Yep had most of these things happen to me.
I usually am able to think of a reason why it would be better for them if I didn't, though, so they stay happy. Except my contract calls for me to judge speech competitions, but I get out of that regularly by getting them to use the other foriegn teacher instead.
One time was a bit hard, though. The rellies here, good people, wanted their loser son to go to uni in Oz (since he had failed here) and wanted me to get him into uni there.
With all the best will in the world, I wouldn't even know how to start, or even if it's possible. Anyway, the loser can't speak English, and wouldnt get the idea that he had to work HARDER not less. Not stupid, just lazy. One of those people who's ideal career would be beta tester for first person shooters.
He's got a 2millionCNY trust fund that is available when he turns 23 anyway, so he doesn't give a flying fcuk. That would be this year. He drops out or gets kicked out of a college or uni every year so far.
Anyway, the santa thing has been tried, the performance thing tried every year, and basically the only thing I do is go to the student's bbqs for lunch, not all day, take my daughter as an excuse to go home early.
Funny, I remain popular.