The Santa Topic... *possible spoilers*

[sillysally]

*Santa Spoiler Warning for parents with kids reading over their shoulder....


I was always told by my mom that there was a Santa, and I totally believed her up until middle school. She even wrote "From Santa" on Christmas gifts into my early 20s. I was an imaginative kid, so I got very into the Santa thing and my mom made it fun. I was to ask Santa for gifts, but was never coerced into good behavior under the threat of no Christmas presents. Even when I realized the truth, I still loved the story and the spirit in which it was told.

DH on the other hand, had a very different experience. His parents told him from the start that Santa was a lie that parents told their kids to get them to behave, and I remember thinking that was such a sad way to look at it.

So, what were you told about Santa? What do you tell your kids?

 

[darkchild16]

My mom used it against us.

We don't use it against our kids. We try to make it fun and the holidays a fun time! This year we are limiting the family time for the kids and Bev has asked to go hang out with her friends and share her Christmas chocolates. <3

 

[MandyPug]

I was free to believe in santa until I went up to my parents and said he's not real. Although they and my aunt still sign things from santa (well my aunt signs it "auntie santa" lol)

One year my step dad even collected deer poo from the coulees and sprinkled it on the lawn so i thought reindeer were there.

 

[Toller_08]

Believing in Santa was one of the best parts of Christmas for me. I used to watch this thing on my aunt's computer that even tracked where he was LOL. I loved it! My mom just told me two nights ago that my dad didn't grow up with Santa during his childhood Christmases and had a hard time when my mom wanted us to believe he was real. I'm glad he played along and let us believe. I can't remember how old I was when I realized he wasn't real. But it was fun while it lasted, and I played it up for a couple more years for my younger (by two years) brother. My mom still writes "From Santa" on some of our gifts just for fun.

If I ever have kids I will tell them about Santa as well. For me it's part of the fun of being a kid and I wouldn't want them to miss out. Even when I was a kid I always felt bad for the one kid in class at school who didn't believe when everyone around them did.

ETA: They let us figure out whether he was actually real or not for ourselves. They never said that he definitely was and that we had to believe. But we also never really questioned it until we got a bit older, and then when we asked them, they'd tell us stories about Santa and basically told us to believe what we felt was right without giving anything away as to whether he actually was or not.

 

[Fran101]

We didn't believe in santa around here. My parents WANTED us to believe but being kids who spend christmas often in Haiti, surrounded by poverty and poor children... it became impossible to explain "Why doesn't santa give toys to those kids? were they bad?" so for me my parents told us from the start that santa was a lovely story about a man who made toys to give to kids.. and to remember him, we give toys to little boys and girls and each other. Simple as that. I love that they never LIED to us.

My kids? I like to encourage wonder and imagination..I would hope to teach my kids HOW to think not WHAT to think. and part of that is not lying but also encouraging them to think for themselves and encourage whatever they want to believe. "What do you think santa is? What do you believe? Why?" Instead of "Santa is ____ because __ so there."
Eventually, they of course will naturally figure it out but if my kid wanted to believe in santa for as long as he/she wanted..that's fine with me

My parents let me believe in whatever I wanted really. I read lots of fantasy/magical books and they let me believe in hogwarts and magic and fairies and unicorns for as long as I wanted. They never said it wasn't real they just said things like "Well, maybe! Just because we can't see it doesn't mean it doesn't true" and lots of "That's a great idea!..what do you think magic is? where do you think fairies would live?" etc...
and I loved them for it lol I had such a magical childhood and I really loved that they encouraged me to imagine a world full of magic all the time and never threw my ideas away or told me to grow up and stop playing make-believe.

BUT.. big but here. They never lied. I loved stories as much as the next kid but when I asked what makes the trees change colors they didn't tell me magicr and when I did say things like "Oh the trees change colors because of magic" they explained that it was a special magic called science and that leaves had chlorophyll inside that changed with the seasons etc..etc..

I grew up with a hunger for stories and magic and learning and science and holidays and fun..and I think a huge part of that was just my parents letting me believe and encouraging me to think for myself.

As for santa, sadly it got stopped short BECAUSE the story had so much to do with all kids getting toys (and I saw evidence of that not being true) but for my kids.. I hope it's something I can share with them and encourage them to figure out for themselves. It's a lovely part of christmas IMO. I just won't ever lie to them about it, you are never going to hear "yes, santa is real" from me.

None the less. I loved santa while it lasted lol and loved the extra gift!
And regardless, I always left carrots for the reindeer.. just in case.

