Santa Clause......

I think you have some time before you have to worry about this... my oldest is 11 and she still believes. :) No stress, you will know how to handle it when it comes anyways.

Hi , L. :0)
This topic can be a hot-button one. SO many people associate Christmas with Santa Clause that it's hard not to bring him into it ... but it really is supposed to be about the birth of Jesus Christ. In my home , we don't do the Santa thing. We're doing a birthday cake for Jesus ( white with maybe some animal crackers on it ) and telling her the story from His birth.
At 2 and a half , she has already noticed Santa Clause being shown on TV and in stores , and she has asked about him. We tell her that he's just for fun at Christmas time and that it isn't real. This way , we feel a lot better and she knows the truth.

Just to clearify , we don't judge other parents who incorporate Santa into their holidays , it's just we don't.
Best of luck to you , whatever you decide to tell her.
~ A.

I think it's so sweet you're concerned about this but I wouldn't be. Children believe in things like Tooth Fairies and Santa Clause because they are TANGIBLE examples of goodness being rewarded. And I think children believe in these things for as long as they need to and when THEY are ready, you'll know. I would gauge it by asking her if she asks you. Mommy does Santa exist? What do you think sweetie? They'll tell you. I think these beings are really magical and special and they should be cherished! They are perfect examples of our children's imaginations blooming! You would do other things to encourage your child's imagination right? So play along with this too! I mean you don't let your daughter dress up as a princess all the while firmly reminding her she is NOT a princess and she cannot be a princess right? Same thing! Have fun with and no worries.

Read the book, POLAR EXPRESS, the answer is on the last page........Mine is 9, and when she asks I turn the question around and ask her if she believes. I told her that as long as he is in her heart, he is real.

Good Luck,
S.

I remember that I figured out that Santa and my dad had the same handwriting! I was about 8. I was not mad at all. But my parents didn't tell me Santa was REAL, they left it kind of open.

Here are some interesting ways people deal with Santa.

http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/dilemma/preschooler/pt...

I especially like the fourth response down.

Here are some more thoughts:
http://www.babycenter.com/dilemma/baby/babyritual/1194553...

Google "telling your child about Santa Claus" (or some form of that phrase) and lots of articles will appear. You should be able to find some advice that works for you.

I agree...no stress. I have older ones who know and younger ones who don't. I still remember how each found out and their reaction. No, they were not horrified! They were so amazed and grateful that I gave them such a great gift...the gift of imagination and dreams. Now my adult children enjoy the wonder through their siblings' eyes.

My one son, when he was about 11 or so he figured it out and gave me such a hug! Said he had the best memories ever and now that he knew it was 'me' it just made them all the more awesome. I think folks who worry about these things worry too much and kids are not clueless. They understand we are not lying, we are giving them creativity and imagination and a fairy tale for a day....a nice thing really.

Hello L.,
How funny,
Though originally from FL, I also moved to FL from Alaska (about 4 years ago). Do you miss it? Firstly, there are no white Christmases and there never was a Santa (but there was a St. Nicholas that brought gifts to needy boys and girls). I am packing to go to the airport, but I am so compelled by your concern that I must write to you. I chose not to lie to my son. I had problems with those questions in my own childhood and do not want to impose those on my own child. I want him to know that families work hard to share gifts with our loved ones... that we give to one another in cheer out of love. Stories are wonderful! And there are so many stories to share during the holidays. History provides us with a plethora of them beyond the tale of flying reindeer. There is hardly a richer time to share such a myriad of stories about this holiday. Use it as a chance to expand your child's cultural understanding of how the entire world celebrates this time of year. Then you may weave your spiritual connotations into all of this. You see if Santa 'sees you when your sleeping...knows when you've been naughty or nice' that's in root a scary idea for a child. If you intend to impart an understanding of man's relationship with the Creator, then what message is that sending about Santa's role in relation to an omnipresent God? I suggest focusing less on Santa Claus, North Pole, reindeer, etc. Maybe place only one gift from Santa under the tree this year and describe him as someone that 'helps' us celebrate the holiday, not a figure that the holiday revolves around. I wish I could write more, but I'm in a hurry. Best wishes to you and yours.
Most kindly,
D.

I don't think there is anything wrong with children beleiving in Santa. It doesn't go against religion, and there is nothing harmful in it. My daughter loves fairy tales, and Santa is basically a fairy tale. I can't imagine taking her (or anyones young child, for that matter) to the mall (or wherever) and the child seeing Santa and their eyes not lighting up. It's part of growing up, part of your childhood. That, to me, would be like telling her that Dora and Barney, and Charlie and Lola and The Little Mermaid and Cinderella wern't real. Santa is good, and brings happiness to children all over the world, so why deprive your child of that thrill at christmas? I don't know of anyone who was emotionally scarred when they found out Santa wasn't real.

Also, I thought of this from another post, I'd hate to be the parent of the Non Santa child who tells the little child who believes in Santa they weren't real!

EDIT:
I found this on a site that was rec. by another mom, and I think it sums it up perfectly!

"Santa is the representation of what is good in everyone. Let your little one believe as long as he can...for the world is a lot scarier than it used to be."

I worry about the same things but I don't let it bother me too much. I follow most of the traditions and let my kids enjoy the holidays, but I tell them little things some times like, Santa was a wonderful person that brought gifts to children on Christmas, he is in your heart, he is in everyone’s heart, no one knows for sure if Santa goes all around the world, some people believe that there are others who do Santa’s work now, or I don't know for sure but I think there is someone special, maybe Santa, that brings gifts to children and loves them very much. I also read stories about some of the traditional holiday characters. I try to find stories from other cultures, so they are not all exactly the same, this encourages questions and more open discussion. I also tell them that many of the Santa’s they see near the stores are just pretending to be Santa. I think that allows them to believe in many of these things, yet not be completely crushed if they find them not to be real. I would never say that there is no such thing as Santa, tooth fairy, or any of that. I would try to keep them open to many possibilities, and let them enjoy themselves.

