We're Jewish and haven't perpetrated the myth of Santa at all. My daughter (almost 5)has reasoned for herself that "Santa is just a man who dresses up in a suit" and kind of sees it as an extension of Halloween. She gets that Santa brings presents.
We haven't broached the topic of WHY people celebrate Christmas. But she knows that we celebrate Hannukah and she understands some of the basic tenets of the holiday. She is mostly looking forward to food and the presents she knows her parents give her.
My dilemna? A lot of the kids she knows DO believe in Santa. And after an incident last year where a parent freaked on me because S told her kid that "Santa is just a man dressed up in a suit" I need ideas of how to explain it to her so that she doesn't blow it for the kids who believe.
Any thoughts and ideas?
Comments
Wow, I don't know how to
Wow, I don't know how to handle this one from the non-Christmas-celebrating perspective. I'm pretty sure I know how I'll handle it with H, although I'm sure she will be the rain on other kids' parade. But we celebrate Christmas (and probably Solstice, this year. Pretty sure I'm swinging more pagan at this point than I have in the past). Hmm...I'm thinking about this one.
24/MN. Queer, veg, single, AP mama to DD1.
25/MN and WA. Queer, veg, single, AP mama to DD2.5.
I would tell your dd that
I would tell your dd that santa is a character that some people like to believe is real.
Grown ups know that santa isn't real, but some kids do not, and some kids get really excited over santa, and not to tell those kids that santa isn't real, because that would be hurtful.
I know that little kids have a hard time grasping not to tell something like that, but with our kids, we have two that are in the know, and two who are firm believers, and we told the other two that spoiling their fun or making fun of them for believing is mean. The two that don't believe enjoy being able to pretend that they do, and keeping up the myth for the younger ones. It makes them feel like they are helping.
Kids are going to be kids, and you cannot monitor everything that they say, and it seems like most kids find out from other kids.
I don't think it matters, but we are not Christians, and we don't associate Bible stuff with our holiday celebrations, and we tend to do a bit from all the winter holidays, and we like the santa bit, so we do it up.
http://www.ponycherry.blogspot.com/
Truthfully Sunny...
I wouldn't worry about it. You can ask her to not talk about Santa with others..but how is she going to see that at her age? Why should she have to propigate a myth contrary to her family's beliefs? Santa doesn't exist. It isn't like she is going around saying Jesus doesn't exist (which is questionable too, but much more flammable).
If any parent comes at you this year freaked out that she has ruined their kid's christmas, tell them to chill out. ;)
Santa
I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just emphasize that people think and believe in all different things. I love that S told her friend that Santa was just a man - that's awesome!
www.kimonobaby.blogspot.com
What? He's not real?
Bummer.
I'm never sure why people don't want others too believe in him, the tooth fairy or the easter bunny? Eventually all the little kids grow up and find out the truth. It's not for you to worry if your kid breaks the spell. If the other wants to believe, your dd won't be able to change that.
Sadly, soon enough, all little fairy tales in our kids lives are exposed as fake.
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LOL.
Well, she does go around saying "God is a space alien" which has also got me some interesting comments from the parents at her pre-school.
4 is sure an existential age!
Perspective
I just gently reminded her that some of her friends do not understand YET that Santa is just a man in a suit and that they are just as excited about getting gifts from Santa as she is about exchanging gifts with our family.
see
she is a genius!
if we only had a nickel
for the words that come out of their mouths on the playground!
:)
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