I know I shared this last year, but this tradition means a lot to my family. I thought I’d share again!
I know I shared this last year, but this tradition means a lot to my family. I thought I’d share again!
Growing up, I noticed a lot of people found out “Santa wasn’t real” because of the writing on the tags being the same as their parents hand writing, or from the gift wrap matching the wrapping paper as previous years or other presents from mom & dad.
So, I wanted to share what we did growing up, and what I do for my children! ❤️🎄🎁
We use a Santa sack! Only* the gifts from Santa arrive in this sack. I don’t label them at all since it’s all from Santa. I only label the gifts from mom & dad. This way there is no writing to compare. I like use plain brown, or solid green or solid red wrapping paper. Nothing fancy and themed. I save that type of wrapping for gifts from us; the parents.
Growing up my parents were divorced, and still the sacks would arrive on Christmas Eve at either parents house. Wherever we happened to be staying that holiday. It was nice for my parents (and now myself) because they would just go ahead and put all the gifts under the tree as we shopped, except the santa sack. This helped with only needing to hide one bag instead of a million gifts.
Also - and so importantly- I put the less expensive gifts in the Santa sack. Or rather homemade looking (Etsy) gifts. This way, when my child is 6 or 7ish, she won’t go to school bragging about how Santa brought her an iPad or something while a classmate didn’t get such a pricy gift. I’d hate for another child to wonder why Santa brought one kid something expensive and not the other. And, the santa sack is large, but probably only fits about 5/10 gifts max (depending on size.)
My nieces also have bags to match!
So the whole family is in on it.
I just thought I’d share my way of doing things.. I think this is part of the reason I believed so long when I was a child. The magic of Santa is something I cherish, and the kids are only little for so long. I want to drag out the innocence and joy for as long as I can.
The only thing you really have to do is keep the sack(s) well hidden during the year. I asked my mom where she kept ours, and she said she just kept them folded in a duffle bag in the truck of her car. For me? I keep them in a black trash bag neat in my Christmas decor boxes.
It works for us! ❤️🎁
Edit to add: You can find them everywhere! Simple sacks at tjmax/homegoods and if you have a cricket you can add the name on yourself! The Etsy shop
I got mine from closed down during covid, but I see a ton more on Etsy. Even amazon has them!
Icebergahead·
Мама сына (9 лет)
Dd is such a detective that I wrote with my right hand so it looks messier lol. This is nice. But I hate to put things out before Christmas day.
I saw some at Micheals for $5.00 and could be personalized.
I just like wrapping and have so much left over for years to come👀
jenna tess··
I agree - I love wrapping. But my love language is gift giving so I always go overboard. At least I still get to wrap anddddd have Santa drop off his sacks 🤗
Icebergahead··
Мама сына (9 лет)
awe❤️
.·
😂😂 honestly I never even thought about the hand writing and no one has ever caught on
jenna tess··
That was my cousins first clue she said - she could tell if my aunt or uncle wrote it, lol.
Knowing my child - she’d be like “explain to me why you’re S’s are the same as Mr.Claus, mom...” 😂
🪴📚·
Super cute.
Chels Z·
I want to do these next year! I looked at a few on Etsy and might order after Christmas! The magic of Santa is also something I cherish. My husband never believed, so it’s all new to him. I just remember staying up all night with my sisters watching the clock (we were too excited to sleep and our parents wouldn’t let us get up until 6am 😆). My parents would tell us if we got up before 6, Santa may not have come yet and he would have to skip the house.
We also stopped believing when “Santa” wrote us a letter one year, and we recognized my dads handwriting. I swear we were practically in middle school 🥴😂. BUT I wouldn’t trade any of those memories for anything.
jenna tess··
Oh my gosh - that’s so cute!
My mom went above and beyond to make sure we believe, and I’m so thankful for that! I can’t imagine any other way. I love Christmas!
Heather·
Мама сына (9 лет)
Love this idea! I’ve seen sacks like these at Aldi’s. We only have one kid, so anything that doesn’t have a tag is for my son from Santa. I’ve always worried that he would figure out handwriting. That’s also why I type any messages from our elf 😆
T·
That’s a great idea !
I’m normally just preprint gift labels from Santa.
I use the address label template on the computer and print the labels out on address stickers. However, your idea is more exciting and still disguises my handwriting
Linden·
This is such a cute idea! I LOVE it! We're KINDA having this issue, in regards to the Santa stuff. My FIL, who is a WONDERFUL, generous man that loves my son, his only grandchild, with his whole entire existence, wants to get him a 4 wheeler for Christmas. That's fine and he'll LOVE it, BUT....he wants to say it's from Santa and not him and Grandma. I'm pushing against it and he's actin like I'm tryin to ruin his fun or somethin. I just don't think Kai should go to school sayin Santa brought him a freakin $3000 gift when a LOT of people are struggling right now. It makes me feel so snoody and materialistic, even though it has NOTHING to do with me. 🤷♀️
Mandy··
I wouldn't worry too much about it...most five year olds don't know how much a four wheeler costs and by the end of the day they all usually forget what their friends say they got anyway.
C. Delaney ·
We recognized my moms handwriting growing up. 🤣 To this day, all gift from her say “from Santa”.
My husband grew up with Santa not wrapping gifts so that’s what we do now. Wrapped gifts are from mom and dad. Unwrapped gifts are from Santa. As she gets older, we may have to adopt this idea.
M0MM··
Ours unwrapped were from Santa too
Mandy·
This is such a sweet tradition. In recent years they have pre-printed gift tags that say Santa stamped on them. I always get those...kiddo hasn't picked up on the wrapping paper yet but I'm sure next year when she's seven questions will begin to arise
Uhhhh·
I don't even wrap them, I just place them in a sack 😂😂😂
jenna tess··
My mom did this one year and I was pissed! Hahah. My sisters didn’t care though. I just lovedddd ripping off the paper. I’m so strange, now you will see if I ever give a gift, I will find a box to put it in a wrap it. I refuse to even use gift bags if I can manage! Lmao. I don’t know why I care so much.
jenna tess··
Actually, the year after I was like “what the heck...” my mom then wrapped every single screw on a bike totally put together. So it was clearly a bike, but totally wrapped up. Hahahah. She was like “since you’re so damn picky!”. 😂
I knew Santa was her at that point.