My mom always said that Santa is in your heart and everyone’s heart; she said the same about God. So when I heard that Santa wasn't real or was made up, I never quite bought that. My mind may have worked a little different. I figured, "Who would make up all this stuff, if it weren't true?" "No one's going to make up a story about a jolly fat man, who wears a red suit, has eight flying reindeer, lots of little helpers, brings gifts to everyone in one day, and lives in the north poll." Maybe some of it isn't exactly right, but I bet a lot of it is true." Those are the kinds of things I believed as a child, and that is how I reasoned my belief in such things. I now know that most of it is fictional, but I still hold a little place in my heart for Santa, tinkerbell, frosty, and the tooth fairy. I never really did believe in the Easter bunny though. I thought it was a nice idea, but way too far fetched to believe that an egg-laying bunny would hide eggs all over the house and break none. I know the others are far fetched too, but they seemed more reasonable to me, and maybe a little more about faith.

Buy the way; I think I still believed in Santa well into my teens.

V. Brown

My son was six last year when we lived in NY and he came home and said we needed to talk. We sat down and he asked, Mom is Santa Clause real or not? Because, **NAME** said that Santa isn't real and your parents come downstairs in the middle of the night and put presents under the tree. As you can imagine, the blood drained out of my body and I didn't know how to respond at first. I was furious at this kid who was in a grade higher. I was ready to call his mom and say if they didn't believe that's their business, but to keep faith for other families. There were soooo many things running in my head at that moment. I kind of unfroze and just said, you know how we just watched The Polar Express? My son said, yes. I said, He couldn't hear the bells cause he didn't believe right? My son said that's right. I said, people in this world say alot of hateful things, some of them being true. You can choose to believe it or not believe it. That's something you'll have to decide in life. We got to talking about Polar Express again, and he decided this kid was just being hurtful, and he still believed in Santa. As for this year, now that we are in FL, and are no longer on a island.... he's around alot older, different aged children. He rides the bus to school with children of all ages, and my husband and I were just talking if maybe we should ask to see if he believes, but maybe tell him. I can see where my husband stands, because he doesn't want his almost 8 y/o son walking around saying Santa is real when everyone else is saying he isn't and then he'll get made fun of. He'd rather him know the truth and still be able to keep the spirit alive for his little sister. This can be very sensitive for children, I myself was never told, and found out by my mother's handwriting. So I hope you find what works best for you.

My kids learned from there friends that Santa and the tooth fairy where not real, so we had a heart to heart with them and told them the truth , but it was because of the other kids we tried to hang on to the story because kids love to Dream and believe in Fairytales

Hey L., I hope what I'm about to tell you, first of all you are ready to recieve. Do you really want the truth, so that you can start helping your daughter walk in truth. It's reallynot good to teach kids to believe in something that does not exist. Believe it or not, that's where a lot of disapointment comes from in our lives when we grow up, because all our lives we are taught to belive in the make believe. We go on not expecting reality in our relationships. All our lives our parents build an unreal world for us. We start out as a child believing in whats not real. consequently we become open game for lies. Unbeknowing to us, we are taught at a very young age to believe a lie. So....... If your going to tell them anything and you'd like to make fun out of it. Dress up like santa, give the children the gifts and than take off the mask and say. Moma,,,,,,,,,, or Daddy is your santa it was our hard earned money. I guess it's okay if you struggle with taking santa away, just bring tbe truth to the light, because you really are santa. The whole myth of Christmas did come from santa giving gifts. Look at the word Christmas, it has Christ in the prefix of it. This Holiday came about becasue Christ was doing something for us that would casue us a dime. He gave His life for our sin. so you see the idea of giving gifts just becasu you love or like a person, you realize you are bing like Christ, He gave us His life exspecting nothing in return, Christmas is my favoite time of the year, There is so........ much Love in the air. It's because God is well pleased when He see His people acting like Him.

P. A P.
Your mamasource sister

She will probably hear from another child that "it's not true". We always took the "matter-of-fact" stance that "well, if you don't believe...guess you won't get anything". My kids are 23, 21 and 15 and STILL believe, lol. It was about her age that Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny were "outed" and it hasn't seemed to damage their psyche.

Hey L.,
I had a hard time with Santa, when I came into my Christianity. I did however find comfort in knowing Santa is real.................
although we do not slid down chimneys or ride the world in one day. We do scrimp and save, even go without so our child will have a Christams and then stay up until mid-night to wrap the gifts we were able to ourchase. Then we sneak around hustling them under the tree as to not wake the little one. Checking in on them sleeping then stuffing their stockings with the smaller toys and candy we realize we still have to stuff the turkey and glaze the ham in the morning. Oh it is morning. Well at least I'll be able to sleep for a couple hours. Only to find the slumber disturbed one and a half hours later. placing your feet to the floor and shlithering down the hall mustering up the joy to boom out that Santa has come. Then making coffee or what ever it takes to help you wake. We clean the mess and continue into our day of cooking and baking and cleaning as we go...........
Santa, the tooth fairy, the easter bunny, they all exsist in mommy's.
But I will not the importance of being sure your children realize the importance of the holiday rather than just the presents or gifts.