A WWYD for non-Santa families

[Peony]

DD1 is close to 5y, we've never really discussed Santa, I'm planning on it this year. I think she thinks he is like a cartoon character, we've read books about him but have never introduced the idea that some DC think he is real.


Anyway we can either get free or very discounted tickets for this: http://www.durangotrain.com/polarExpress/indexpolar.htm
DD1 would LOVE it, she loves the train, it's a large part of my small town, she is always begging to ride it. We manage a trip once a year or so on it, but it normally is a full day event, the Polar Express is only an hour, so perfect for us, and this would be something that toddler DD2 and I could come along on as well. Even if there is Santa on it, she would just think it's like SpongeBob or something.

So would you go or not? I'm torn.

[MommaGreenBean]

I would... just like I wouldn't have a problem going to Disney Land even though we don't think Mickey Mouse is real

[elizaMM]

And I like your "some think he's real" approach, if it comes to that.

What fun!

[wonderwahine]

i would, the polar express has such a good message in it. (psst, its not just kids who still think hes real )

[Peony]

Originally Posted by wonderwahine

i would, the polar express has such a good message in it. (psst, its not just kids who still think hes real )

Good to hear, I've actually never read the book or seen the movie so was unsure. The event sounds like so much fun though, I want to go, and I think I will!

[karina5]

Definitely I would go. We are not going to be doing the "Santa" thing either, but we also won't shelter DS from fun things like this. What a fun thing for a kid!!

[*Aimee*]

I would! We wont "do" Santa but will more make him a fun pretend character. This would fit into that in our family.

[tsume]

That looks like fun!

We would go. Our older two (4 & 6) like to play Santa "even though he's pretend". Which we are fine with.

But we'd go.

[Ruthla]

I think a 5yo is old enough to understand that it's a pretend character and join in on the fun without "having to beleive he's real." Definitely explain that other kids do think he's real so he doesn't ruin it for other kids though!

[thebarkingbird]

this is my problem. I could go either way on santa as DH has promised i can still have my fun stuffing stockings (and i get the credit too!), however, DH says he will not instruct DS to avoid telling other children that santa is just a game. that seems a bit mean to me.

the activity sounds like fun! i would think that a small child would find it such a good time she'd not be thinking much about how to spread the truth.

[DevaMajka]

I'd go for sure without a doubt. I'd never stop him from riding on the train at the mall, just because he thinks it's Thomas, (and there's a chance he doesn't really "get" that it's pretend, even though we've talked about it.)
We don't do Santa as a real guy, but tell ds that he's fun to pretend about. So Santa is in the same category as talking trains and talking bears. lol.

We haven't had the "some people think he's real" talk, because ds is 3. He barely knows real vs. pretend anyways. And I *think* the few friends I have with kids don't do Santa as real.

[angelpie545]

I'd go. Looks like tons of fun! Here's what I did with my kiddos: I explained to them that Santa is just a character, like Mickey Mouse, and that he's a symbol of Christmas, but he's not real. I said that some people like to pretend that he's real, and that he really does fly around the world to give all the little kids presents, but that it just isn't true. We explained that people have so much fun playing pretend with Santa that they actually have old men dress up to be like him! They find it all very entertaining, but at the end of the day know that it's not real, and it's all for pretend. It works well for us.