 

[Grab]

We are not "doing" Santa. We plan to explain that he is a fictional character, but one that, for many, is a symbol of the Christmas season. We will still read the stories, watch the movies, etc. But with the knowledge that it is fiction.
But,hey, fiction can be fun

 

[thehoundgirl]

My brother and I found out when we found presents in my parents room that were ours. Yes we were snoopy that Christmas to see if he was real or not. I don't have kids, but if I ever do have kids.. I'd let them enjoy it for awhile and figure out for themselves.

 

[JessLough]

I was told the normal stuff I guess... Santa brings you gifts if you're good, etc. My uncle owns a clown business and has the contracts for Santas in the mall, so the Santa I went to see always knew my name, etc.

That said, as I've grown up, I've realised Santa isn't a person, but is a spirit that anybody can have inside them.

 

[AllieMackie]

I believed in Santa growing up. I believed that mall Santas and other folks dressed as Santa worked for the true Santa up North, and true Santa was never really seen.

 

[sparks19]

As a kid I always believed in Santa. I remember when I found out he wasn't real. I was in the fourth grade and I came out in the middle of the night to "go pee" and saw my mom setting up presents. I just pretended like I didn't see anything, went to the bathroom and went back to bed and never said a word. I figured it was important to my parents to keep the Santa thing going... so I did. Looking back now I think that was pretty cool that at a time like that I was thinking about THEIR belief in Santa and not want to ruin it for them. I wasn't heart broken or hurt or anything. it just was what it was.

BUT... Santa is real. He may not be a big fat jolly guy living at the north pole making toys but when you see a childs face light up when they see Santa... That is REAL. When I tear up watching "The Santa Clause" THAT IS REAL. When Hannah and I make cookies on Christmas eve to leave out for Santa... that is REAL. The spirit of Santa is VERY REAL.

I loved it this year when we were donating a bunch of toys to a local organization to distribute to kids and hannah was kind of bummed that there were some toys in there she liked and I just said "Well think of it this way. Christmas morning those kids are going to wake up and come downstairs and see presents just for them and be like WOW Santa brought us awesome toys... except in this case Santa... is YOU." Her little face lit up and she couldn't wait to take the toys over, she was only bummed that she didn't get to hand them out and see the kids herself. THAT IS REAL!!!!!! The spirit of Santa is real.

I will encourage her belief as long as it lasts and when time comes and she doesn't believe anymore... if she asks me about it... I will tell her exactly what I said above. Santa is real because children believe and that's a beautiful thing.

My dad still signs my gifts "love Santa" LOL I love it. I will do the same for Hannah no matter how old she is.

 

[LostAndConfused]

what are you talking about, we both still believe in Santa. I mean, sure we get stuff for each other and for our family, but Santa presents always come on the 24th/25th (unless he knows you have other engagements, that's how he manages to do everything).

If you don't believe in him, he won't come.

 

[-bogart-]

Santa is real and when the kids start to disbelieve then we tell them. Caleb is the problem though . He will always belive. Because of who he is. I love it. Chris is bummed cause Santa gets the credit for our hard work. I told him it won't be for much longer as the girls will.start to ask in a couple years.

The older ones already knew when Chris and I got together , all there gifts are signed from "the elves "
Or " fat man in the red suit " or " lady who put up with crazy short green people".

Or Rudolph . Lol

 

[sillysally]

I do remember when I was on the edge if not believing, being at my dads on Christmas Eve and seeing the TV news. The weather man was reporting that Santa had been spotted over Canada or something, and I thought, "Well, maybe he DOES exist--they couldn't report it on the news if he didn't." lol

I think I will do the Santa thing, but won't put emphasis on the good vs. bad part of it as far as behavior goes. I like how my mom handled it.

Mom is a 4th grade teacher and will get kids asking her about Santa or declaring that he isn't real. Her response is something along the lines of "Oh, you don't believe in Santa? I believe in him."

 

[milos_mommy]

I believed in Santa probably until age 8 or 9...I'm sure I questioned it earlier but up until late elementary school at least a part of me still believed.

My mom did the whole "oh well, the santas at the mall are just workers for santa" and "if you don't behave Santa will leave you coal" and came up with a million excuses when I questioned it...I don't think I'll do all of that. If my kid starts to question I will tell them yes santa is real, no he doesn't come to our house and leave you all these gifts but we have to tell the children about Santa because their believe helps keep the magic of Christmas alive.

And I will SHAMELESSLY tell my kid that Santa is watching them and they better not end up on the naughty list of course I'll reassure them that just because every item on their wist list doesn't come doesn't mean they were bad or that every child who doesn't get gifts is naughty - or every kid that does is "nice"....just that good behavior is always rewarded and bad behavior always has consequences.

