Chirp!:

    Wednesday, December 24, 2008

    Better Luck Next Year

    Santa's Helpers Suck.


    A while back, helpful people convinced me to take advantage of mid-year sales to stash things for Xmas.
    We bought a twampoween.
    Then, a few months back, AB moved some things in the garage, and basically accidentally did a big reveal.

    That was supposed to be Santa's big gift.



    So we got over it, decided we, the parentals, would gift the item. Santa would get something else, no biggie.

    A week ago, I realised the wee one had only the one gift ( to about 5 for the bigger brother ), and we would have to get one more thing, so there would be a gift from us, and another from Santa. AB picked up the only item we could think of ( it's hard with same-sex sibs when the first boy already has a lot of stuff ), and tired and non-thinking, left it in the back seat of his car, and THEN let the older boy play in said vehicle.
    Toy discovered, now relegated to a 1st Birthday gift.

    Not happy, but it's not the boy's fault - what can you do ?
    At least at this stage, he's still ok with "it's not yours, it's for someone else" and he just drops the subject. The tramp has remained undisturbed all this time, and there's been no nagging or questions. I think the backseat gift has all but been forgotten. But not so forgotten that we could pass off already-seen gifts as being from 'Santa'

    And yesterday ? I'd brought in the washing and was putting it away. The phone rang and the wardrobe was open, and the older boy came in, and then I hear "what's this?!".

    Well, it was his only gift from Santa, wasn't it ?

    I felt like crying, I was so frustrated ( plus, I didn't know it was there, totally UNhidden, just sitting there .. it was something AB bought online and I thought it would still be hidden in its PostPak wrapping and perhaps on TOP of the wardrobe ?!?!? )

    And yes, I could swap some gifts already under the tree from us, but I don't WANT Santa to be the guy that brings the lame beachtowel ( our gift ), I want Santa to bring the GOOD gift ( a toy, something FUN ! )

    So AB went back to the Shopping Centre last night and picked up 2 more things, which *I* wrapped and hid last night ( so they *won't* be found ), but I was still bummed - the good gifts are now from us, and Santa is a bit of a let-down.

    So I came up with the idea that Santa WILL bring the tramp. We will put some bricks in the box in the garage and pretend the one WE bought is still there, for someone else.

    Do you think we can pull it off ?





    Waiting


    I think we can, I hope we can ...

    27 comments:

    siobhan said...

    Tee hee, Santa must be having the same trouble every where! First thing found was a breakdancing mat for the middle child, second thing found was a scooter for the third child, and then the (leftover) wrapping paper Santa used last year was remembered by the first child. A second lot of wrapping paper bought especially for Santa presents was discovered (by the first child again) hidden IN our bed! A second lot of Santa paper was hidden EXTREMELY WELL! Don't even talk to me about the tooth fairy! I think I'm just about ready to throw in the (beach!)towell! Siobhan.

    MissyBoo said...

    Oh you poor things! I can only imagine...

    I got caught out with the large Dora Dressing table in the back of the car last week! Lucky all other gifts were under it, and 'it' thankfully was not a Santa gift, as she was with me when I put it on lay-by (no option it was the last one there)!

    Lucky, in our house, Mummy gets to give the good present, and Santa brings the peripherals!

    LBA said...

    So glad we're not the only amateurs ;)

    M+B - I think we might have to switch 'rules' too .. maybe next year we'll be wiser...

    Michelle said...

    Similar happened here too - bloody Hide and Seek game while I was away!! I would have said 'play the game but my room is banned' - now the presents from the in-laws are from Santa and the ones seen are from the in-laws. Must get hubby to explain to them what happened or else they will be surprised that the scooters requested from them end up from santa and they are giving all kinds of stuff/crap!

    Glad you have done all your shopping for next year and I really like the idea of the bricks in the box - YES you can pull that one off!

    Merry Christmas
    shelly

    Christie said...

    good luck...

    I have have master 3.5 find numerous gifts in our bedroom that I was stashing as stocking fillers etc, such a pain!

    Anonymous said...

    This is not that complicated.

    1- "Oh, [insert item name here] is for someone else. We're holding it for them until they [clear up some space/get out of rehab/remember to come get it]."

    then

    2- "Santa saw how much you liked it when you saw X's [insert item name here, again] that he brought you one also!"

    Ask me how I developed this skill.

    Janet said...

    I reckon you'll be able to pull it off, very young children not being that hip to their parent's deceit, I don't think. Not that I'd know being a rank amateur, and g is even worse than me (he's in christmas bootcamp this year). The concept of santa only giftwrap only occured to me today - but I have my excuse at the ready - either he's using one from ikea like us or he ran out and had to borrow some from mummy and daddy when stopped by.

    Louise said...

    You'd be amazed at what they go along with. So far nothing has been found here but there is still a few hours!! I have Miss nearly 9 and I think it will be the last year for her. Sad - I love their excited little faces going through the Santa sack. Have a lovely Christmas together and enjoy the magic while it lasts.

    nikkishell said...

