Hello Mamas,
My husband works off shore and will be gone this Christmas. He will actually leave mid December and not be back until January. We have been discussing what we should do about Santa. We have a 17 month old and a very SMART 4 year old that asks lots and lots of questions. My little ones and I will be spending the night with my parents on Christmas and celebrating there. The problem is with Santa. I would love to have my husband here to watch the little ones open their gifts. The 17 month old won't know the difference but the 4 yr old will. She catches everything so we already have to be very careful about what we say about Santa coming. I found out at an early age about Santa and I don't want to take any chances on her finding out.
So here is my question... When would you celebrate and have Santa come??? Should we write Santa a letter and ask that he comes early so Daddy will be here (and then have Santa come again?) or do we have Santa come on Christmas and take video? My husband is very easy going and he says to have Santa come to my parents and celebrate on Christmas, but I feel bad that he won't be a part of this. Has anyone been through this? He hasn't been home before but now my oldest understands better. Any advice would be great! Thanks!!
IF there is a way to skype on the computer for him to watch and still be apart of it that would be awesome.
Can you video tape it for Him ..... I would keep it as Santa comes to where ever the child is on Christmas Eve. I too think it will be confusing. I would write the letter and I would video the kids for dad and have Dad bring home what Santa left him in his hotel room..........
Santa can come to your parents on Christmas Eve at your parents. Keep it business as usual.
Have some other mom/dad p[resents for them to open in January.
I would not "mess" with Santa's schedule at all!
Good luck!
(Be sure to film the scene on Christmas morning so your husband can see it!)
I think Santa should come Christmas Eve. You could celebrate Christmas early with gifts for Dad. It might be confusing to her having Santa come twice. Merry Christmas!!
Santa comes on Christmas Eve...to wherever the child is...Santa just knows. Dad will be fine. Open Mommy and Daddy presents either before Daddy leaves or after Daddy gets home. We always do this as we spend Christmas either with my in-laws or at my parents. It would be way too much to try to carry Mommy and Daddy presents with us as well as all of the other stuff...so my boys get their Santa presents and presents from whichever family we are with on Christmas morning and then Mommy and Daddy presents and the other family's gifts after Christmas (usually NYE).
Remember, Christmas really isn't about the presents. Remind your four year old of that and she will be fine.
ETA: Not really understanding the "Christmas isn't just about presents....presents must be opened on 12/25" thing. If Christmas is not about presents, but is more about family and time together and that kind of stuff, then, I'd rather it be a little early where family is together. I have worked in the refineries and plants, my brother on the rig and pipeline....it's HARD work, and can sometimes be miserable (especially if homesick). Dad will be fine? Yeah, he will. But it's his working on that oil rig that pays for the gifts, right? I mean, we do remember that gifts aren't "really" from Santa and take someone with a job to buy them? I dunno. This isn't why I go for the "tradition" thing as much as others. I'm just thinking that while the kids might not miss daddy (yipes) wouldn't he miss out? I'd be sad if I had to miss out because of work...My Christmas traditions are more about celebrating together (at least the 4 of us), and surprises, and the warmth, comfort, and fun memories you make more than the actual date on that calendar. But that's just me I suppose?
I'd have the 4 year old write a note with you, telling your plans to Santa. (There is a place we send our "letters" to every year with space for mom to fill in basic blanks like names of siblings and close family members, the special toy(s) to be mentioned, any hobby or special interest of the child.....and they send a letter FROM Santa that comes just about 5-7 days before Christmas. I LOVE these letters, they're written beautifully, tie things in, make it so personal, on neat Santa stationary). My family is N E V E R together. Mom and dad divorced 17 years ago and do their own things, dad has a wife and kid now. Everyone lives out of state and it's RARE for mom to leave her home. When my youngest son was born, my eldest had just turned 3. My mom, dad, and brother were all coming for the baby's birth. So we wrote Santa a little before Thanksgiving and said the family would all be together for the first time in (at that time) 15 years and could he come early just for us?
