S/O Santa

melody921 · November 2013

To follow redneck's post, I'm now curious how many people who celebrate Christmas incorporate Santa. So,

1) Do you include Santa? If not, why not?

2) If so, will you let your kids believe as long as they want, or will you sit them down and tell them the truth at a certain age?

3) If you don't have Santa, who brings the presents -- parents, Jesus, someone else?

4) What do non-Santa families tell their kids so they don't ruin the Santa fantasy for other kids whose families embrace the jolly old elf?

5) Is your Santa/no Santa plan in line with what you/your SO had growing up?

mrsjenni · November 2013

Santa FTW.

I will let them believe for as long as they want. If they question it specifically at a certain age, then I will tell them the truth and make them promise not to tell anyone else who still believes.

Also, both DH and I both had Santa growing up, so we're 100% on the same page.

ETA: My mom still writes "From: SANTA" on her gifts to us in her same disguised Santa writing she used when we were little. I love that she does this and plan to do the same.

hmp1 · November 2013

We believe in Santa!

I think I will be able to tell when they really are questioning his existence vs asking questions because of movies or whatever. Almost all Christmas movies are based around non-believers so I expect the question to come up well before he ready to not believe. I think once he is old enough and is asking questions, I/we will tell him that Santa is a fun holiday tradition for children. We will continue to do Santa gifts forever though.

Once James knows the truth we will encourage him to keep the tradition alive for his younger siblings and other little kids.

We mirror our Santa experiences we had growing up. Only difference is Santa didn't wrap in my house but did in DH's house.

kjskjs · November 2013

We include Santa! It's one of my favorite things to do. I loved believing when I was little but I discovered one Christmas with my nephew (before DD) that being Santa is even better! I love the sneakiness!

I'll let them believe as long as they can. I think that's part of their innocence and the wonder of being young.

The Santa plan for DH and I is a mix of what we had growing up. We try to incorporate traditions for all holidays from both families and to create some new ones for us.

Cheenomae · November 2013

1) Do you include Santa? If not, why not? We do include Santa. He usually brings a main gift for each child and fills the stockings.

2) If so, will you let your kids believe as long as they want, or will you sit them down and tell them the truth at a certain age? We will let our kids believe as long as they want. I'm in no rush for Santa to stop existing.

3) If you don't have Santa, who brings the presents -- parents, Jesus, someone else?

4) What do non-Santa families tell their kids so they don't ruin the Santa fantasy for other kids whose families embrace the jolly old elf?

5) Is your Santa/no Santa plan in line with what you/your SO had growing up? Yes, our traditions are mostly in line. The only difference is that I grew up with Santa not wrapping his presents to us while my parents' presents were always wrapped. DH had everything wrapped and he loves it that way so I've caved a little and we wrap everything!!

Pokedot · November 2013

We believe in Santa at our house. I believed for so long it wasn't funny and after I found out he wasn't real, Christmas was never the same. My CCD teacher ruined btw! Nice right? DH was only about 2 when he found out. So sad. We'll do Santa and play it up until he questions it at an appropriate age. He'll also not be able to tell his sibling(s) to allow them to still believe.

We do different writing on the packages along with letters and such. IMO the joy of Chritmas is believing in Santa. The magic kind of gets taken away after Santa isn't believed in anymore.

BeebopandBuddy · November 2013

Yes, we believe in Santa and will let them do so until they ask, then we will tell them the truth. We will also request, at that point, that they don't ruin it for the other one, if necessary.

DH and I both had Santa growing up. I think it's a fun idea for kids even though I try to avoid the "If you're bad Santa won't bring you presents" stuff.

1fish2fish · November 2013

melody921 said:

To follow redneck's post, I'm now curious how many people who celebrate Christmas incorporate Santa. So,

1) Do you include Santa? If not, why not?
2) If so, will you let your kids believe as long as they want, or will you sit them down and tell them the truth at a certain age?
3) If you don't have Santa, who brings the presents -- parents, Jesus, someone else?
4) What do non-Santa families tell their kids so they don't ruin the Santa fantasy for other kids whose families embrace the jolly old elf?
5) Is your Santa/no Santa plan in line with what you/your SO had growing up?

