By Samantha
Our 8 year old daughter is starting to ask a lot of suspicious questions about Santa. I’m afraid this will be her last year believing. I’ve tried hard to capture the magic of Santa, and keep it alive in her heart. It’s probably brought me more joy than it has to her.
Growing up, my family chose not to celebrate Christmas with Santa as a part of it. I feel like I missed out so I’m probably living vicariously through her. Santa writes her a letter each year, and leaves it on her nightstand for her to find when she wakes up. Sometimes he leaves her a bell from his sleigh, other times he leaves her a surprise, stashed in the branches of the Christmas tree.
She’s formed such an attachment to the idea of Santa, the North Pole, the elves, the reindeer- I’m thinking her father and I are going to have some serious ‘splaining’ to do.
So, I’m asking for advice from those that have “gone before me”. When the time comes- how do you answer questions about the man in the red suit, and why you “lied” to them?
This is soo sad. My little one is still believing in Santa. I think this will be the last year though. We were watching Christmas shows the other day. One of the ones she grabbed was Christmas on Sesame Street. She hasn’t watched any Sesame Str in a long time and asked me if the costumed ice skaters were real. I felt bad saying “no.” But, she pretty much knew anyway. She was still disappointed.
I’m ashamed to say I don’t even remember when my older boys quit believing. I remember them believing but not when they stopped.
Samantha…Lily, the MAGIC is never over. The spirit lives within all of us! Santa is NOT a LIE…he is the messenger who morphs into parents. To this day…if there isn’t a gift tag with Santa – something went horribly wrong. In our home, it’s still THE gift that Mom & Dad would never buy. ;0)
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Maybe silly to some, yet oh how we love to keep that jolly ole man alive & well…w. children well into their 30’s! We knew the myth was over when our then 7 y/o son put SALT in Santa’s glass of milk. He found briquettes in his stocking…! We all had a good laugh when he found we’d wrapped another stocking in a box marked – from: Mom & Dad.)
I lied everytime I was asked. They eventually found out as they got older from other kids. I was not going to be the bad guy
Never, Santa always comes. 🙂
Samantha, I think the good thing is that it’s a natural progression for most kids, rather than a sudden discovery. And you can always enlist her in keeping the magic going for your younger one!
I can’t even remember anymore how my kids found out. We were just talking about it the other night with them and we all found the details a little sketchy so I guess they were not traumatized too much. We were really into the Santa thing, too.
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It has been a tradition in my family since I was a little girl for Santa to come early Christmas Eve. When I was a kid, my parents actually had Santa come to our house a few times. We always opened our presents and then went to midnight mass. Christmas Day was for cooking and visiting relatives. My husband and I kept this tradition going and we would go so far as to take the kids to look at the massive Christmas light displays and when we got home, Santa would have been to the house creating a little mischief on the way. I remember driving home from seeing the lights and my kids would be looking out the car window in the sky for Santa. Sometimes they actually thought they saw him.
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I think for older brothers and sisters it is easier to handle after the initial let down because they can participate in the planning of Santa’s arrival for their younger brothers and sisters. That can be a great experience for them too.
My family traditions were never conducive to Santa. We would go to midnight mass, eat then open presents at 3 in the morning. We never slept! So when I had kids there were things I just didn’t think of doing like using special wrapping paper and different Santa penmanship on the cards. These are things my sister-in-law told me she does.
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Anyway, the other day, my daughter (7) asked me if the Easter Bunny was real. My response: “What do you think?” I think she said she didn’t think he was real. I just said, “Well I’ve never seen him.” and left it at that.
Aw, your litte Mini-Me is growing up, Samantha!
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I’m big on any kind of tradition especially those having to do with the holidays. As your MM gets older, I think it will be fun to create new traditions. Or resurrect old ones? The other day I asked my 20-year-old if she was interested in making a gingerbread house this year. I think we have only tried this once or twice during her childhood. To my surprise, she was very enthusiastic! Made me very happy that we can share that together. (That is until we actually have to assemble the darn thing!)
My answer to my children was always “if you believe… you will receive” And I guess they all still believe, because I’m BROKE right now.
