Tonight Big J came home from a birthday party, got a drink, and then point blank asked me if Santa was the one who left presents on Christmas Eve or if it was us. It totally took me by surprise and I could tell he was already having some strong emotions about it. I asked him why he was asking and he said that a girl in his class told him it was the parents that left the presents not Santa. GRRRRRR. I asked him what he thought and he said, "I don't know what to think." It was at this point that my brain went into a coma and I stood there and just looked at him and tried not to cry. Luckily, my husband came in around that time and broke the tension long enough for me to regain some composure. I decided that if he was old enough to ask, then he was old enough to know. Even though I didn't want him to know.
So, I basically told him that Santa Claus was a tradition that was passed down to represent the spirit of Christmas and the spirit of giving, but that there was not a person named Santa Claus that came to your home and left you presents. We tried to make it seem cool like he was now "in the club" and had the grown-up responsibility to continue to keep the secret from the younger kids that didn't know yet. We told him that as long as he "believed" then Santa would still bring him presents. I think he was really disappointed, though. He cried. I cried. We hugged.
This of course led to a discussion that there was not a giant rabbit that filled your Easter basket and that there wasn't a little fairy that left you money for teeth. The more we talked about all the characters the funnier it got.
His next question? "So are you and Dad the ones who eat the cookies we leave out?" Heck yeah!
I think in the end he was ok with it, but I am really sad to have that part of his childhood be over. Waaaaaaaa!
8 comments:
:( I was sad telling each of the kids, but none of them cried. I remember BAWLING when Mom told me. I had NO IDEA.
Remember Alec saying, "Oh, so it was YOUR boot Dad saw going up the chimney!?" lol
That's so sad, it makes me want to cry. They grow up so fast. :(
I suspect Sarah knows but she's too sweet to let us know that she knows, so we're pretty sure she won't tell her sister.
Bummer! I'm actually surprised we've made it to Christmas #10 with Savannah and she still doesn't know. I'm wondering if this will be our last. I wish parents would tell their kids to keep their mouths shut!
Chloe came home from school saying that a little girl (Frist grader!) had told her that there was no such thing as Santa. But then she said she just feels sorry for her because she only gets presents from her family and Santa doesn't come because she doesn't believe in him. Lots of apostolic Lutherans around here, and apparently they don't do the Santa thing. So this might happen for us way sooner than I'd like. We did have the Tooth Fairy discussion with Bria, and although she made the connection to Santa, I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to know yet and prefers to believe.
Someone in Ellie's class told her, PLUS ALL THE DETAILS, but I denied it and Ellie totally went with it. She's only 7, I get a few more years. . . right?
Yes, if Little J had asked me I would have lied flat out.
I think I remember someone saying, after being told the truth, something like "but the Easter bunnie...". I'm sure your Dad is really proud of you updating your
blog. Why don't you go see him this weekend to find out for sure.
Lt Dan
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