Ladies, please can I get your opinions on what you do about Christmas gifts on the years that SC are not with you?
I have an almost 7yr old DSD, a just 4 yr old DS and and a 21 months old DD. My DH has a 50 / 50 shared care arrangement for my DSD and she alternates who she spends Xmas with. This year she's with her Mum.
Previously on the years she hasn't been with us we've quite literally had a second Christmas - waking up to stockings, unwrapping gifts, sitting down for a full Christmas dinner etc. The last time we did it was 2 years ago when my step-daughter was 4, my son was just 2 and my daughter hadn't been born. My son was so young he didn't really understand the concept of how Father Christmas comes down the chimney on Xmas Eve etc and stupidly, I didn't think at the time that I was setting a precedent in my DSD's mind.
Last year, when we had her for Christmas I know her Mum didn't do my DSD a stocking and she gave her her presents before she came to us, a week before Christmas. I don't think there was a Christmas dinner either.
The problem is this year my DSD has been bragging to my DS that she's going to have 2 stockings, Father Christmas will visit her twice etc and that she basically gets two Christmases.
I've always been quite hung up on making sure my DSD gets treated the same as her siblings when she's here but now I've got a bit of a dilemma - it isn't really fair on the other two if she gets two of everything is it?! I think we're going to say that Father Christmas only goes to the house where she's sleeping on Christmas Eve so that's where he'll leave her stocking. Obviously she'll still get pressies from us and the rest of our families but I'm thinking we'll leave them on her bed for when she comes to us on the 27th Dec.
Are there any other step-mummies in a similar situation that could share with me how they deal with Father Christmas and step-children?!!
Terrible, terrible thing to say but it will be easier when they realise he doesn't actually exist !!
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SC and Christmas
16 replies
Xalla · 03/12/2012 06:02
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