DC wanting to believe in Santa Claus

[east carolina]

I never believed in Santa Claus as a child and I never grew up in a household that promoted the Santa Claus tradition. In my culture, it's the baby Jesus that brings the gifts (they never quite explain how, though, lol), some people (like MIL) even sign the gifts tags "from baby Jesus"

I live in Europe and there just isn't Santa Claus, you won't see him on your tv or in your shopping malls and DS doesn't watch tv or go to malls that often and has never actually seen someone dressed as Santa Claus.

But somehow, somewhere, dunno how, he got to know Santa and he is now insisting that Santa Claus is going to bring the Christmas gifts. I told him that Santa Claus is just a story and that we are the ones that buy the gifts for our loved ones. He wasn't really buying it, even though we shopped for daddy's Christmas present together and when DH got home he said "Daddy, we got you some movies for Christmas!"

But, this all got me thinking that maybe some children have an innate need to believe in some kind of magic, like believing in fairies. and that Santa Claus was part of that. And maybe I shouldn't be such a killjoy.

Anyone else have non-Santa households but the kids aren't buying it, lol?

[MusicianDad]

Not in that situation, but I think it's very interesting.

[east carolina]

Ain't it? DS will never cease to surprise me.

[pauletoy]

You know, to me it's like having an imaginary friend. You don't have to perpetuate the belief but I certainly wouldn't discourage it. Isn't there something magical about childhood anyway? Soon enough he will discover that there is no such things as fairies, unicorns and, yes, even Santa. If he chooses to believe the presents he receives this year are from Santa then so be it. You never know next year the tooth fairy may bring them.

Happy Holidays!!!

[octobermom]

I believed in Santa even when everyone around me was trying to tel me he didn't exist not in a Santa dead sorta way but really honestly telling me. Here with my DD wwe d santa but we've always taked about the "santa spirt" about St Nicholas whom he was and the spirt we still carry on today (Vs north pole and flying reindeer) but this year shes is convinced santa lives in the north pole that Roudolf nose will light the way and a non existant fire place will spring to life at our home in time to deliver presents.
Maybe its some things shes hearing at school maybe its the various Christmas stories shes seen on TV not sure but its this shes chooseing to "believe" Going back to me for me it was just something I needed to believe in 0while my parents did the santa thing much more it was still something I NEEDED untill I was ready to let it go.

Deanna

[nummies]

I guess I just don't see the big deal.

I still believe in Santa.

[east carolina]

Oh, I don't think it's a big deal and I certainly wasn't shocked when DS talked to me about it. I think it's sweet he discovered it all by himself and is bringing in an element of magic. Up to now he's been a very rational child.

I just thought I'd ask because I know I'm not alone in not "doing" Santa as a family tradition and I was curious to see if the kids that grew up without hearing about Santa from their parents believed in him anyway.

[octobermom]

Originally Posted by nummies

I guess I just don't see the big deal.

I still believe in Santa.

I don't think shes upset with it jsut trying to understand while he would believe despite "knowing the truth".
Deanna

[Embee]

We chose to have a "Santa neutral" household. We neither encouraged or discouraged the idea. We did find that plenty of people in DS's life DID certainly encourage it and DS came to know Santa in that way. Early on, he was pretty down with the idea and we were ok with that and followed his lead. But I always sensed that DS knew it wasn't exactly real. This was confirmed when he asked us the "truth" about Santa and we told him. He wasn't the least bit upset and said it felt good to know it wasn't real because to him, it seemed so unrealistic. He was glad to have his ponderings on the subject confirmed.

However, he went on to say that the idea of Santa was fun and that he would probably keep "playing" it for that reason. We were also careful to tell him that lots of children do believe and that is their right, and that we needn't spoil that for them... i.e., it's important to let people come to their own conclusions about such things. DS understood this and to my knowledge, has never outted Santa to anyone.

The best,
Em

[nummies]

I see what you are saying. He sounds like a sweet kid.

[DevaMajka]

Originally Posted by east carolina

But, this all got me thinking that maybe some children have an innate need to believe in some kind of magic, like believing in fairies. and that Santa Claus was part of that. And maybe I shouldn't be such a killjoy.

Anyone else have non-Santa households but the kids aren't buying it, lol?

Yes!! Here here!!
I've talked a lot to ds about how Santa is pretend, and that we know for a fact that there is no man who comes on Christmas Eve and brings presents, etc etc. I've also talked about how movies and cartoons are pretend, etc.

But...last night ds said that he believes that Santa is real, and that maybe he just has never come to OUR house. He believes that I'm telling the truth as far as I know- so he doesn't think I'm lying to him. He just thinks I'm clueless

I'm kinda going the route that any direct questions will be answered honestly. If he asks me what I think, I'll tell him. But most of the questions he asks, I can answer as if we're talking about the *story* of Santa, and I try to word it like that. You know, I talk about his Thomas movies without constantly interjecting that it's not really real. So I'll do the same with Santa, I guess. hehehe

This is the child who firmly believes that he's turning into Spiderman, despite me telling him quite a few times that it's not possible. He thinks I'm clueless here too. I'm just going along with it now, unless he asks a direct question, then I answer honestly.

[east carolina]

DevaMajka, your DS sounds alot like mine. We explain alot in our family and he loves to explain things, too.

But when he wakes up in the morning he's a lizzard and we bought Daddy movies for Christmas, but apparently Santa will put them under the tree, or something, lol.

[operamommy]

Here! As I posted in another thread, we don't do Santa. Ds2 (age 3) however, seems to really dig the story - which I'm assuming he's heard from other children including his older sister.

The other day he asked me if we could put snacks out for Santa and his reindeer. He refers to Santa as "Pretend Santa" and we certainly don't hide gift buying, etc. from him. I guess he's just decided it's an awfully fun game that he'd like to play.

[Jillybean]

Yep, we don't do santa but my 4yo is really into him this year. I'm with a pp, we aren't encouraging it, but we aren't discouraging it either. Actually, I told him that Santa is pretend and he replied "No, he's real! I saw him at the mall" I just try to focus on the story and the magic of christmas and seems satisfied with that. He's also a kid who is really into pretend play, lately he's crazy about dragons. I don't have the heart to tell him that dragons aren't real either.