Your kids and Santa Claus

[Slime]

First, an explanation: When I ask if you tell your children about Santa Claus, I mean do you tell them that there is a real human being with this name (or one of many other names) who flies around the world and delivers presents to children?

 

For those who do and those who don't, why do you adopt your policy?

 

 

[GhostGirl]

We believe in Santa at our house. We know what the religious reasons for Christmas are, and we celebrate those as well. Kerry is almost ten and the way we look at it is: when you stop believing, the magic moves on to the younger kids.

 

(Here's hoping Kerry or some other kid who still believes doesn't see this thread. )

[Grapes_under_pressure]

lol... i remember being younger an figuring it out for myself. logic kinda kicks in. i remember setting a trap for the 'tooth-fairy' too. that was fun. it helps not having a religious family too, of course. (but i havn't told my mum that i know mr. clause isnt real, it'd break her heart!)

[Alsgalpal]

My kids dad told them there was no such thing!

[workingcinderellaman]

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ Jan 30 2008, 09:49 AM)

We believe in Santa at our house. We know what the religious reasons for Christmas are, and we celebrate those as well. Kerry is almost ten and the way we look at it is: when you stop believing, the magic moves on to the younger kids. (Here's hoping Kerry or some other kid who still believes doesn't see this thread. )

This is what we do as well. There is nothing wrong with Santa Claus. When the kids were getting older, my wife told them that when they stopped believing, Santa would no longer come. (sort of as a threat) One year when my son was about 11, I took him with me to get a Santa costume for a family party. He asked, "Doesn't Santa have his own suit?" I could tell he was playing me so I told him that if he still believed in Santa, the kids at school would make fun of him. He smiled and looked at me and said, "Mom says I won't get any presents if I don't believe." So I told him she was in denial and assured him Santa would still come.

 

All of my kids are old enough not to believe now and it isn't quite as fun on Christmas morning.

[liquidcrystalcompass]

QUOTE (Alsgalpal @ Jan 30 2008, 10:36 AM)

My kids dad told them there was no such thing!

That's cruel.

[iluvgeddy05]

I don't have kids, but I would tell them there is a Santa and someday have them figure out there's not. I think it's terrible for parents to tell them upfront it's not real because it does take that magic away. In a world where children are growing up so fast, it's nice to have them still believe and get all excited when Santa comes to visit.

 

Plus, when I found out there was no Mr. Claus, it was from other kids my age and though I was upset, it's nothing that traumatized me to this day. I never felt "abused" because my parents "lied" to me or anything like that. It was fun while it lasted, and it's fun to re-live that feeling through my nephews who believe in Santa Claus.

[GhostGirl]

QUOTE (iluvgeddy05 @ Jan 30 2008, 09:39 AM)

I don't have kids, but I would tell them there is a Santa and someday have them figure out there's not. I think it's terrible for parents to tell them upfront it's not real because it does take that magic away. In a world where children are growing up so fast, it's nice to have them still believe and get all excited when Santa comes to visit. Plus, when I found out there was no Mr. Claus, it was from other kids my age and though I was upset, it's nothing that traumatized me to this day. I never felt "abused" because my parents "lied" to me or anything like that. It was fun while it lasted, and it's fun to re-live that feeling through my nephews who believe in Santa Claus.

As a mom I have worried about Kerry thinking I lied...what you said makes me feel a lot better.

[MakeHaste]

When I figured out Santa wasn't real, it didn't really crush me, either. Of course, it was a gradual thing, and I slowly stopped believing.

 

But I still acted like I believed in him, because that just meant more presents!

[sundog]

We ALL believe in Santa at our house. He does fly around the world and leave presents for all the good girls and boys.

 

In our house, if you even HINT at not believing, he doesn't leave you anything. I got a gift from Santa and so did Digi. There are still gifts from the family to open, but the ones from Santa are a big deal and it would be awful lonely to be the only one not opening any fun stuff.

 

It's as much a state of mind as anything else. It's the spirit of the season that is "santa" and giving.

[iluvgeddy05]

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ Jan 30 2008, 10:42 AM)

QUOTE (iluvgeddy05 @ Jan 30 2008, 09:39 AM) I don't have kids, but I would tell them there is a Santa and someday have them figure out there's not.  I think it's terrible for parents to tell them upfront it's not real because it does take that magic away.  In a world where children are growing up so fast, it's nice to have them still believe and get all excited when Santa comes to visit.  Plus, when I found out there was no Mr. Claus, it was from other kids my age and though I was upset, it's nothing that traumatized me to this day.  I never felt "abused" because my parents "lied" to me or anything like that.  It was fun while it lasted, and it's fun to re-live that feeling through my nephews who believe in Santa Claus. As a mom I have worried about Kerry thinking I lied...what you said makes me feel a lot better. I know a lot of parents have said something to the effect of "Santa is always real in your heart and spirit if you let it" when their children have questioned it and it seemed to ease the confusion, Cheesy, but maybe better than "nope, he ain't real. Psych!"

[Slaine mac Roth]

Both of my children blieve in Santa. However, we had a bit of a problem a couple of years ago.

 

Before the divorce, we always went to my ex-wife's parents on Christmas Day and opened the presents there. As such, once they became aware of such things, they began to wonder why our presents were heaped under the tree (nowhere else to keep them). In addition, our coal fire was replaced with central heating and the chimney was blocked.

 

The quick thinking answer to their question was to explain that, due to his incredibly busy schedule, Santa had asked if we could keep the presents at the house and save him a job. This explanation was accepted for a few years until the two of them came up with their own reasoning (following their own brand of logic).