Santa- YES!

They can come to me with questions about Santa and I will answer truthfully.

Santa brings toys; mom and dad give one special gift and clothes

N/A

DH and I agree about Santa.

MsAlphaBee123 · November 2013

1fish2fish said:

melody921 said:

To follow redneck's post, I'm now curious how many people who celebrate Christmas incorporate Santa. So,

1) Do you include Santa? If not, why not?
2) If so, will you let your kids believe as long as they want, or will you sit them down and tell them the truth at a certain age?
3) If you don't have Santa, who brings the presents -- parents, Jesus, someone else?
4) What do non-Santa families tell their kids so they don't ruin the Santa fantasy for other kids whose families embrace the jolly old elf?
5) Is your Santa/no Santa plan in line with what you/your SO had growing up?

Santa- YES!
They can come to me with questions about Santa and I will answer truthfully.
Santa brings toys; mom and dad give one special gift and clothes
N/A
DH and I agree about Santa.

Same as 1fish2fish

Hyaline · November 2013

We'll do Santa. I don't know that I'll formally introduce it at a certain age, but we'll probably start saying things about Santa and whatnot next year or the year after. Well, heck, we probably will this year, but know she's not going to cue into it.

I won't do a sit-down talk. I tend to think that most kids know well in advance of sharing with their parents that they know. If she asks, especially if she's still really young, I think I'll ask her what she thinks and if she says she believes, I'll assume she wants to keep believing.

Also, we'll probably read "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus" every year when she's old enough to get it so that, as she stops believing in a 'real" Santa, she gets why the tradition exists. It's one of my favorite pieces of writing of all time and one of the few things that will melt my black heart and choke me up.

melody921 · November 2013

mrsjenni said:

Santa FTW.

I will let them believe for as long as they want. If they question it specifically at a certain age, then I will tell them the truth and make them promise not to tell anyone else who still believes.

Also, both DH and I both had Santa growing up, so we're 100% on the same page.

ETA: My mom still writes "From: SANTA" on her gifts to us in her same disguised Santa writing she used when we were little. I love that she does this and plan to do the same.

We had special Santa writing too! I always love to hear how other parents penned things from Santa. He used block lettering in our house.

linzeek44 · November 2013

Santa comes to our house. We will let him believe for as long as he will. Since we aren't religious folk, Christmas is the celebration of family and generosity and Santa's arrival. We will probably sign Santa gifts forever.

I bought two different wrapping papers this year- one is for Santa's gifts. DH poked fun since E is young and won't care. Whatever.

melody921 · November 2013

Pokedot said:

We believe in Santa at our house. I believed for so long it wasn't funny and after I found out he wasn't real, Christmas was never the same. My CCD teacher ruined btw! Nice right? DH was only about 2 when he found out. So sad. We'll do Santa and play it up until he questions it at an appropriate age. He'll also not be able to tell his sibling(s) to allow them to still believe.
We do different writing on the packages along with letters and such. IMO the joy of Chritmas is believing in Santa. The magic kind of gets taken away after Santa isn't believed in anymore.

2?! Who the heck ruined Santa for a 2-year-old?

Pokedot · November 2013

melody921 said:

Pokedot said:

We believe in Santa at our house. I believed for so long it wasn't funny and after I found out he wasn't real, Christmas was never the same. My CCD teacher ruined btw! Nice right? DH was only about 2 when he found out. So sad. We'll do Santa and play it up until he questions it at an appropriate age. He'll also not be able to tell his sibling(s) to allow them to still believe.
We do different writing on the packages along with letters and such. IMO the joy of Chritmas is believing in Santa. The magic kind of gets taken away after Santa isn't believed in anymore.

2?! Who the heck ruined Santa for a 2-year-old?

