Guest Writer: Amy Hamblin
I have a nine year old daughter. I also have a husband who wants her to be little forever and if
he had it his way would never find out the “truth” about Santa, the Tooth
Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Leprechauns or even Mickey Mouse. We have been thinking about how this is all
going to play out for us here at our house.
I have decided that when the time is right, and I feel it
right around the corner, I am going to have to sit her down and just tell her
the truth. I am going to let it all out
and if she doesn’t die from shock or hate me for the rest of her life I will
expound and this is what I will say.
Santa is not just one person. Santa is every parent who loved their child enough to teach them
to believe in something that they couldn’t touch or see. I am the person who fills your stocking
every year and the person who puts those special gifts under the tree on
Christmas Eve but no, I am not Santa.
It takes all the parents in the world to make Santa. I am sure that one day you will do the same
for your kids and you will love to see their little faces on Christmas morning
when they see all the gifts you have left out for them. When I was little Santa taught me a thing or
two about giving to others and about having a little faith. I knew that when I grew up I wanted to be on
his side. Now, I hope that you will be
on his side too. If you promise to let
your brother have his turn to learn about giving and faith then I will let you
help us over here on Santa’s team. Do
we have a deal?
What do you think? I
hope that we don’t do any permanent damage.
I want her to believe too but lets be realistic would I still want to
believe that a little jolly man was leaving gifts for me when I was 12 year
old? This is a precarious ledge we are
on. Cross your fingers for us as we
journey into our own little unknown.
picture taken from: Stuff Journalists Like
I never really told my kids there was no Santa, they just kind of figured it out on their own. We weren't ones to make a super big deal about him though - I mean, they knew that Santa filled their stockings and left one present for them, but we didn't go to great lengths beyond that.... ie: stomping on the rooftop or leaving reindeer prints in the snow.
ReplyDeleteJess told me a few years ago that she figured it out when she was younger when she was out shopping with me and then some of the things I purchased ended up in Jeff and Aaron's stockings. smart kid ;o)
I never told my kids either. I always thought it was one of those "if they don't ask, don't tell" questions.
ReplyDeleteI still like to think a little jolly man might leave me a gift.