Hah, Roozerdo! Too much faith in Santa on the kids’ part can break the parents’ bank!
Thanks everyone. Roozerdo- I think I will just go with that!
We’re going to see Santa tomorrow!
My oldest will be 20 in March and my youngest just turned 6 in November, I’ve been doing the Santa thing for a long long time. All Santa gifts are wrapped in special paper that they never see until they see the presents on Christmas morning. All gift tags from Santa are written in red ink and with different hand writing than Mom & Dad’s.
I can’t remember when my older kids stopped believing, they still put on a good show for the younger kids. My 8 yr old recently asked my 16 yr old how Santa gets in the house if there is a fire in the fireplace, my 16 yr old quickly said “don’t be silly Santa has a magic key that unlocks all the doors in the world”.
I think my kids will always get at least 1 gift from Santa forever.
Yes stxmom, because the magic never ends. I still enjoy seeing a good Santa.
Hey gals, Santa sent me a special note by e-mail this year. Guess he knows where we live. 🙂
Did he ask you why you were so naughty this year? 😉
HB, what a cute story about your son.
stxmom, I do the same thing w/the wrapping paper and the different ink for gifts from Santa. Last year, I messed up and said something about Santa’s paper and had to cover up quick with “at least that’s what it seems like.” Luckily, she was too excited to care and just went with it.
What are your traditions? Does Santa wrap gifts at your house? How many gifts does Santa leave? Does Santa give the good gift or is that from parents?
At my house every single present is wrapped individually (even gift cards). Mom and Dad give each child 1 gift, usually the most wanted item. We open all our gifts from each other on Christmas Eve so everything can be out of the way for Santa to leave his. We have our big Christmas meal – ham, rolls, mashed potatoes ect + lots of desserts on Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day its something easy like tacos and fajitas, burgers cooked on the grill or homemade pizza. My mother in law and father in law spend Christmas near us and are with us on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The way we do Christmas is a combination of the way hubby and I both grew up doing Christmas.
Well Santa has much different handwriting that I do, he uses special stationary for his letters. Santa brings 3 or 4 presents and he doesn’t wrap them, he sets everything up so its ready to go. The amount that we give from mommy and daddy varies based on what she’s asked for. This year she’s requested a bigger ticket item than usual, an ipod touch.
My family lives 6 hours away- we usually go up there on the 27th through the 1st but last year our baby was just a few months old and we stayed home. I really enjoyed it, so we’re staying again this year. Rest. Rest. Rest.
On Christmas Eve we get together with my mother in law’s side of the family, on Christmas morning my husband’s parent’s and sister come to our house so they can see what Santa brought the girls. Then we open presents together and have breakfast. That night we have dinner with My Father in law’s side of the family and we do a white elephant swap for the adults, and a gift exchange for the kids.
It’s wonderful!
Pam,
I think Santa wanted to make sure I was home. LOL. He told me I was a very nice girl this year. 🙂
Sanat wraps in different paper here. We have our big meal at noon on Christmas Eve Day, then open gifts with everybdy. It’s a mad house when you have many many here. The goodies are plated after dinner, and then I start the crockpots with meatballs, smokies, wings, hot dips and go from there. Meat and cheese platter, fruit sliced, punch, lemon water, wine, beer and soda. Sandwiches can be made from left over turkey and ham. I drink a pot of coffee to keep going. I told Santa if I did all this work, maybe we could hire someone to paint my kitchen, dining area after the holidays. I think I’m stuck with the holidays for many years to come.
Wow, Snickers. I hope they are giving you plenty of praise. You are Christmas!
I def think hiring someone to paint the kitchen is in order. (While you watch sitting on a pretty pillowed chair w/your feet up …and they must bring you coffee).
Samantha, your Christmas does sound wonderful.
Lily,
Thank you!! I have always been the chief cook and bottle washer in my large family. I love the Season, we can do church on Christmas morning as a family. They moan when you drag them out of bed, but they all know the reason for the season and being together. We are blessed, so we do give back everything we can. We still plate for our 2 elderly neighbors and the kids do all the running. I can tell you one thing, not many leftovers here after 3-4 days of company. 🙂
Merry Christmas from Our house to Yours Everyone!!!