I must admit that I often feel the responsibility to write something a little bit more weighty than just our ramblings and small family events. I don't know why - I guess I have a sense of needing to contribute to the greater good somewhere - you know out there (ya I never found it either). But I often find myself at a loss. This is primarily because I am not much of a thinker these days. Some might say I never was - but they would just be rude!
So I sat down to write something that could uplift and encourage. But something happened (aside from the lack of activity upstairs). I read a bunch of blogs and discovered all sorts of pictures of Santa with little sweeties sitting on his lap. Wow that guy gets around. So as a result this blog is going to be more of a confession.
I don't know what to do with Santa.
I just can't get my head wrapped around it. We were brought up to not believe in Santa. We still got gifts from Santa and watched all the shows etc. but we were told it was Mom and Dad. I still remember sleeping on the living room floor in front of the stockings determined to be awake when they got filled up. I never did get a glimpse - sleep always came first.
Wes is fairly pro Santa but I just don't even know what to do with it. If I could I'd just go along with it - but somehow I just don't like lying to my kid. I know that this isn't considered lying by most people because it is a societal ritual, but I didn't grow up believing in it so to me its lying.
My problem becomes more substantial because my kids don't live in a bubble. All of the kids they know believe in Santa. I assure you I am the only person I know who has these hangups. So how do I teach my kid what I believe without violating the customs and traditions of others?
I want to be very clear that I have absolutely no problem with the decision of 99.9% of our friends and family and society who do choose to foster a belief in Santa. I truly believe it is important to honour your traditions and to pass on to your kids the things that had value to you as a child. For me it is just a very personal dilemma.
I do however, have absolutely no hang ups in wishing you all the happiest of Christmas seasons.
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4 comments:
Wow, I am in almost exactly the same boat as you Roberta, and I have no idea what to do either!!
My friend emailed me this week saying that she taught her kids about a man who was a real Santa who lived a long time ago and who went around doing good deeds for others in secret so they do them too, and I like emphasizing that. But I hear what you're saying about the other kids around them, and just everything you said is exactly how I feel too!
So, um, if you decide what to do, let me know! I have no suggestions at this point, and am just trying to avoid it for one more year as much as I can. :)
Bonnie - so we are in the same boat - good to know. Thanks!!
One of my friends told her boy that santa is a magical person like the tooth fairy (is that opening the can of worms wider?)and that there is a little magic in everyone... He believed in Santa till Middle school and she was ok with that as long as she never had to say Santa was a real person.
I don't know I have never told Aidan that Santa is real but I do tease him about whether or not he's being good because Santa is watching ... this year he told me of course he was good last year because he got presents. I said maybe he was riding that fine line and this year he might have just crossed it - at which point Aura hit me.
I never know when to stop it seems.
:)
we must have grown up in the same family! Mom and dad didn't tell us Santa was real either and we didn't get gifts from him, but they did teach us that we didn't have to go and blab it to everyone else. We are doing the same with our kids, although it is hard with them so small and everyone talking about Santa- story time, parades, commercials... I do like the story of St. Nick trying to help others, so we'll tell them about that and that gifts aren't the key thing anyways.
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