We set up our tree just days before I had the baby (early that year, just a couple days before Thanksgiving, but for good reason). We hung the stockings (and extra stockings for guests), and I had stuff already bought, wrapped, and stocking stuffers for everyone. When I came home from the hospital, it was a festive little scene. A week later (12/9) we woke up, and Santa had come!!! Early just like we hoped! He can make special visits for special reasons if he wants; he's the boss and can make decisions for deserving situations. Mom and I made the Christmas feast together that evening: spinach artichoke dip with baguettes, roasted raspberry chipotle sauce over cream cheese for crackers, a cheese/meat tray, we ordered a honey baked ham and she did sweet potato souffle and mac 'n cheese, while I did cranberry sauce, special green beans, and the special spiced party drink we have every year. A couple friends came over to meet the baby and brought foods and desserts, and they helped mom and my husband do dishes after the feast. After that was all cleaned up and we were resting, we exchanged the "family gifts" too. It was awesome. Perhaps you could have your family (if they're local?) do something similar? OR at least let Santa come early and then while you're at your family's house, it just be family gifts to exchange?
And because I filled out a little note on the Santa paper saying what we did and why, and that his "special'' gift that year was the John Deere tractor and a Spiderman baseball glove, when we got Santa's letter right before Christmas, it talked about how he'd come early just for Joseph, knowing that Joseph would want to share his first Christmas as a big brother with his family, and he knew Joseph would be an awesome big brother, and he mentioned the gifts Joseph received in the letter, hoping Joseph would get a lot of use (and exercise) out of them. It rocked his world!
And just so ya know, on 12/25, we were all very surprised to see that Santa did swing by while visiting the neighbors and left 1 more gift for all of us, including the baby.
I think the concern about having Dad there to see the kids open presents is honestly more your concern -- of course you want your husband to share the day -- but it's not necessarily the kids' concern. One Christmas where Dad doesn't see them open gifts won't affect them much -- they will be excited about the gifts and beiing in a different place for Christmas. I would do Santa on Christmas Day as usual and take video, but what about Skype via computer? Your husband could, if not actually see the gift opening, at least see some of the gifts later in the day, if you use Skype video links.
Also, this isn't Santa-related, but: Hallmark stores have new storybooks where you can record someone's voice reading a story to a child and as the child reads the book she hears Dad's voice reading to her. Do a different one for each child. There should be plenty of other read-along recorded story books online to buy if you can't find them at Hallmark. That would be a very special gift for your kids this year and one they could keep and treasure!!
I feel where you're coming from. We are spending Christmas away from home for the first time this year, at my brother's house, and though my daughter is 10 and we don't talk much about Santa (and I know she secretly "knows" but she loves to maintain the idea of Santa), well, old St. Nick is going to come to my brother's house to find her this year. Amazing how the old guy gets around like that! She does know it's the grown-ups but she would never in a million years say so or want us to say so!
Santa should visit wherever the child spends the night Christmas Eve. It makes it more confusing to have presents from Santa appear in more than one location. Yes, Christmas morning should be videotaped for Dad. Or if you have webcams, use Skype.
As for celebrating with Dad, you could have a presents exchange before he heads out. Make sure he gets his socks and underwear for the year! Have the 4y give him a special gift so that he will have something from her while he's away.
If all your gifts come from santa, then,Yes. I like your idea of having him come "early" or sending an elf helper, etc.
OR if you all do some gifts and santa does some, I'd have two Christmases and do the one with gifts from Daddy & Mommy one day and the Santa/Stockings on Christmas morning and either film or skype it (if you can) for daddy to watch later.
Have a blessed holiday season.
I would still open the gifts from Santa on Christmas. You can videotape/take pictures for your husband to see later. Any gifts that you and your husband are giving to your kids can be opened before your husband leaves or after he gets back. Your husband can still be a part of the Christmas celebration even if he isn't there on Christmas day. Before he goes, maybe he can help your son pick out a gift/make a gift for you and your parents. That way your husband will no some things in advance that can still be a surprise for you. I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas.
Video tape the santa gifts. They need to to arrive Christmas eve every year
You can even ship them or order them online so you parents can wrap and hide them. Your husband can give them a few gifts before he leaves and a few when he gets back. Stay true to the Santa traditions so it does not become complicated.
I think Santa should come only once. So if you only do Santa with your kids not your parents then write a letter and have Santa come early. If, by what it sounds like you do Santa with your parents as well...then video tape it. That is my opinion.
