Petty Arguement

Shog9 0

I always put my own name on the "from" line... If nothing else, it makes it easier should someone need to hunt down a receipt. Merry Christmas, Michael!
You left me high and dry and changed me You lied to me and now i’m angry**...**

El Corazon

an interesting argument.... but the truth is, this is strictly a family handed down tradition. In my family, santa brought one gift (above all the ones exchanged by family, and whole family chipped in on it). In my 2nd ex's family, Santa only filled the stocking, he never brought gifts at all. And most of what he brought was fruit and "useful" things, only one thing for entertainment. (very practical santa) Historically, I think you can trace it back to coins or coal (tooth fairy'ish) and other smaller traditions that have since grown. I don't think I helped though. :-O _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

Joe Woodbury

This is entirely family tradition. In my wife's family, all the gifts were put under the tree and they were all opened Christmas morning. Relatives and family gifts had their name on them. My family tradition is more complex, but was devised by a nuclear physicist (my father) who clearly was trying to maximize Christmas. My wife and I have adopted it with some minor changes (this year we made one big change for tactical reasons.) On Christmas Eve, gifts between immediate family members and guests are exchanged. First thing Christmas morning, stockings are opened on parents bed. After that, all the kids line up then dart to the living room where their Santa gifts are waiting in previously specified spots. To increase the number of presents under the tree, my wife wraps most the Santa gifts and puts them under the tree unless they're really big, like bicycles. The number of these gifts varies widely though typically is one or two big things and a few smaller things. In the afternoon, we open gifts from relatives and friends who weren't present on Christmas eve. This stretches the entire thing out and generally works. Incidentally, all gifts have the giver on them. This year my mom bought my oldest son a GameBoy Advance SP. My two boys are also getting several computer games. Yet, we have one computer. So, we decided to let the kids open one gift from Grandma so the oldest will have something to do while the youngest has his turn on the computer (though, I'm sure he'll still manage to complain.) (FYI, before Christmas, all things that need to be charged, get charged, all things that need batteries, get batteries and all PC games are installed and patches loaded and tested. That testing part is really important; I may have to play one or two levels of the game to ensure it works properly. Also, for North Americans, Costco is the cheapest place I've found to buy batteries.) Anyone who thinks he has a better idea of what's good for people than people do is a swine. - P.J. O'Rourke

Ed Gadziemski

I hate Santa. All I ever got was a lump of coal.

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wrykyn

I think its good a child to know that people care about him/her and give her gifts. Definitely 1. "One of the Georges," said Psmith, "I forget which, once said that a certain number of hours' sleep a day--I cannot recall for the moment how many--made a man something, which for the time being has slipped my memory."

Michael P Butler

Santa buys a couple of presents, whilst the rest come from relatives and Santa is just the delivery guy for them. Michael CP Blog [^]

Roger Wright

Why in the world would anyone vote this down? It's a perfectly valid question, and entirely appropriate for the Lounge. Traditions vary, Michael; if you don't have any to pass on, create your own. In my family, gifts of a generic nature from within the immediate family - socks, underwear, pajamas, etc - were addressed as from Santa. Special gifts, like my train set, bicycle, chemistry set, ACME Nuclear Missile kit, were from Mom and Dad. We bought pressies for relatives in the first and second generation - aunts and uncles, cousins, and grandparents - and addressed them individually. Set your own style, Michael, in consultation with your wife, of course, and give your kids a tradition to carry forward into the next few generations. Merry Christmas! "If it's Snowbird season, why can't we shoot them?" - Overheard in a bar in Bullhead City

Lost User

I've got my tradition (the sensible one of the two), my wife therefore has the other (stupid) one. She and her extended WOG (think WOP people) family want the stupid tradition that is just getting up my nose. Wanted to see if most did it my way or hers. Just in case every person I know (everyone from when I went to school to people I work with) did it contraruy to the rest of the world. Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So i had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash 24/04/2004

benjymous

with my parents, I got a stocking at the bottom of my bed at christmas morning (deposited during the night when it was sure I was asleep) - this would usually be full of assorted small novelty toys, chocolate, etc - enough to keep me entertained for a few hours until the family arrived (or we went off to whichever member of the family was hosting christmas that year) The rest of the "proper" presents (including ones from my parents) would come from the people who bought them I.e. Santa fills a stocking for christmas morning, family buys proper presents for that get opened later -- Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit! Phoenix Paint - back from DPaint's ashes!

benjymous

yeah, same system here it wasn't always that way, originally I got lots of proper presents from my parents, and a few things in the stocking However my aunt and uncle did it differently for my cousin (big stocking full of stuff, and less proper pressents later) Once I was old enough to be able to reason things out, I asked my parents one christmas morning when my cousin and I were comparing our hauls, Why does father christmas always give her more presents than me? Unsuprisingly, the next christmas I got hundreds of presents in my stocking! -- Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit! Phoenix Paint - back from DPaint's ashes!

Paul Watson

Michael said to vote 1 for the first option or 5 for the second option :) regards, Paul Watson South Africa The Code Project Pope Pius II said "The only prescription is more cowbell. "

Paul Watson

First option if you have kids around. If there are no young kids then no presents from Santa and everyone buys each other a present. regards, Paul Watson South Africa The Code Project Pope Pius II said "The only prescription is more cowbell. "

David Crow

In my family, presents to/from family members go under the tree. Gifts from Santa and filled stockings don't show up until Christmas morning. I guess that parallels item #1 of your two choices. When I was younger, it was my brother and I that would awaken at 6:00-ish and tip-toe into the family room to see what Santa had brought. That feeling of "Wow!" was not far behind. We would then rush into mom and dad's room to tell them that Santa had come. Now as a parent, I enjoy sleeping in on Christmas morning until one of the children awakens me. That said, don't let this "argument" spoil the season. Remember it's not about Santa or the gifts.

"Opinions are neither right nor wrong. I cannot change your opinion. I can, however, change what influences your opinion." - David Crow