the season
Really, one of the most touching and honest parenting/Christmas things I've read in a long while:
http://libba-bray.livejournal.com/41956.html
I remember the shock of finding out The Great Santa Truth when I found the wrapped presents "from Santa" hidden away somewhere in the house where I should not have been. I also remember stealthily removing tape and retaping gifts - so that year I knew EVERYTHING that I was getting ahead of time. I also remember perpetuating the myth for a couple more years out of fear of not getting presents! I couldn't have been more than 7.
My sister has always been a better, more altruistic person than me. Also smarter and more cynical. It's pretty much been that way since birth. I recall her being in Kindergarten, not yet five years old as she is a Christmas baby, and telling me that she knew that Santa was not real, but that she didn't want to hurt our parents feelings and she was just going to continue "believing." She asked me to go along with it, but not "baby" her with all the Santa talk. Cynto. That was the same year she told her Kindergarten classmates that Boy George was gay and explained to them all what being gay meant. In class. I love that she's a teacher now.
I'd love to hear how you found out the big, bad truth about Christmas!! If you have kids are you going to do the whole Santa thing? To me there is no question - I will give my kids Santa because I think it's the best, most exciting part about Christmas for kids, but that this naiviete and trust and willingness to believe is what makes kids so great and fun and what makes Christmas with kids about a million times more special than Christmas without kids.
I found the image here; not sure about its true origins.
posted by Momily @ 12:07 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
I was 8 when my mum said to me "you know there is no such thing as Santa, it's really mummy and daddy". I was crushed beyond belief but put on a brave face and replied of course I knew there was no Santa. Until then, I had never questioned the existence of Santa, despite noticing (when I was 4) that Santa used the same wrapping paper as we did. That was also the last year that Santa presents were wrapped.
We'll definitely encourage our daughter to believe in Santa. I don't really see it as a lie - just creating a special, magical time for children.
I dont recall "finding out" as a monumental moment. But when I DID know the truth, I never said a word. We all went along with it. It was more fun to believe.
My son, now almost 10, has LOTS of questions. But I will NEVER say there is NO Santa. Never. Ever. For starters, he would ruin it for my other 150 children, who still have many years of believing ahead of them. He actually found presents in the car the other day...and we were able to say it was for the toy drive at school...and he believed us,mainly because we had him take the toys to the toy drive!!! (yup, back to target to buy the same toys again!!!)
Show me the adult that has real trust issues today because his parents "lied" to him about Santa!!!! We have so many other things to worry about while raising our children. A little Christmas magic is not harmful. Just look into the eyes of the children this Christmas...
BELIEVE!
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