What I told my children about Santa Claus my shock you.

              Childhood is a special time in your life when wonder and awe are abundant and the world of make-believe overlaps the real world.  At least that’s what we’d like to think we remember childhood like.  We try to encourage that thought and any opportunity to prove that magic is real and not lost.

              Christmas is a dream come true for children.  It builds up with advent calendars and decorations around the house.  The smell of fresh Hershey kiss cookies and the visiting relatives fills the heart and the belly.  Lets not forget the presents.  For parents Christmas time is the exact opposite, it’s a time when you stress for making plans, organizing the house, purchasing gifts of equal or lesser value to those you will receive and trying to keep up with the Jones’ children’s gifts.  It’s exhausting.

              One thing that parents take solace in is the wonder and awe surrounding Santa Claus.  When children are young, there’s no conflict.  You take your kids to the mall, they sit on the big man’s lap and tell him what you want.  I love when he says he’ll see what he can do after looking at your face.  Inevitably your child comes home and asks the question, “Is Santa Claus real?”  It’s so cute and innocent. Everyone knows that lying to your children is wrong but there’s several things that go through your mind.  You want your children to be happy and innocent for as long as possible.  I think more importantly you don’t want your child to go around telling other children that Santa is not real.  You picture the sad crying faces of the other kids and the hawkish faces of the parents with exaggerated disappointment.

              During kindergarten keeping the tale going is pretty easy.  Children are only at the why stage.  Why does Santa give out presents?   Why does he use a sleigh?  Why do the elves work for free?  Why does he have to live in the North pole?  By first grade, children are introduced to the frustrating skill of deductive reasoning.  The questions become exponentially more difficult to navigate.  If Santa is so big how does he fit down a small chimney?  By second grade the gig is up because your answers sound more and more contrived.  What you don’t expect is the deluge of follow-up questions after you spill the beans.

(1)    Is the tooth fairy real?

(2)    Is the Easter bunny real?

(3)    Is Jesus real?  / Did Moses really part the red sea?

That last one hurts.  How do you explain to a child that you actively lied about something you knew not to be true and then expect them to believe you about something that involves faith?  There must be a better way.  I also thought it was ironic that he knows when you are sleeping and when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good too.  Isn’t that God? 

              Here’s what I did.  When they were young I took them to see Santa and take a picture.  When my oldest son asked me if Santa was real, I didn’t say yes or no.  I said Santa is make believe, it’s pretend for fun.  It’s like when you play outside and think you are really a super hero.  You don’t jump off the roof because you’ll get hurt but pretending it’s real doesn’t harm anyone.  I then said the best part of make believe is letting everyone else pretend it’s real at the same time.  That solves both problems, it lets my children enjoy the fun.  They still get presents and have fun and can take pictures with the big man and still believe that I am a parent of my word.

              I still made them an adorable online video using portable north pole with Santa saying their name and showing their pictures in book.  He then would give them some advice and show them a picture of the toy that they really wanted.  It's all in good fun!