Just in case. You know. In case he's real.
When I was a kid, my parents did the whole cookies-and-milk thing Christmas Eve and we wrote letters to Santa detailing the page of the Sears catalog where he could find our most coveted toy. While I was never big on the whole Santa deal (I figured it out when I was five… Santa and Mom used the same wrapping paper, yo!) my husband and I decided we would probably do it with my kids. But I was kinda torn about the whole “lying to children” and materialism and stuff. What better way to celebrate a holiday about a man who shunned materialistic things than buying crap? (I know, it’s based on Yule. I read. I’m just being ironical).
Lucky for us, our kids made up our minds for us!
The first time they laid their eyes on Santa? CRYING AND SHRIEKING. Hysterical. We thought, “He’s one. Next year will be better.” And next year was worse. That was the year we added our second son.
The year after that? Hooooo-boy. They acted like we set their feet on fire. We were all, “Why are we doing this again? Oh RIGHT! FOR THE KIDS! TO MAKE THEM HAPPY!”
That’s when we decided, this is madness. Before we could tell them that we just weren’t going to do Santa, we made one more valiant effort. Valiant meaning, Mommy didn’t use two different wrapping papers and her four-year-old was smarter than she was: Yes, Mommy and Daddy give all the presents.
Soon after, my older son began making scientific hypotheses. We moved into a new house with a fireplace the next year, and on Christmas Eve, he asked us to build a fire.
Me: Dude, it’s like 70 degrees out there tonight. It’s going to be too hot. Why do you want a fire?
Him: Well, I was thinking. I mean, I know he’s NOT real. But just in case he IS real, I want to build a fire. You know, so he can’t come down the chimney?
Me: Uhhh…
Him: Also? You told me the rule was never to talk to strangers and never let strangers in the house. So if there WAS a Santa, I don’t want him coming in the house. Because he’s a stranger. And that’s the rule, right mom?
Me: Uhhhh…
There you have it. Easy decision to make, yes? And, for the record, no Easter Bunny (large mutant rabbit; scary; rabbits don’t lay eggs) and no tooth fairy (teeth do not magically turn into money because there’s no such thing as magic.).
We’re all about fun in my house.
About Marj Hatzell
One of my favorite Christmas pictures from my childhood is the one of me sitting quietly smiling on Santa’s knee while my sister is screaming bloody murder. I’m clearly the “good child” in the family.
Sort of like skin grafts and Viagra, Santa isn’t for everyone.
Twitter Name: ChloeJeffreys
Oh c’mon, Viagra is GREAT!!!!! Trip please to want try for you C1al1s!
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
lol
You so pretty. You post is so great. Right more like this.
Go C1Al!S
Twitter Name: ChloeJeffreys
So glad I don’t live at your house :)! My kids are full of the Christmas magic, that’s what makes it so fun. On the downside, the true story is going to be such a BUMMMER when it happens. I’m dreading the day (coming sooner than later with a 9 year old)! Also, here, if you don’t believe…well, he won’t bring much!
Twitter Name: HeatherSchiavo
It is sort of a bummer, but honestly, it is also easier. The hardest part is getting the boys NOT to tell anyone.
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
I wasn’t really that smart, so I believed in Santa until I was almost 10.
But I find that once we do away with all that Santa nonsense, it just makes things a little bit easier.
And I do love that your son wanted to build a fire – just in case…too cute!
Twitter Name: laliquin
For kids with ASD and PDD, it is not really a stretch to not get into the “magic” of Christmas stuff. It’s not that they don’t like it – they do- but it’s MUCH easier to get them to relate to the non-fantasy portion. Christmas is not supposed to be a get all you can kinda of holiday, and I know that’s what DG is talking about (I know ’cause I’m her sister). My son figured it out last year and he had baited me to confirm it. Like a coming of age thing, he asked why I “lied to him” about Santa. And I told him it was because Santa is real – just in our hearts – and as long as we believe in what Santa represents, then we will have the magic of Christmas always. He was satisfied with that answer, but I could tell it bothered him to find out he had been duped. Our kids are so darn literal….