Mom Defends Herself After Sharing How Santa Visits Her 'Little' Kids, but Not Her 20-Somethings (Exclusive)
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12/27/2024 09:51 AM
A stocking stuffer video has turned into a debate as to whether Santa should still be visiting adult children
Jen Gardner/TikTok
Jen Gardner/TikTokWhat began as a stocking stuffer video has turned into a viral debate over whether Santa should visit adult children.
Jennifer Gardner tells PEOPLE she never intended to ignite a firestorm when she shared a video of herself filling her 23-year-old stepson's stocking.
"What started out as a silly video of me filling my 23-year-old stepson's stocking, turned quickly into a debate as to whether Santa should still be visiting adult children," she says.
In the video, Gardner says, "I have a 23-year-old stepson and we will see him on Christmas this year. He isn't married yet and even though Santa doesn't visit him anymore, we are still going to fill up a stocking so he can enjoy when his little sisters get their stockings from Santa."
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♬ original sound - Jen Gardner
What seemed like an offhand remark set off fierce debate in the comments as to why Gardner's young daughters get gifts from Santa, but her stepson does not.
"I have a 23 year old and a 21 year old and Santa definitely visits them every year!" wrote one.
"Mine are 42 and 39, Santa still comes," added another.
As Gardner tells PEOPLE, "there was quite a bit of backlash" after posting the video.
"In our family Santa stops after college, however Mom and Dad (us) still love to spoil our older adult children with gifts at Christmas," she says. "It was quickly realized on the TikTok platform many young adults still feel like entitled to a visit from Santa well beyond them being out of college and living and thriving independently."
Gardner is quick to note that her stepson doesn't just get a stocking, saying she also gifts him other presents. "I'm sure some confusion was had that maybe we were only giving him said stocking, which was far from the truth," she says.
More than anything, though, she says she just wanted to share some easy gift ideas — but TikTok commenters had other ideas.
"The intent of the video was to give stocking stuffer ideas, not start a great Santa debate," she says.
