Not sure what to tell your kids about Santa? Well, join the merry freaking club. I love the holidays, but like many folks out there I kind of balk at the idea of perpetuating a myth that can only lead to burst bubbles and dashed hopes.
Santa Trauma is a Real Phenomenon
Added to that is the fact that my son is a very literal thinker. I worry that when he finally pops the "Is Santa real?" question, he will feel betrayed. I don't want to lie to him. To me that is a sadder alternative than the doing away with the guy in a red fat suit.
Something of a late bloomer, I still remember the deflated, bittersweet feeling that came with learning the truth. So if there's a better way to handle the Saint Nick situation, then I'm all over that.
For all the parents out there who want to keep it real without compromising Christmas magic, I give you this most perfect Santa explanation. It comes via a New York Times article by Martha Brockenbrough whose letter to her daughter, Lucy, was recently republished on Pop Sugar:
"I am not Santa. There is no one Santa," writes Brockenbrough. "...Santa is bigger than any person, and his work has gone on longer than any of us have lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to have belief in something they can't see or touch..."
How You Can Make Your Kids' Pictures With Santa Part Of Your Christmas Decor
Read the rest of Brockenbrough's letter here. Finally I have the words to paraphrase when the time inevitably comes, and my son asks the hard questions.
You tell me: Do you grapple with the Santa question? What do you think of this mom's letter?
Printer-friendly version