Christmas on 34th Street got put to shame by the miracle I experienced yesterday. Yesterday had what usually would have been all the makings of a really tough day: Waking up late, getting the kids into their church clothes, driving an hour to Stake Conference, Stake Conference itself (when you have little kids), driving an hour home…you know how it is. But yesterday was wonderful. We went to Stake Conference, took naps!, made cookies, cut out and colored ornaments, watched A Christmas story and went on a drive–all without a single fit or fight. (Well, actually, Jane threw a major fit when it was finally time to go to bed, but one major fit is still really good for her :)) Can you believe that ? I know. Neither can I! I seriously don’t know if that has ever happened before. A true Christmas miracle.
Today? Well, let’s just say that it’s days like today that make days like yesterday really, really special. *Sigh*
Hey! Does anybody else encourage their kids to believe in Santa? I actually do not have any memories of ever having believed in Santa, myself. As far as I can remember, my parents never hid the fact that they were the ones putting the presents under the tree. And we were all cool with that. As long as there were presents, we didn’t care who the heck was putting them there. I know. It’s horrible. But anyway, as I’ve had kids, I’ve been excited to go along with the Santa theory until my kids figure it out on their own. This year, though, I’ve become a bit paranoid about it. Over the years, I’ve talked to a number of other parents who don’t feel good about encouraging their kids to believe in Santa for one reason or another. Some have expressed their concern about emphasizing the materialistic side of Christmas; others have worried that if they lie to their kids about Santa, their kids will never trust anything else they’ve (the parents) taught once they (the kids) learn the truth. Yikes. So anyway….as Camp has begun to ask more and more questions about the technicalities of the whole Santa story, I’ve started to get a little worried about what will happen when the truth comes out. Will it be as bad as when my mom pulled me aside when I was eight to tell me about it which cannot be named (for fear of pervert psychos doing web searches and having my blog come up)?
You see, when I was at the tender age of just eight, my sister apparently reported to my mom that she had been hearing me sing along to Madonna’s Like a Virgin. And apparently this led to my mom to deciding that the time was right for me to be let in on the big secret. If only she had been right. I likely would not have been ready for a good many more years. But anyway, she took me into her room and sat with me on her bed and revealed to me just how everything works. And in an attempt to make clear to me that IT was not a bad thing, but rather something that was sacred and special between a husband and wife, she told me that she liked it. Well, man, I tell ya. That was the straw that broke my back. I was horrified. In fact, I yelled, “You’re worse than the devil,” and went crying out of her room. I was seriously traumatized. But I don’t fault my mom. In fact, I’m really grateful that I have a mom who made it a point to tell me about the facts of life herself, instead of having one of the kids on the playground do it. I just wish I had been a little more ready to hear it. I wonder, though–if my mom hadn’t been willing to be open and honest with me, would I have always been as open and honest with her as I’ve always felt comfortable enough to be? I’m not sure.
O.K. This is the thing: Are Camp and Jane and Danin and the little chi chi going to totally freak out when they figure out the truth about Santa? Are they going to forever mistrust me? Are they going question whether I am being truthful about all the important stuff? I need to know how any of you reacted when you found out the truth about Santa. Someone reassure me, please!
you are screwed. they are going to FREAK when they find out.
jk.
the whole santa story is kind of lame to me. i mean, when i'm a parent i am going to MAKE SURE that my kids know its me and johnny boy putting all the presents out. that way we get all the credit…and then i can hang that over the kids' heads all year long. "You Have to clean the bathroom because we hooked you up at Christmas time".
yeah it's brilliant. why should some made up fat guy take all our credit? i don't think so.
jk again
ann- i am so glad you had a wonderful day on sunday, and you made our day wonderful as well! thanks for sharing your lunch and for letting me talk your ear off! we love your family and need to get together more often, as far as the santa theory, no suggestions because all my kids still believe. funny, huh, or kali doesn't and hasn't said anything. and we sat with kali and sarah beforre kash was born and tramatized them as wel about how he and all of them were made, loved it! love ya
Dude, sweet post, Ann…except for maybe the details you gave about the examp. Yowsers. But anyway, yeah I have told a few peeps recently that I never believed in Santa; and I also said that I didn't care who was putting presents under the tree, just as long as there were presents. Idea of how to break it to your kids: Just tell them that Santa is actually a 31 year old man with red hair and a beard, and you can just have Brian pretend like he is Santa, and they just happen to look a lot alike. I know I'm brill.