 

Now, they believe that Santa makes the presents at Christmas but he doesn't deliver them on Christmas Eve.

 

Of course, after the divorce, it meant we didn't have to explain why some of their presents were delivered to my flat while the rest would be waiting for them at their grandparents.

[J0N]

I don't believe in Kids

[workingcinderellaman]

QUOTE (J0N @ Jan 30 2008, 12:35 PM)

I don't believe in Kids

Oh they're real. I can assure you.

[workingcinderellaman]

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ Jan 30 2008, 10:42 AM)

QUOTE (iluvgeddy05 @ Jan 30 2008, 09:39 AM) I don't have kids, but I would tell them there is a Santa and someday have them figure out there's not.  I think it's terrible for parents to tell them upfront it's not real because it does take that magic away.  In a world where children are growing up so fast, it's nice to have them still believe and get all excited when Santa comes to visit.  Plus, when I found out there was no Mr. Claus, it was from other kids my age and though I was upset, it's nothing that traumatized me to this day.  I never felt "abused" because my parents "lied" to me or anything like that.  It was fun while it lasted, and it's fun to re-live that feeling through my nephews who believe in Santa Claus. As a mom I have worried about Kerry thinking I lied...what you said makes me feel a lot better. Kids are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. Your kids will remember how hard you worked to make Christmas a special time. They know that it's because you love them. That is what ultimately matters.

[bornTOrush]

QUOTE (sundog @ Jan 30 2008, 12:33 PM)

It's as much a state of mind as anything else. It's the spirit of the season that is "santa" and giving.

 

That is how it has always been for me, and my family.

 

The "spirit" of the season is what we have always focused on, and still do to this day. Regardless of age.

 

 

[blonde77th]

I always told my kids there was a Santa until they were old enough to figure out the real truth .

[Natch]

My kids stopped believing in Santa Claus a few years ago when their cousins told them. They were a little upset at first, but their main concern was getting presents. As long as they were still going to be receiving presents, they were just fine with it.

[ILSnwdog]

I have a 4 year old little girl, and an 18 month old boy. This was the first Christmas that my daughter really caught onto the whole Santa thing, and it was special. Her excitement when she saw the stockings filled, the presents under the tree, and that the cookies were eaten was out of this world. I have no intentions of letting the cat out of the bag for many years.

 

[Mandalorian Hunter]

When/If I have children, I'd always say Santa was real to them.

 

I can still vividly remember how magical christmas when I did believe.

[Tick]

*WARNING SANTA SPOILER*

 

**********************

My view probably wont be a popular one but my wife and i desided when my daughter was very young we would explain to her that Santa was a real person who was a very giving man. We told her he lived a long time ago but no one lives forever and he has since died. We then said, it is however fun to pretend he is real and make his memory part of the magic of Christmas. So although my daughter enjoys the fantasy, she knows the reality. We do however enjoy watching all the classic Christmas shows every year. As i said, some may think we cheated her and maybe we did but it was the descision we made. Lets also look at the reality of the situation, deep down kids know its not real, they put things together quite easily, they just buy into the fantasy.

***********************

[TheRocinanteKid]

QUOTE (tick @ Jan 30 2008, 07:40 PM)

*WARNING SANTA SPOILER* ********************** My view probably wont be a popular one bit my wife and i desided when my daughter was very young we would explain to her that Santa was a real person who was a very giving man. We told her he lived a long time ago but no one lives forever and he has since died. We then said, it is however fun to pretend he is real and make his memory part of the magic of Christmas. So although my daughter enjoys the fantasy, she knows the reality. We do however enjoy watching all the classic Christmas shows every year. As i said, some may think we cheated her and maybe we did but it was the descision we made. Lets also look at the reality of the situation, deep down kids know its not real, they put things together quite easily, they just buy into the fantasy. ***********************

I have no problem with this method. I'm not old enough to have kids but something like this might be better in the long run. Can you expect your kids to trust you if you go on for 12 years telling them about how Santa Claus is real and then they either find out or you tell them different?

[rushgoober]

I didn't make this up, but I love this:

 

 

 

Four stages of life:

 

1) You believe in Santa Claus

 

2) You don't believe in Santa Claus

 

3) You are Santa Claus

 

4) You look like Santa Claus

 

 

[Slime]

I don't think I'll ever tell any of my (future) children that there is a Santa Claus (that is, that there is a REAL guy who goes around and does all that...which was the point of this thread). Even if most kids are smarter than we give them credit for, it just doesn't make sense to me that I have to be dishonest to them at one point.

[owlswing]

First I must tell GG I have been battle the same thing for about a year with in myself as the older 3 getting to that age of disbelief. I don't want them to think I have lied to them all these years.

 

So I too agree with Sundog that Santa is a spirit of the holiday if you will.

 

So as this past Christmas came and my oldest asked, "Mommy is Stana real"? I turned to her and ask what did she think and what does she feel inside. Waiting for the reply from last Christmas - that it can't be us since I would never spend that kind of money on toys. She didn't she just sat there and thought.

 

We had left it there up until a week ago. She had just lost her second to last tooth and in the car she comes out with this one..."Mommy I don't think the Easter Bunny is real!"

 

So I have to ask well the tooth fairy just came what about that? -"Well maybe but you know the Easter Bunny unlike Santa is an animal all cute like, he's really not what Easter is about, like Santa who has taught us how much fun giving can be.

 

She brought a tear to my eye.

 

Children will amaze you!

 

editied to add: Your kids are going to hear more on the school bus than you want them too and this subject is one of them. I would HIGHLY suggest telling them early what ever you hear on the bus talk to me first! I can not stress this enough!!!!!