Coomera mum cancels Christmas gifts to teach her kids a lesson after they asked for too many expensive gifts

A GOLD Coast mum has cancelled Christmas gifts to teach her kids a valuable lesson about the holiday season and the importance of giving to others.

A Coomera mother has decided to cancel Christmas to show her five children the true meaning of Christmas. They will make 100 fudge and 100 cookies to take around the area on Christmas eve. (front) Willow Wanoa (5) and Olive Wanoa (3) with (back) Alamein Wanoa (9), mum Nicky Wanoa, dad Tee Wanoa, Elora Wanoa (1) and Lylah Wanoa (8). Picture by Scott Fletcher

SANTA won’t be visiting the Wanoa family this Christmas after mum Nicky banned gifts to teach her five children a lesson.

Instead, Alamein, 9, Tyler, 8, Willow-Lily, 5, Olive-Ada, 3 and Elora, 1, will help make 100 cookies and 100 pieces of fudge for needy families.

Ms Wanoa said she took the drastic step after her brood saw Christmas as nothing more than an opportunity to receive expensive gifts.

“I have three school-aged children and they all came home excited about a new website that everyone was talking about — it’s a Santa letter website,” she said.
LIVE DEBATE: SHOULD CHRISTMAS EVER BE CANCELLED?
SEVERE STORMS LASH THE GOLD COAST

Coomera mum Nicky Wanoa with two of her five children. Picture by Scott Fletcher

A good lesson or just cruel? Tell us in the comments below
“My son jumped on and he started clicking on all these toys. Each one was over $100 so by the ninth or tenth one I just stopped.

“I have five kids and they were all thinking they were actually going to get these toys and it was as simple as jumping on the net.

“Thankfully they are still young so I have got to teach them that’s not where toys come from and there are a lot of kids out there that don’t have any toys.’’

On Christmas Day the family will enjoy breakfast, watch nativity shows on television and enjoy each other’s company.

“They asked if Santa was bringing presents (and) I told them I asked Santa to take them to those who didn’t have any,” Ms Wanoa said.

“We have been at the mall and it was full of people trying to get those presents and I just thought, do we really get it?

“There are a few community pages on Facebook where families can post anonymously and especially for Coomera there have been quite a few families in the last month who haven’t been able to feed their kids.”

Father Christmas will skip the Wanoa house this year. Photo Sam Wundke.

Instead of receiving gifts, the family will cook 100 pieces of fudge and 100 cookies and give them to those less fortunate.

“We are going to find people who don’t have much and drop off plates for them and we will just spend the whole day taking that around to them,” she said.

“They (the children) were a bit shocked.

``It was a bit quiet for a minute but then I think they realised that they would be cooking and they get to make a mess and it was going to be a lot of fun.

There’ll be no point leaving cookies out for Santa this year at the Wanoa house.

``After that they were just excited about who they were going to pick to drop them off to, what decorations they were going to put on them, and who does the job of stirring the bowl.

“I think they took it a lot better then what I thought they would.”

Ms Wanoa doesn’t restrict her good deeds to Christmas time.

“There was a family in Coomera and the mother and father hadn’t been eating because the kids needed to take food to school, so my husband and I emptied out our pantry and dropped off some things to them,” Ms Wanoa said.

“There are a lot of families that are doing it really hard at the moment and I want my kids to see that.”

Despite the family not unwrapping presents this year, Ms Wanoa said Christmas wouldn’t be lost.

“I hope we can stick to it and I can teach them to be thankful for everything they receive and give,” she said.