Telling your Child About Santa While Still Keeping the Magic

If you are like me, it feels a little icky to teach your kids about Santa only to then know one day they will "find out" and realize you've been stringing them along. 

Because my oldest went through a lot with the divorce, I wanted to make sure the "Santa conversation " not only helped him still feel the magic of Christmas, but that it didn't erode the trust that I had built with him after navigating some tumultuous years. I have kept my ears to the ground for awhile about this subject, so when my son came to me this year asking, I felt ready.

He came home one day from school, and in his rather matter of fact way announced that he knew that the Santa's at the Santa shacks and at the malls were just men dressed up. But with a desire to know the truth in his eyes, looked at me and said, now tell me, is there a real Santa at the North Pole?

I told him that he was correct, that the Santa's dressed up weren't real, but that the question of real Santa was so special that we had to wait until later in the evening so I could take the time to share everything.

That night I scoured the internet to find this cute story about when a young boy hears that Santa isn't real so he goes to his grandma to ask her if it is true. She flat out tells him to not believe those lies that Santa isn't real and tells him to come with her so he could see for himself that Santa was indeed real.

I don't know who authored the story, but I found it years ago and kept it in the back of my mind of a time like this!

I had my oldest read the story in it entirety out loud right before bed so we could talk about it uninterrupted. 

The story continues by talking about how the Grandma took her grandson to an all purpose store, handed him some cash, and said to buy something for someone that could really use it.

He thought of his classmate who stayed in from recess because he didn't have a winter coat. The coat was purchased, and when they got home, him and his grandma wrapped it and she wrote "From Santa." They secretly delivered it and watched with excitement his friend open the door and see his present there. At the end, the author writes, "Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team."

I explained that because Santa captured everything that was wonderful, good, kind, and generous in the world, I of course wanted to believe in that...but I explained that now that he is older, he was now ready to understand that we carry on the spirit of Christmas by doing things in Santa's name.

I invited him to think about someone he knew in our neighborhood, at his school, who really needed Santa this year so he could also experience the full joy of the Christmas spirit by giving anonymously. 

He quickly identified an elderly neighbor who has a vintage toy car collection and wanted to get him another to add to it. He searched for one online, bought it with his own money, and joyfully explained how excited he was to write "From Santa" when he left it on his porch as a surprise. 

As we wrapped up our conversation I used the time to explain how Christmas it is fun to get presents,  but some of my most fun Christmas experiences I have had, were watching the faces of family who opened up a present I knew they would really like.

I then told him one of the most important parts of keeping the Christmas spirit (which is really the spirit of Christ) alive was helping others continue to believe in the magic and joy and love of the season. I told him that the way to do that is to continue the belief of Santa...because when you say that you believe in Santa, what you are really saying is that you believe that there are good, kind people in the world that continue to go about with charitable hearts bringing joy and hope to the world, and who wouldn't want to believe that?

So when someone asks if Santa is real, the most honest answer you can give is to say YES! 

He is real, because we keep his spirit and mission alive. And now I have a not so little kid, who now officially understands what it means to believe in Santa.

*I have searched for the author and origin of this story without any luck, but for ease of access for my readers, have created a pdf of the story that you can find here.


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