This is a letter from an article called "The Truth About Santa" and I will tell my kids a similar story:

Dear Lucy,
Thank you for your letter. You asked a very good question: “Are you Santa?â€
I know you’ve wanted the answer to this question for a long time, and I’ve had to give it careful thought to know just what to say.
The answer is no. I am not Santa. There is no one Santa.
I am the person who fills your stockings with presents, though. I also choose and wrap the presents under the tree, the same way my mom did for me, and the same way her mom did for her. (And yes, Daddy helps, too.)
I imagine you will someday do this for your children, and I know you will love seeing them run down the stairs on Christmas morning. You will love seeing them sit under the tree, their small faces lit with Christmas lights.
This won’t make you Santa, though.
Santa is bigger than any person, and his work has gone on longer than any of us have lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to have belief in something they can’t see or touch.
It’s a big job, and it’s an important one. Throughout your life, you will need this capacity to believe: in yourself, in your friends, in your talents and in your family. You’ll also need to believe in things you can’t measure or even hold in your hand. Here, I am talking about love, that great power that will light your life from the inside out, even during its darkest, coldest moments.
Santa is a teacher, and I have been his student, and now you know the secret of how he gets down all those chimneys on Christmas Eve: he has help from all the people whose hearts he’s filled with joy.
With full hearts, people like Daddy and me take our turns helping Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible.
So, no. I am not Santa. Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. I’m on his team, and now you are, too.
I love you and I always will.
Mama

 

[CaliTerp07]

My parents did Santa for us. I will not be doing it for my kids, unless Zach really wants to--but I don't think he's a big fan either. I would rather teach them from a young age that we are responsible for gifts for others, not Santa Claus.

 

[Pops2]

we tell them the truth about all the make believe stuff so there is no conflict about god. we also tell them not to ruin it for other kids.

 

[sparks19]

We even have an elf on the shelf cOming

 

[milos_mommy]

we tell them the truth about all the make believe stuff so there is no conflict about god. we also tell them not to ruin it for other kids.

Just curious - what do you mean by so there is no conflict about God? Do you mean you don't want them to see that adults talk about things they can't see such as Santa, find out it's not "real", and believe God is in the same category as Santa?

 

[Fran27]

I believed until 6 or so. Then some kids in the bathroom at school made fun of us (my sister and I) because we still believed... after that we acted like of course we never really believed. I don't really remember... but I do remember the bathroom accident.

I didn't want to do the Santa thing with my kids but with them going to school, it's just pretty hard. We definitely don't overdo it though... although I *might* have slipped a comment about how Santa only comes for kids who are good... ok... maybe a couple times... or 3 or 4. But Lisa just said 'we are good!', so I guess she just doesn't understand what 'being good' is LOL... and it's probably just going to bite me in the ass when they get presents even though they're being brats. So definitely not going to do this again lol.

But yeah, between seeing Santa at the mall, and the North Pole train ride we had last year with Santa... and Santa going to their school and bringing them stuff... it would just seem mean and totally killjoy to tell them he's not real. I guess they'll figure it out eventually.

And yeah, tough one explaining to them why we're going to bring toys for Toys for tots or why I sent a girl I 'adopted' some toys. It's seriously really hard to try not to ruin it. I'm probably overthinking it but at some point they'll realize that all the presents come with the same gift wrap right? And that it's Mommy's writing on them? And where do you hide them anyway? Right now it's in the office and there's a door knob cover on it but I'm guessing they'll figure out how to open that eventually...

 

[JacksonsMom]

I believed in Santa growing up. I believed that mall Santas and other folks dressed as Santa worked for the true Santa up North, and true Santa was never really seen.

I thought this too! I very much believed in Santa up until about 10 or so. But for some reason I always knew the one we went to see in the mall wasn't REALLY him. It was just someone that worked for him, lol.

Believing in Santa was sooo awesome, it made Christmas so exciting and thrilling. I'll never forget that feeling Christmas Eve night when you're trying so hard to go to sleep, but you're just sooo excited, it's like butterflies almost, because you just don't know what he's going to bring you in the morning. It just added an excitement to it that wouldn't have been there if I just knew my parents were getting me things lol. It wasn't even so much about the presents themselves, just the fact that this magical dude was in my house and ate the cookies I left him!

I feel sorry for the kids who don't get to believe, because it seems like it'd be difficult being around all the other kids who do, and it was just such a fantastic part of my childhood. I imagine it'd be hard for the younger ones who are taught not to believe in him to spill the 'he's not real' beans to the others.