    Aww, i agree with 'Joke'.
    Have a lovely Christmas!xxxx

    Stomper Girl said...

    I got so cranky for you when I saw AB had noot hidden the toy properly. This is why I look after all this stuff at our house.

    Anonymous said...

    Go for it.

    Here's my super secret present hiding place. In the suitcases that sit in the cupboard. They are empty -taking up space, so fill them up. My daughter, who must get her super-slueth sticky-beak skills from her father, took until she was 15yo to figure out that hiding place.

    Might not work for a trampoline...

    Stacey said...

    I really hope you can pull it off.
    I'm fully expecting to have to explain why Santa brought something exactly the same as we are giving to someone else.
    In this house, Santa buys in bulk.
    Just saw your photo of Bobby on Flickr. Screw the hats, come photography my cat.

    M said...

    Lets just say that we know that a certain 10yo has lifted the two blankets, multiple toys and camping chairs that have been covering her bike in the back shed. She leaves tell-tale signs AND a smart grin on her face.

    I say go with what Joke said. Kids just buy that stuff.

    Merry Christmas!!

    Melody said...

    *fingers crossed* Of course you can pull it off.... (I think I can, I think I can...)

    Hope all goes to plan for you and I hope all goes to plan with us. (The thing is, Monet is going to see her Santa gifts and I just *know* she'll recognise them all from Friday's expedition to Toys'r'Us.... (Not that she saw us actually buying the stuff but she did pick out stuff she liked only moments before...)

    Anonymous said...

    Oh you poor things! Sorry but the whole mess made me laugh. :) I did the trampoline-bought-in-September thing, hidden in the back of the garage under a blanket and have been paranoid about discovery for months. Thankfully my garage is a den of junk and spiders so Guerita doesn't venture there often. I had multiple plans for assembling it today/tonight involving stealth missions after bedtime and floodlights, but instead opted to have Grandma and Grandpa take her out for the afternoon while the trampoline elves paid a visit. I (thankfully) managed to keep her away from the backyard till bedtime so it should be a surprise tomorrow.
    Anyway, I totally think he'll buy what Joke said. At that age they really want to beleive the whole Santa box and dice so you can get away with all sorts of weird stories. I'm always planting ideas in their heads (how about you ask Santa for something for both you and your sister this year? Maybe something for the backyard?...:)) and then gushing over how clever that Santa is that he knows exactly what to get.
    Good luck tomorrow and have a great Christmas! xx

    Elizabeth said...

    This has happened to all of us at one time or another but I tell you, we had another way of looking at the Santa situation. We decided early on that while Santa did bring a few fun things ( the stocking filler was all Santa), we were getting all the glory for the "big" gift.
    We were very particular about the different-than-ours Santa wrapping paper and the different pen to write out the gift tags etc. The year after was always problematic if we couldn't remember which paper was which. My boy had a long memory!

    Don't worry and enjoy the day.
    And have a few bounces on the tramp for me!
    Merry Christmas

    Anonymous said...

    Vox populi, vox Dei :-)

    Besides, it's a lot better than "Santa had trouble with the air traffic controllers over mainland China and therefore he had FedEx deliver it for him. You need to sign here, here, and initial there."

    -J.

    Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

    Sorry to laugh at your suffering, but these trials are best endured with humor. One year our son refused to give us even a single hint for what he wanted for Christmas. His answer: "Santa knows. Why do you need to ask?" We were so anxious and rattled, not wanting to mess up the Santa game!
    Merry Christmas!

    dottycookie said...

    Yes, you can do it - I have every faith in you!

    In our house Santa brings plastic tat for the stockings and everything big under the tree is from us or the relatives. Small tat is easy to hide and easy to replace if necessary ;-) I think this could be our last year for the older one believing it all, so we're going all out with cocoa reindeer footprints and Rudolph throwing oats round the kitchen ...

    Anonymous said...

    I think you can. Merry Christmas, H&B.

    Joke said...

    WELL?????????????????????????????????

    Anonymous said...

    Good luck putting that fucker together. There was SO.MUCH.SIGHING.AND.CURSING. when we got ours a few years back.

    Worth it's weight in gold though. Boys almost live on it some days.

    Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    xxxxK

    Anonymous said...

    Merry Christmas!
    I dropped in around 7ish on Christmas night but it looked like no one was home. (I was at my annual go-to-Sandy-and-Andrew's -place-on-Christmas-night-after-the-kids-go-to-their-Dad's-place thing.)I didn't knock; just went to S and A's place and kicked on.
    Hope that the present drama was all forgotten this morning and you all had a lovely day.

    velcro said...

    did your trampoline ploy work?

    Fairlie - www.feetonforeignlands.com said...

    Next time we catch up in person (which we should do again soon, sometime) I shall regaled you with our finest Santa-helper moment. You will be appalled...guaranteed.

    I hope your dastardly plan came off hitchless.

    meggie said...

    Hope it all ended sweetly, as they say.
    So glad those Santa days are over for us.

    Joke said...

    Let me try this again...

    "WELL??????????????????????????"

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