“So, who is Santa?” asked my five-year-old son as we drove to school one morning. Kids always save the big questions for car trips, don’t they? I guess they know that it’s the best time – no social media distractions, no “It’s time for bed, ask me in the morning” excuses, no escape.
I hesitated for a moment to consider my options. If I told him the truth would it ruin Christmas? If I lied would I feel like a hypocrite? Is it stupid that I introduced the concept of Santa in the first place?
“Well,” I finally replied, glancing in the rear-vision mirror, “The thing is, Santa’s not real. It’s just the parents. Me and Dad. We get you all the presents.”
“Oh,” my son replied. He was silent for a moment, so I turned the radio on, hoping for a bit of Katy Perry to lighten the mood. Then he said, “What about the Easter Bunny?”
“What?” I turned the radio back off.
“The Easter Bunny. Is that you and Dad too?”
“Um… Yep.”
“And the Tooth Fairy?”
“’Fraid so.”
And that was that. He didn’t seem bothered. He didn’t yell that I’d wrecked everything and killed the magic of childhood. He was fine.
Afterwards I actually felt relieved that the truth was out. It was a weight off my shoulders. No more remembering to wrap the Santa presents in different paper, no more awkward discussions about why there are Santas in every department store and shopping centre, no more eating the stupid reindeer carrot.
Then I discovered that some of the other parents at school didn’t share my relief.
“Now, Jean,” one mother said, pulling me aside one afternoon at pick up. “I just wanted to have a chat to you about something your son said.” I raised my eyebrows, intrigued. “He told Sophie that he didn’t believe in Santa.”
Top Comments
You can tell your children the truth all you like but you also need to explain to your children that other children/families do believe in Santa/Easter Bunny/tooth fairy and it’s not fair to ruin that belief for others.
My eldest worked out the truth at about 8. I explained to him that he needed to keep up the myth for his younger brother and others who may still believe. He has kept it quiet for over 5 years. His brother is now 11 and has only just recently accepted the truth, although he has suspected for several years. When my boys have asked questions about Santa/Easter Bunny/tooth fairy Ive always answered by asking what they think.
As for the other parent, “He told Sophie that he didn’t believe in Santa”, the key word is ‘believe’. They could then have explained to Sophie that if he doesn’t believe then he doesn’t receive, but if she does believe then she will receive.