Santa Claus - Sunnyside,NY

Many years ago there was a newpaper editor who wrote an article entitled, "Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus". You can probably find it on the internet.....hope it helps. I.

'Santa is a spirit based upon Saint Nicholas' is what I plan to say when asked (and it is 100% true). I will answer any follow up questions. My kids can interpret 'spirit' however they understand it. We'll see how it really goes ;) good luck!

What do you mean you don't want to lie?!?!?!? I'm sorry but that is ridiculous. This is about your kids childhood and believing in Santa and the magic of it. I'm sorry but it's not that your intentionally "lying" it's that your making memories for your child.

I'm sorry, but to me, that is robbing your child of their childhood. Just remember your kids will look back and all they will remember is how you never let them "believe" because of your own issues.

I don't look at it as lying. I think of it as playing make believe with my kids! :)

I was raised with the SYMBOL of Santa Claus. My parents didn't do anything to make us believe in Santa--in fact my father would tell the story of Saint Nicholas every year and explain the origin of the jolly fat fellow who is the modern day spirit of giving ;-) They never pretended our gifts were brought by Santa nor did they threaten "coal in our stockings" for being naughty. When we were little we would meet "Santa" and get our pictures taken with him, but it wasn't much different than the pictures we had next to the tree we decorated or the snowmen we'd build. So I guess for the most part Santa Claus was just another image Christmas for us growing up.

Santa isn't a lie!!!! He's a magical pretend fairytale!! What's wrong with that? Remember "pretending" and "playing"? That's part of the magic of childhood. Childhood is short. Reality is long. Don't be so darn serious about it all. Let them have Santa for a brief while. Most kids want to believe in Santa, and Easter Bunnies, and tooth fairies.

Lighten up and have FUN!!! (And enjoy the adorable letters to Santa. They are precious.)

In response to below: the presents don't have to stop when the "truth" is revealed. My kids still get presents from "Santa." (And from the dog, and the snake in the grass, and the flea on dad's ballsack, (sorry, but we actually did use that once), and any other stupid thing we can think of to put on the tag.)

I didn't make any big thing of it and my son loves Santa. He asked who Santa was and I told him that he was a great man who lived a long time ago who used to surprise children with gifts. People liked the idea some much that mommies and daddies still keep up the tradition. Even though he "knows" that Santa is no longer in the mix he still says Santa is going to bring him presents at Christmas, still likes to watch Santa cartoons etc. For him Santa is a character just like Dora or Barney and he has little make believe playdates with them although he knows they are just fictional characters. I always told him the truth because I wanted him to know that when I told him something he could depend on it. But I do tell him now that he is older that some kids do think Santa is real and we keep the fact he isn't to ourselves so as not to ruin the fun for them, just how we do it:D

At 19 months, they aren't going to understand a whole lot intellectually, so if you want Santa to come to your house, go ahead and do that, but you don't have to do the other Santa stuff. When they're older, you can tell them about St. Nicholas, who cared greatly about other people and their needs, and gave to them in secret.

When my children were old enough to ask about the Santas on the street corners and in the malls, I explained that the Santa business is actually a sort of game people play, giving surprises to people they love. When they were old enough to understand that, they were old enough to play, too. They helped contribute to what was in their siblings' Christmas stockings. The catch was that they had to keep it a complete secret!

I think it was the enjoyment of surprising each other that kept Santa at our house for many Christmases.

What is wrong with telling them about Santa? That is the greatest part of childhood. Why would take that away from them? You are not lying but bringing the most magical part of Christmas to life. THAT IS the whole experience. This post actually ticked me off. Sorry to say but how could you do that??? Did your parents tell you the truth about Santa or did they "lie" to you? My daughter will be 3 in January and she loves Santa. She even got a birthday card from him. Let them figure out on their own that there is no santa but don't take that away from them now.

wow. Might as well chuck out the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy while you're at it.

I agree with many of the other moms here that say Santa is the spirit of giving (whether it be presents, love, or the gift of your time). That spirit is alive and well - at least in my house! I would never say that was a lie.

Hi,

Well, it looks like this subject is well-covered, but I'll just add my two cents' worth anyway. ;) Your kids are still quite young yet to be worrying about this issue. I had three kids in four years. I never lied to my kids. Santa was always a symbol of Christmas giving, never real. Then you don't have to defend yourself when they come crying to you at 7, calling you a liar. ;) I did it that way because I still remember my own dismay at finding out the truth about the symbolic icons...Easter Bunny in particular was a painful loss. The others dropped like flies at the same time...very traumatizing.
BTW, I see some moms think lying is a natural part of a mom's life. I don't agree. I never lied to my kids about anything. Ever. Truth can be simplified. Lying is a copout. We put ourselves on slippery ground when we lie, even if it's just a "little white lie". Your child will begin to learn distrust when he finds he can't even count on his mom to tell the whole truth, all the time.

Good luck!
"Grams"
from the Pocono Mts. of PA

Don't over think this.

If you don't want to 'lie' to your kids about anything... then what about books and stories you read to them or shows they may watch? If they ask you "Is Dora real????" (well she is not). What are you going to tell them? Then you should only read non-fiction and bibliographies to them. Even that, is subject to the author's views.

Fables and stories... make up a child's childhood... and do not worry... once they get older, older... they will know and believe what they want.. in their hearts.... and minds.

My daughter's 1st Grade Teacher, when the kids asked her if Santa is real... would reply "Well he is at my house... and that is what I believe...."

