I'm not making my kids pretend them believe in Santa

[Deleted User 1393]

tragic

[jas]

Or you could just open everything Christmas morning. What's the big deal?

[Anonymous 1]

Or you could just open everything Christmas morning. What's the big deal?

We aren't going to give up all of our traditions. I would be willing to compromise but not give up everything. Plus some of the gifts are specifically for that night.

[Olioxenfree]

Our kids don't believe in Santa, but we teach them not to spoil it for others. Yes, your SIL is going overboard and being pushy, but Santa aside, even if she had never brought that up, it seems very strange to have your kids open their gifts in front of her kids the night before, but her kids have to wait. Im guessing her kids are very young if they still fully believe in Santa, and it could be very upsetting and just kind of put a damper on the festive evening when they see other kids opening all these gifts, but they just have to sit there and don't get any. It's one year, I'd just have my kids wait until the morning of Christmas to open them, just to help the holiday flow better.

I was trying to compromise and say we can all open some that night and some in the morning. Like the gifts we got her kids they could have opened them that night. It wouldn't spoil Santa.

It just seems unecessary and cumbersome to have two gift openings. I understand that you always do it the night before, but it's one year and it's just seems more practical to me. Sometimes we have to switch up our traditions a bit and it just isn't a big deal.

[Anonymous 1]

Our kids don't believe in Santa, but we teach them not to spoil it for others. Yes, your SIL is going overboard and being pushy, but Santa aside, even if she had never brought that up, it seems very strange to have your kids open their gifts in front of her kids the night before, but her kids have to wait. Im guessing her kids are very young if they still fully believe in Santa, and it could be very upsetting and just kind of put a damper on the festive evening when they see other kids opening all these gifts, but they just have to sit there and don't get any. It's one year, I'd just have my kids wait until the morning of Christmas to open them, just to help the holiday flow better.

I was trying to compromise and say we can all open some that night and some in the morning. Like the gifts we got her kids they could have opened them that night. It wouldn't spoil Santa.

It just seems unecessary and cumbersome to have two gift openings. I understand that you always do it the night before, but it's one year and it's just seems more practical to me. Sometimes we have to switch up our traditions a bit and it just isn't a big deal.

It isn't cumbersome. We have done it before with friends. It isn't a big deal. It wouldn't be switching them up a bit, it would be giving up all of our traditions. There is nothing wrong with compromise.

[Anonymous 3]

If I was SIL/brother I would just tell my kid that different families celebrate differently so Santa brings their cousin's gifts earlier. Maybe even say he left a few for them since you're all celebrating together.

People are too quick to make problems where there are none.

[Anonymous 4]

You say it's the 1st Christmas everyone would be together. That's really important to grandparents & often the opportunity may never come again (speaking from experience). If you really wanted it to happen, you would be more willing to compromise. Let your kids know that her kids still do Santa. Hold back a couple of gifts for them to open Xmas morning. If your kids know there's no Santa, then there's no harm in playing along ONE day a year. Especially if you know you are doing it not for your SIL, but for your parents.

Yes it sucks to be the side that gives & sucks it up to do what someone else wants. But I can tell you that when a grandparent gets very few chances to have everyone together it's pretty special & important. My grandmother had just 1 chance to have all her children & her grandchildren together for Thanksgiving. 1 person ruined it. 1 person destroyed my grandmother's dream & it was so hurtful to see. The chance never came again. You have the chance to be the bigger person, to do something to make the holiday work for the grandparents. It's worth thinking about others to make it happen.

But this is MC and it'll never happen & I'll be criticized for even suggesting it. Bash away ladies.

[RealisticBeauty]

My kids don't believe in santa nor do I force them to pretend Santa is real for the sake of other children. I would never go to an event where I am forced to participate in a tradition.

[Anonymous 1]

Like I very clearly said in my post, I am willing to compromise. She is not.

They aren't going to play along and pretend they believe in santa. They can still be happy for their cousins and say they just believe differently.

My parents are on my side over her. This won't be the last time we are all together for a holiday unless they decide not to partake again.

You say it's the 1st Christmas everyone would be together. That's really important to grandparents & often the opportunity may never come again (speaking from experience). If you really wanted it to happen, you would be more willing to compromise. Let your kids know that her kids still do Santa. Hold back a couple of gifts for them to open Xmas morning. If your kids know there's no Santa, then there's no harm in playing along ONE day a year. Especially if you know you are doing it not for your SIL, but for your parents.

Yes it sucks to be the side that gives & sucks it up to do what someone else wants. But I can tell you that when a grandparent gets very few chances to have everyone together it's pretty special & important. My grandmother had just 1 chance to have all her children & her grandchildren together for Thanksgiving. 1 person ruined it. 1 person destroyed my grandmother's dream & it was so hurtful to see. The chance never came again. You have the chance to be the bigger person, to do something to make the holiday work for the grandparents. It's worth thinking about others to make it happen.

But this is MC and it'll never happen & I'll be criticized for even suggesting it. Bash away ladies.

[jas]

Or you could just open everything Christmas morning. What's the big deal?

We aren't going to give up all of our traditions. I would be willing to compromise but not give up everything. Plus some of the gifts are specifically for that night.

All of your traditions? It's one. For the sake of little KIDS. Who is the adult here?