We don't do Santa, but DS is still convinced he's real.

[minkajane]

I knew before DS was born that I didn't want to do Santa. I don't believe in lying to kids. So he's known from the start that Santa was just pretend. This year, things are different. He's almost 6, so he understands a lot more and I've explained to him that Santa is a personification of the spirit of Christmas and that's why we do Santa pictures and watch the movies and stuff. We never did the cookies for Santa thing or signed gifts from Santa. But for some reason, this year he's decided that he's absolutely real and nothing I say will change his mind. It doesn't help that DH swears up and down that he saw Santa outside his house when he was a kid (I think it was a dream, but he denies it), but at the same time agrees with me about not doing the whole Santa thing.

So far we've just kind of rolled with it. It doesn't come up often, it's just kind of weird that out of nowhere he decides he's real. Is it somewhere along the same lines as kids this age deciding superheros and Disney characters are real?

[philomom]

Honestly, just don't feed it. 

Maybe try to dream up some other "magical" winter event to look forward to? A moonlight sleigh ride? Snowshoeing and cocoa after the normal bedtime?

[MJB]

My kindergartner did that last year. We just went along with it. I'm pretty sure he knew it wasn't real but he wanted to pretend. He's not into it this year. 

[Qbear'smama]

I was just wondering about this myself, we didn't want to do santa, but now DD is all into it and I haven't really commented either way except when she asks me to confirm the existence of santa, I say "well, what do you think?" and she says he's real.  I tell her that her family buys her gifts, but last year I think we did have one from Santa, DH didn't want to completely deny the whole thing if she wanted it...so I'm more reluctant abt it than he is, it's kinda weird, it's a little "don't ask don't tell" around here regarding Santa at the moment, I neither confirm nor deny, figuring she'll sort it out on her own. I think the idea of totally lying to DD is wrong, what's why I don't want to do Santa, but I feel like if she wants to believe, it's more of a game on her part since I'm not feeding it, KWIM? Like yeah she got a gift from santa, but I saw it as more symbolic since we didn't really play it up. Or maybe we're just sending mixed messages, who knows?

[katiecat]

We never did Santa when ds was young and I also told the truth when asked directly.  But at 6 (so two Christmases ago) he decided to believe in Santa and it doesn't matter what I say.  I still tell the truth if he asks directly (rare now) otherwise I stay non-commital, tell him he can believe what he wants to and just go along with it.  We have put out cookies and milk the last two years and he does find a stocking and one present from Santa on Christmas morning.  For me, it's just more that I am not into it and don't want to "lie" but if he wants to believe, or pretend to, it's not a big deal to me.

[Juuulie]

We never did Santa either! I always figured kids have enough trouble distinguishing fact from fiction; they don't need grownups purposely lying to them. Whenever we talked about Santa I would always say he's a made-up character, and it's a lovely story but it's JUST a story. Nevertheless my youngest went through a period of insisting Santa was real, around age 4-5. Go figure.

[One_Girl]

My dd did this with fairies and there hasn't been anything I have been able to do to convince her they aren't real.  She knows I believe they are fun to pretend about but aren't real and she says I am wrong and always has from a young age.  She has a really great imagination and has gone through several imaginary friends, though she has mostly outgrown them now, and she is determined to believe what she wants to believe no matter what I say is reality.  I don't confirm her belief that they are real, but I also don't try to change her mind anymore (because it was really not working).  I am sure she will grow out of her belief when she is ready to. Strangely enough though, it was at this age that she stopped believing that the characters in movies were real and was able to handle watching movies that went beyond the safe scenes of Strawberry Shortcake and Elmo.

[circuitsndaisies]

Originally Posted by minkajane 

I knew before DS was born that I didn't want to do Santa. I don't believe in lying to kids. So he's known from the start that Santa was just pretend. This year, things are different. He's almost 6, so he understands a lot more and I've explained to him that Santa is a personification of the spirit of Christmas and that's why we do Santa pictures and watch the movies and stuff. We never did the cookies for Santa thing or signed gifts from Santa. But for some reason, this year he's decided that he's absolutely real and nothing I say will change his mind. It doesn't help that DH swears up and down that he saw Santa outside his house when he was a kid (I think it was a dream, but he denies it), but at the same time agrees with me about not doing the whole Santa thing.

So far we've just kind of rolled with it. It doesn't come up often, it's just kind of weird that out of nowhere he decides he's real. Is it somewhere along the same lines as kids this age deciding superheros and Disney characters are real?

My three daughters firmly believe in fairies and Santa.  Their father (XH) blatantly and callously tells them that Santa is a fake and that anyone who tells them different is a liar.  They still believe.  Kids have fantastic imaginations.  Let him enjoy his.  You don't have to reinforce it or feed it.