotions and nail polish I have for DD. Looks like I have one more trip to the store.

Everything is now hidden in one place... In our luggage in the crawl space. I may not be able to stand straight tomorrow from hunching over in there too long, but at least I am organized now!!!

Bring it, Christmas!

[This message edited by stroppy_wanadoo at 11:45 PM, December 16th (Monday)]

yay you! you rock! now that u have free time, wanna come to lovely tenn and help me n my broken shoulder wrap? looks like a gift bag year here...

YAY!!! WTG, stroppy santa!

As an aside: You have a 12 y.o. who really believes in Santa? Wow - makes me wonder if you homeschool? We had to spill the beans to our youngest in 3rd or 4th grade so he wouldn't be ridiculed by his peers (he has Asperger's so he was already dealing with bullies).

Regardless of Santa beliefs, Christmas is just a TON of work...not to be a Grinch or anything! Keeping some magic and surprise in the gift-giving requires a lot of stealth. Since I can't drag everything out to look at it, I'm always fearful there's going to be some terrible screw-up where the gifts are unevenly distributed.

Sounds like you found an ideal hiding spot!!

Sad - We don't homeschool. I just have very naive kids, I guess!

I wonder if my DD12 doesn't believe but is afraid to admit it. I gave her a few opportunities this year to tell me, but she won't fess us. I am a bit ready for her to drop the belief... she could be such a help with wrapping and hiding stuff in her room, since she's rather militant about her brother not going in there.

My DS9 is also an Aspie. He completely refuses to believe his peers who say that Santa is your parents. He told me "Mom, I KNOW you wouldn't buy us as much stuff as Santa does. So Santa is definitely real." I love his eagerness and excitement about it all, but I fear one day when he is a grown up with kids of his own, those kids won't get any gifts Christmas morning, because he will still believe that Santa is going to deliver them and he has no responsibility in the matter.

I am feeling so much better now that all the sorting and wrapping is done. I guess the spreadsheet thing I did this year really did work!

Merry Christmas!!!

[This message edited by stroppy_wanadoo at 8:36 AM, December 18th (Wednesday)]

He told me "Mom, I KNOW you wouldn't buy us as much stuff as Santa does. So Santa is definitely real."

Out of the mouth of babes.

My son (who is now in his 30's) believed until 12/13 for the same reason your son said. he would say that Santa, the Easter bunny etc had to be real, cause there is no way my mom would/could buy all this stuff... I miss those innocent days... Christmas is just not the same

I hear ya!

I am sad but kind of lucky youngest ds is 11 and just asked the question in the last couple of weeks so had to break the truth to him. I'm sad cause it's the end of an era of that Christmas magic. But it's good now cause all the presents are already under the tree - all wrapped and I can go to bed early on Xmas eve and not have to wait till they are asleep.