Your kids are only 19 months old.... don't worry.

all the best,
Susan

read them the story about saint nick, also make sure that they understand not to ruin the fantasy for other children. This is the path we are going to take with our son, because I was so devastated when I heard santa wasn't real I cried for days, because my parents had lied to me

"Santa Claus" is based on St. Nicholas. Not sure if you're religious, or if this would go against your religious beliefs, but you could tell them the true story of St. Nicholas, who was known for his generosity, giving to those in need, secret gift giving (placing coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him), and for his love of children.

I understand where you are coming from. I too, have felt this way in the beginning....but...the 'magic' of Christmas and Santa is just too great not to share with them.

I have always told my kids that Santa is real for as long as you "believe"...and this has worked for us!

~I am pretty sure my oldest nephew still "believes" just because he doesn't want to NOT believe :)

I always feel so sad for those kids whose parents didn't want to "lie" to them, so told them there was no Santa. Part of childhood an the magic of Christmas is believing in him. That being said, receiving presents is not the point of Christmas... family, being together, giving etc. are the most important things. Tell your children about the true meaning of Christmas... read them stories, buty them toy Nativity sets or whatever will help them understand why we celebrate Christmas. At the same time, let them believe in Santa... I always did as a child, and I never thought of my parents as "liars" for letting me believe... I never mistrusted them. In fact, I would have been upset had they not fostered that belief in me. When my brothers and I were old enough to figure out that Santa wasn't "real", my Dad always said, "he sure is real, he's standing right here!". My kids are almost 5 and 2 and1/2 and I have one on the way. I love the magic of Christmas and the fact that they have so much fun with anticipation... at the same time, they help me pick out toys to donate, we bake together, we spend a lot of time with family etc. Just keep it in balance and they will be fine!!

They are only 19 months old. They won't understand anything you tell them right now about Santa or anyone else for that matter for several years yet.

And, sorry to tell you, but over the years of raising your children you will "lie" to them about things. No matter how honest you try to be! It happens!

Wait till the day they ask if they can go to grandma's house and you just don't feel like it. You might tell them grandma is not home or she is busy even if you know that's not true. Or when they want to have chocolate cake for breakfast you might tell them chocolate cake is not good for them to eat at breakfast even though it won't hurt them to have it once in a while. Or when the kids want to go outside and play but you really would rather they stay inside. You might tell them you think it's going to rain!

Yes, it happens. And it doesn't mean you are a bad mother because you told them a little "lie". It means you are human! Get over it and let them be kids! Kids believe in Santa.

FWIW this has been our experience with our almost-9YO twins - not sure if this'll be helpful for you.

Initially, we never went out of our way to tell them anything about Santa one way or the other. Eventually though they start noticing that the Big Fat Guy's picture is everywhere starting around November and they hear about "Santa" stuff from other kids and adults. I'm no fan of the commercialized version of Santa (and besides, there's something kinda creepy about a fat old guy who knows when you are sleeping and knows when you're awake, but I digress...) but at the same time I don't want to diss the generosity and good works that were done by the historical Santa or by people who wish to carry on the tradition of Santa = charitable works and good deeds.

And when my kids ask if Santa does this or that, I just grin and dodge the question by saying "what do you think?" and let them spin imaginary scenarios. They've never point-blank asked me if Santa is real, but if they did, I'd tell them about the historical Santa and how, like characters in many folk tales, he underwent a few different revisions over time before he started looking like the chubby white-bearded fellow in all the advertisements. And that even though they've realized the implausibility of anyone traversing the globe and delivering presents to everyone in one night, the essence of "santa" is more than just a figure in the advertisements, cards, and decorations, but a tradition of doing good for others that is very real indeed.

Santa came to our house when I was a kid, but my dad had to do most of the talking about it. If I asked my mom "does Santa exist", she responded, "what do you think?" So I believed in Santa but not in any sort of super-active way, and when my friend told me Santa didn't exist, I believed that easily and it didn't shatter my world at all. In fact, it made a lot more sense. And it actually bothered me a little that my parents had been lying to me.

So of course I told my little sister right away, and we both confronted our parents, who admitted Santa wasn't real. And Santa kept coming to our house until we went to college. It was almost more fun knowing that it was our parents being extra thoughtful!

And for those saying that it's just a fantasy or pretend, like a book - we tell children books are made up. We tell them fantasies are not real. It's a lot different to tell a child Santa exists, as a fact.

You know, it's funny, but the thought of some strange man coming in my house in the middle of the night always freaked ME out. Now that I have my own, (and he is almost 13 now, so we are past this stage), I never gave him that impression. Santa was always the magic of Christmas and when he started getting older and asking about Santa, like "do you believe in Santa?" or "Is Santa real"? I would always be a little cryptic about it, but never lie. I always said that I do believe in Santa (which I do), but that Santa may not be what you think. I always stressed that a strange man was NOT coming into our house at Christmas. As he got older and wiser, he understood that Santa is the FEELING of Christmas, the generosity and good feeling one gets from BEING Santa. Now he gets a real joy out of giving gifts at Christmas. Santa is and always will be real, if you want Santa to be. But no, no one is sneaking in the house in the middle of the night! Hope that helps and Merry Christmas!

At that age, they won't really understand anyway. I tend to go more with the spirit of giving what Santa represents. Besides, santa scared the hell out of him last year. Saying it was a man in a costume made it easier on him.