We began an elaborate hoax when our sons were toddlers. Santa lived with his elves in a toy shop at the North Pole. He drove a sleigh pulled by magical reindeer. Somehow Santa brought presents for kids all over the world all in one night. Sometimes I wondered why I was perpetuating the myth, when I would just have to explain it away later.
As little guys, our sons couldn’t distinguish make believe from so-called reality. There was God, who they couldn’t see or understand, Power Rangers who got rid of bad guys, and Barney, a singing purple dinosaur. Why not Santa? Plus, the fiction was bolstered by family, at daycare, in stores, and by songs, movies, and books. The idea of Santa would have been hard to resist, especially since their friends and neighbors were also being indoctrinated. But when it came right down to it, we likedthe idea of magic and spreading joy.
So, we were committed. When the boys mentioned toys they liked, we took note and occasionally reset expectations (Santa brings presents to so many kids. He probably can’t give 160-piece Lego sets to everyone.) We hung stockings and filled them with never-seen-before candy on Christmas Eve after the guys were asleep. Along with the wrapped gifts from us, we set out unwrapped gifts from Santa. We encouraged the boys to leave cookies and milk for Santa. My husband and I enjoyed the cookies, but left one with a bite out of it along with a thank you note from Santa. Christmas felt magical.
Eventually, our sons grew older and began to wonder if Santa was real. Then I explained that Santa was make believe, but the spirit of Christmas isn’t. At Christmas, many people are more generous, more loving, and act better than they have to. Over the years, people have done incredible things in the name of Christmas, like the Christmas Truce of World War I in 1914. As part of my explanation, I also swore my guys to secrecy. They were under strict orders not to tell their friends what they had learned—they should let other kids’ parents explain it. Our sons understood the responsibility and wanted to help keep the magic alive.
I don’t know how our sons will handle the topic of Santa if they have children, but if they carry on the tradition, I’ll be a willing co-conspirator.
Comments
9 responses to “Santa and the Spirit of Christmas (Spoiler Alert!)”
Your post brought back the magic of Christmas for me…and made me determined to share more of the magic this holiday season…even (especially?) with those who don’t believe.
I’m with you—I love the idea of spreading magic
I remember the exact moment when I figured out Santa wasn’t real. Wish I had been able to hold on to my belief a little longer, but once I knew, I couldn’t un-know it! But I was more than willing to keep the secret from my younger brother and sister. Thanks for writing this piece and reminding me!
I remember too. I was sad to let go of the idea of magic, but I did it to myself by peeking in packages 😏
My eldest son still brings up how WE LIED to him all those years, lol! Such a black and white guy, this shade of gray illuded him.
Funny! But I get his point 😉
It does run counter to the ‘never tell a lie’ lesson we tried to instill. In my defense, I’ll quote Corinthians: “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
Exactly!
Great story……brings back a lot of memories. Happy Holidays!