No emotional scars here, so my kids believe. I found out on the school bus. Like that wasn't bad enough, the jerk told me who the Easter Bunny and tooth fairy were too. I think the Easter Bunny thing is retarded, but Santa is pretty cool and there is actually a historical thing behind Santa. We don't overemphasize it and I hate going to see Santa, so there ya go.=) PS. I will never be able to look at your mom the same way.=)
about santa, IT IS FUN and magical to believe in something…why take that away from kids. I believed and when I found out, i was old enough to handle it and not lash out at the world for lying to me. Where is the fun in holidays if you don't let your kids believe in santa, or the easter bunny, or the tooth fairy, or lephracauns. THe minute santa isn't real to kids the "magic" in christmas just isn't the same. There is still excitement and anticipation but santa is just cool. Of course, I spend just as much time or more talking about Jesus and the true meaning of christmas, but my heart and face lights up just as much as theirs does when i see them so excited about old st. nick. I have to say I think that parents who think that their kids won't trust them because they let them believe are SO LAME!!!…enough said, now i will step down from my soap box:)
Santa who? Jolly ol' saint what? I never believed in the Claus. Im indifferent if parents wanna tell their kids about Santa Claus, more power to em. If they wanna tell them that Santa is a hoax, sounds good to me.
What's important here is that Uncle Charley gets lots of presents from his sisters and brother (yes, you too Ronkle). You can even pull a Scotty, and get me a bag of Starburst's…that's been opened. Whatever works. The more, the merry…now that's the real spirit of Christmas.
Oh my heavens!!!!! I have raised the funniest kids on the planet!! you kids always make me laugh and make my day….Love, mom P.S. Great post Ann. You should think about submitting to the newspaper….kind of like an Erma Bombeck
On horrible Easter my Mom pulled me aside and told me that the Bunny wasn't real. I was so so so sad! It got my little mind turning and I asked, "So is the tooth fairy not real?" Yes, my mom said. I was so heartbroke. So just to spite her I said, "The next thing you are going to tell me is Heavenly Father isn't real." I knew he was but I think I was so heart broke I just wanted to get my dig in where I could. I still remember that as the worst Easter EVER. I remember thinking how will Christmas ever be special again. But eventually I found the real meaning and spirit behind it and now it's just as cool if not cooler than when Santa was real. This isn't going to make you feel any better but it might prepare you for questions to come with the big conversation. Even so we are so making Santa real for Addison.
Haha I knew that when I was 8 I was going to have to hear about the birds and bees and I avoided it like the fetching plague. But finally mom told me and I was disturbed…even though I didn't know what 95% of the words she used meant. ANYWAY I am glad I didn't have some little elementary school perv kid tell me.
Yeah I don't remember believing in Santa either. Fine by me, as long as I got candy in my stocking I didn't give a crap who gave it to me. And I have a really hard time believing that your kids are going to never trust you with anything again when they find out there is no Santa. Don't listen to your friends. Haha.
And Laura's comment is hilarious.
Aight peace.
Oh freak I hadn't read Charley's or Seth's comment yet but they are so funny! We are the funniest family in the world…sorry to every other family.
My mom pulled me aside when I was a Sophomore in High School to tell me that Santa wasn't real. OMGosh, are you kidding me? I'd stopped believing LONG ago – LOL! There's Lyn for ya!
Anyway, when my kids ask about Santa, I just say "It's fun to believe in Santa", and leave it at that. My 2 older ones don't believe anymore, but the 3 little ones do. I'm sure they'll eventually all join the "non believer" group, but it IS fun to believe in Santa.
No emotional scars here.
Scotty: "It's an AC adapter."
Let's see, when I was about 8, I SAW Santa come into my house on Christmas Eve with my OWN EYES! That was all it took for me! My Mom had to take me aside when I was 10 and tell me that Santa actually wasn't real (so I would stop arguing with all the kids in school that he WAS REAL!) And to be honest with you, some of the magic of Christmas died for me that day. I still remember the magical feeling of wondering if it could be real. I still believed my parents after that, and didn't turn out to be nuts or anything, so I'd say, just let your kids enjoy the possibility. If at some point they really want to know, let them in on the secret, but tell them to play along for the younger kids. Secrets are fun too!
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
Every Christmas Eve I have to remind Rob what is from Santa so he doesn't mess up and spill the beans. And guess what- every year he forgets. When we went to see Santa this year, the first place we went (Macy's in downtown Portland) didn't let you take a free picture. I told Christopher we were going to a different place, across the street (Pioneer Place) to take a picture because we could take one with our own camera there. The whole way there he kept saying, "I get to see the REAL Santa." I told him he needed to stop saying that because the kids that didn't get to go to the other one would be sad. And, this year, his remote control car (from Santa) stopped working really early on. We told Christopher we were going to take it to a store and see if they had one that worked (because stores are cool like that and like Santa). Rob called Christopher from the store saying they didn't have any cars, but they did have a remote control motorcycle. Christopher was excited and still a believer! My parents made it clear that if we "ruined" Christmas for believers, we would get coal.