Day 10 - How Long Do You Maintain the Lie of Santa Claus Being Real to Your Children

Readers, please enjoy the following contribution from an Anonymously special Guest Blogger...

I am lucky enough to have been asked to comment on the following topic for Day 10:

How long do you maintain the lie of Santa Claus being real to your children?

I was told this was due to my expertise as a parent of 2 children and a person who had a traumatic Santa Claus reveal during my childhood. Before beginning, I guess I should share my “traumatic reveal”. Sitting at the lunch table in 3rd grade, eating my lunch in all of my blissful innocence, I overheard some friends talking about how Santa is not real. I continued to eat, while eavesdropping and trying to maintain my cool. That is when it all became clear. I was a fool. I had just been the victim of a giant scam.

I am fairly certain that was the catalyst for my quest for truth and my rejection of all things make believe (i.e. God).

If it were up to me, I am not sure that I would introduce Santa to my children at all. However, given the current state of society, this is a battle I will not willfully join. Since I have given in and chosen to participate in the tradition of Santa I have done a lot of thinking and come to some conclusions which bring optimism to the ruse. I do not feel that Santa Claus has to be a lie. I have never confirmed or denied Santa Claus and never plan to. I have decided to look at this as an opportunity. An opportunity to develop an inquiring mind and teach my children to think, analyze and interpret for themselves. I realized the potential of this great big scam (and yes, I do liken it to a scam but, as I have now reconciled, a scam with benefits) when my 3 year old son started a dialogue with me.

“Mommy, I think Santa is in my head. But then how do the presents get here? By an airplane? But then how do the presents get to our house from the airport?”

Ahhhhh…mommy is now beaming with pride!

So to answer the question, “How long do you maintain the lie of Santa Claus being real to your children?”, I would first like to change the word “lie” to “possibility”. And my answer is until your child asks enough questions to figure it out on their own.

If your child is not engaging in the thoughtful questions and pondering the legitimacy of a fat man sliding down a chimney, the defiance of the time space continuum, the giant book of all the children’s names (and the logistics involved with maintaining up to date records) etc., then it may be time to ask some leading questions and help them draw some alternative conclusions. Either way, use this as a time to develop your children’s ability to think, analyze, process and, most importantly, question.

Happy Holidays from a Guest Blogger beaming with pride!