Santa Claus - Forest Hills,NY

I told my daughter when she very young that Santa is the "spirit of Christmas". She can reach her own conclusions about if he **exists**.

Ask her if she thinks it's he's real and go from there. I am getting nervous because my 6 year old started asking this christmas. I don't want it to end too early. I think that's what's fun about Christmas for the little ones.

T figured it all out once I was 8. That Christmas, i just began to figure how things had come together. I asked my mother and she asked me. "what do you think?"

and so I told her what I had figured ot and she confirmed it. I was so excited to have figured it all out and then she asked me if I would now help her. I had a younger sister and she let me help by listening to what my sister wanted. She also asked if I could be her Santa.. She gave me money and let me purchase gifts..

I loved being a part of the Santa giving..

Depends on how you feel about Santa Claus. I still believe in Santa Claus. The spirit of Christmas is real in my heart. I see it all year round whenever I see a random act of kindness, and I am nearly 40.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

My daughter is 8. She was started to suspect, but never outright asked.

She has this app on my phone called 'Talking Ben' and I freaking HATE that app. It's so annoying, it makes my skin crawl. But she LOVES it. When I was at Toys R Us, I found a small keychain toy of the Talking Ben character that makes the same annoying noises that the app makes when you push a button. I figured it would be good to put in her stocking.

After she opened her stocking and saw that, she was absolutely convinced that I could not be Santa because I would NEVER have purchased her that annoying toy. I didn't do it purposely, but the results were great.

When she does suspect enough to ask, I'll tell her the truth. If your son is asking you, you should tell him.

What do you mean there is no Sana Claus.! Of course there is. Read "Yes'
Virginia there is a Santa Claus."

Explain to him that Santa Claus is a "feeling" and part of the spiritual realm. Santa is kind of a precursor of faith and how it works. If you "believe" then it is true.

Kid: "Is Santa real?"
You: "What do you think?"

Go from there.

My granddaughter asked me this Christmas. When I asked her what she thought she told me that all her friends told her he wasn't real. I told her he was real as long as she believed.

Then we talked about Polar Express and how the boy couldn't hear the jingle bell. How he had his journey and finally heard it.

I told her that as long as she believed she would be able to hear that bell jingle.

So she decided that he wasn't a real person but the ideal of Christmas.

Then she looked up and me and said "Man, that means the Tooth Fairy isn't real either, or the Easter Bunny. You put the money under my pillow didn't you? HEY! Do I still get Santa gifts on Christmas morning?". I admitted that we did all of them. I told her that she could still have a Santa gift (she has a little brother that would worry about why she didn't get one). She sort of looked sad about the tooth fairy for a moment then forgot totally about the whole thing.

BUT as Christmas got closer she kept sitting on Santa's laps telling them what she wanted. She told me she wasn't taking any chances.

Next Christmas I fully expect her to be okay with the whole thing and not focus on Santa.

If they're old enough to ask, they're old enough for an honest answer.

When they ask they should be told.

My 9 and 7 year old don't believe a man comes into our house with gifts, but they believe in the idea of him. I'm glad. My 5 year old still believes, for now, but I don't think he will after next year.

Let them lead the conversation.

"He exists as long as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know they abound and give to your life it's greatest joy. How dreary would the world be if there were no Santa?!" -from the newspaper editorial, Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Clause, by Francis Church

The next time you get the chance to "buy" a thingie for a charity, and they want you to write your name on it so they can hang it on the wall, wink at him, and sign it, "Santa Clause." Now he's in on the conspiracy. Next time, let him be the one to sign Santa's name.

Turn it around and ask her what she thinks. My oldest daughter asked me that dreaded question when she was in 1st grade because her best friend's mom had told him that Santa wasn't real and he shared this important info with her. When I asked what she thought she said that she thought Ian was wrong and there was a Santa. We got another year out of it before she figured out on her own that Ian was right after all.

Oh, I loved reading Laurie's story below. Today, actually, my almost-8 year old daughter said she had something private to talk to me about. We shut her ourselves up in my bedroom, and she asked me about Santa. I asked her what she thought, and she said "it all leads to you being Santa. I heard Dad's drill on Christmas Eve so I think he was putting together the dress up center. And I tripped in the guest room today and saw under the bed, there was wrapping paper that matches Santa's". She seems excited to be able to help next year. I enjoyed reading Laurie's story and being able to see today from my lil gal's perspective. :)

If you haven't already, I'd take your kid to see "Rise of the Guardians". It's awesome. It makes you WANT to believe, even if you have doubts. I'd just smile and say, "He's only real if you believe in him. Once everyone stops believing, he stops being real."

Any way you want.
We've never had the discussion in our house and our son is 14.
He's never asked.
He comes to his own conclusions.

When my daughters asked me that question around the same age, I asked "do you enjoy believing in magic?" They thought about that for a while, finally responding "Yes." And I said "You have your answer then." That satisfied them and they "believed" for another few years until they were ready to give Santa up themselves.

Depending on the depth and area of your spiritual beliefs, you could tell her how the myth of Santa Claus derived from a very real person, St. Nicolas of Myra and Lycia, and that the things Santa is supposed to do are based on the wondrous and miraculous things he did to help people, including children. That way she can understand without feeling bereft of someone she loved, and can help to carry on his spirit of giving.

I told my four year old that Santa Claus is real if you believe in him because of what he represents. The original representation - not the commercial. He doesn't always have to be a man, wear a red/white suit or have reindeer. He could be represented by anyone who shows peace, love and the gift of giving whether it be something physical or spiritual.