I know right? DH is the youngest of 7 siblings. It was an older sibling and I think his mom was over it. She's that kind of person, bah humbug!

bosha711 · November 2013

1) Do you include Santa? If not, why not? Yes

2) If so, will you let your kids believe as long as they want, or will you sit them down and tell them the truth at a certain age? As long as they want, or someone ruins it for them, which is probably more likely.

3) If you don't have Santa, who brings the presents -- parents, Jesus, someone else? N/A

4) What do non-Santa families tell their kids so they don't ruin the Santa fantasy for other kids whose families embrace the jolly old elf? N/A

5) Is your Santa/no Santa plan in line with what you/your SO had growing up? Yes. I forget how old I was, but I started catching on when I realized Santa's handwriting looked an awful lot like my mom's! And I have 2 older sisters who didn't ruin it for me, which is nice.

And regarding finding out at 2: That is just horrible. DS will be 3 in December & is just now learning & understanding the whole Santa concept. I can't imagine it being ruined for him before it ever began! To me, there's such an innocence to it that is so rare in this world. It's sad to think about it being taken away.

BarefootContessa · November 2013

I'm a traditionalist at heart when it comes to the holidays. We will definitely have gifts from Santa; my parents still give gifts from Santa to the family.

I can remember figuring it out far before my parents realized I knew. There is something about keeping up with the spirit of it all that makes it a really special thing. For that reason I'll let my kid(s) figure it out for him/herself.

DH and I both had Santa growing up.

damabo80 · November 2013

1) Do you include Santa? If not, why not?

Sure. It's fun.Both kids are too young to "get it", but I imagine DD will probably get it next year.

2) If so, will you let your kids believe as long as they want, or will you sit them down and tell them the truth at a certain age?

I'll let them believe as long as it doesn't hinder them. Kids are smart. They figure it out on the playground.

3) If you don't have Santa, who brings the presents -- parents, Jesus, someone else?

we will have "santa" gifts and "mom and dad" gifts. Growing up, family gifts were on christmas eve and the morning was 100% santa. DH is anti presents on xmas eve. That makes me stabby.....

4) What do non-Santa families tell their kids so they don't ruin the Santa fantasy for other kids whose families embrace the jolly old elf?

n/a

5) Is your Santa/no Santa plan in line with what you/your SO had growing up?

pretty much, minus the eve vs morning thing I listed above.

myjohnsonboys · November 2013

melody921 said:

To follow redneck's post, I'm now curious how many people who celebrate Christmas incorporate Santa. So,

1) Do you include Santa? If not, why not? Yes, in our home Santa brings all the toys and mom and dad bring the things they need and stocking stuffers.

2) If so, will you let your kids believe as long as they want, or will you sit them down and tell them the truth at a certain age? I plan to let my son's believe for as long as possible. You are only a kid for a short period of time why not let them enjoy.

3) Is your Santa/no Santa plan in line with what you/your SO had growing up? No, but he has allowed me to allow our son's to enjoy Santa.

plus12012 · November 2013

1) Do you include Santa? If not, why not?

Yes, we will. We just won't make Santa the main focus of Christmas.

2) If so, will you let your kids believe as long as they want, or will you sit them down and tell them the truth at a certain age?

I think we will let DD believe as long as she wants. But, if she asks at some point we'll be honest.

3) If you don't have Santa, who brings the presents -- parents, Jesus, someone else?

Santa won't bring gifts in our family. Santa fills stockings with really fun stuff. Gifts rae from family and close friends.

4) What do non-Santa families tell their kids so they don't ruin the Santa fantasy for other kids whose families embrace the jolly old elf?

My brother's wife is Jewish and they have raised their kids w/out a traditional Christmas although they do celebrate with our side of the family. They taught their kids about the German toymaker who used to make toys and leave them at all the houses of the children in his town. So they learned about the good deeds that were done by St. Nick and that Santa Clause is just a way to keep that tradition going. So, letting kids believe in Santa was a great way to teach kids the importance of giving.

5) Is your Santa/no Santa plan in line with what you/your SO had growing up?

Yes, my incorporation of Santa is exactly the way it was in my home growing up.

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