Is Santa Claus real? Help!!

[etmom]

Hi all this isn't exactly Disney related but it is about "the magic"
Today is my sons last day of school and this morning he asked me if Santa is real (how ironic) I stumbled and stammered and pretty much avoided the truth. He says he wants to believe but now he needs "proof"
I'm sort of sad but I know I can't just ignore it. So how have you all handled this?
Thanks

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

Santa is real. My kids are older (16 & 12) and I remember when the questions arose. Well, one year when my DD was in elementary school she questioned it and when Xmas Eve arrived, Santa came as usual, but left one of his white gloves by accident at our house.

My kids never asked anymore, but as far as I'm concerned, Xmas is and will always be a magical time of the year.

 

[8 Ears]

We have 2 DS's, they are 11 and 13. They obviously "know" but we still and they do now as well "that we believe in the spirit of Christmas". They understand that it means peace, family and good will.

Not sure if that helps you or not but they have been told instead of lying when asked by a "younger" child that is how they are to respond.

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

Hi all this isn't exactly Disney related but it is about "the magic"
Today is my sons last day of school and this morning he asked me if Santa is real (how ironic) I stumbled and stammered and pretty much avoided the truth. He says he wants to believe but now he needs "proof"
I'm sort of sad but I know I can't just ignore it. So how have you all handled this?
Thanks

What got my older brother believing for a few more years was my mom showing him his article in an encyclopedia. He didn't read the article because they're not exactly exciting to read, and I'm not sure he would have understood the whole thing at the time anyway. This being the cyberage, and little kids not understanding that not everything on the net isn't exactly true, how could there not be a Santa when you could go to www.emailsanta.com???

 

[crisi]

I'm more fond of teaching my kids critical thinking skills than keeping them believing in fantasy. So our response is "what do you think?" And "why do you think that?" As they firm up more on the side of "I don't think so" we start throwing out the idea that "the magic IS the belief" - the whole spirit of Christmas stuff. I firmly believe Santa is real - just not the fantasy Santa - the concept and spirit of Santa. So we are working to shift our kids beliefs from "a physical guy who is magic and lives at the North Pole and has elves" to "the Spirit of Christmas embodied."

 

[Alicnwondrln]

yes
i hope kids dont see this

 

[ChristyJ]

Of course Santa is real!! My oldest daughter (8 yrs. old) questioned last year, but I told her how I still believe and how I thought it was sad not to believe in him.

 

[Brina]

I'm more fond of teaching my kids critical thinking skills than keeping them believing in fantasy. So our response is "what do you think?" And "why do you think that?" As they firm up more on the side of "I don't think so" we start throwing out the idea that "the magic IS the belief" - the whole spirit of Christmas stuff. I firmly believe Santa is real - just not the fantasy Santa - the concept and spirit of Santa. So we are working to shift our kids beliefs from "a physical guy who is magic and lives at the North Pole and has elves" to "the Spirit of Christmas embodied."

well stated. In addition, I think a lot depends on your child's age. if your 4 year old is asking, I would be sad that it is over so soon. If your 6 or 7 year old is asking, i would be applauding their thinking process (ie, if the answer to the above questions was, "well, how can he get to every house in only one night when it took us 4 hours to fly to grandma's house).

 

[7thdwarf/dopey]

Hi all this isn't exactly Disney related but it is about "the magic"
Today is my sons last day of school and this morning he asked me if Santa is real (how ironic) I stumbled and stammered and pretty much avoided the truth. He says he wants to believe but now he needs "proof"
I'm sort of sad but I know I can't just ignore it. So how have you all handled this?
Thanks

We see him all the time!!

He said to say Hi

 

[dkrause716]

Whe asked this question I told my kids that I believe that Santa is magical. That was enough for them--and I do believe that is true! !!

 

[DisneyDotty]

I've always said that Santa is real as long as you believe in him. Kinda got my kids to thinking that if they admitted to NOT believing, then Santa would no longer make an appearance at our house...
Heck, I still believe in Santa, and sure enough, he keeps coming!

 

[AllyBri]

I Believe.

 

[Anewman]

I have always told mine that "if you believe in Santa, Santa brings you presents" And "if you dont believe in Santa, Santa does NOT bring you presents".

Oldest is 15, She still "sez" she believes.

 

[golfgal]

My neice was questioning Santa this past winter (she is almost 9 now) and told her mom that is Santa was real, he would be able to get her a copy of the new Harry Potter book for Christmas. My sister was thinking that was the end of it. Well, they announced the release of the book right before Christmas and it is coming out 2 days before her birthday. My sister put a note in a package from Santa saying that he got JK Rowling to finish the book in time for her birthday, it worked!

When our oldest started questioning Santa, I told him the story of the year that we found presents under our tree and to this day, don't know where they came from. We snuck downstairs in the middle of the night and the presents were all under the tree. We spent some time shaking boxes, etc and went back to bed. When we got up in the morning there was an unwrapped doll for me and my sisters and a truck for my brother that hadn't been there earlier. It was a rough year for our family and that was a nice surprise. If my mom left the presents, she would have said something because that is the way she is. No one knows where they came from. I think Santa is there when you most need him!

 

[lovethattink]

Although it is really hard, and goes against society's norm, we don't lie to our children. When he was 3, he was scared to death of Santa at the mall. There was no way, no how, he wanted that guy to come to our house. Christmas Eve, he acted all wierd. When we got home from church, he refused to sleep and was very apprehensive. Eventually we got to the bottom of it. He was scared that Santa was coming to his house. We told him the truth. He went to bed completely relieved. However, when ds was 4, he came home from nursery school saying we had to leave cookies out for Santa. Then last year my neice and nephew who were visiting us from Virginia had to return to VA before Easter Day. So we did the baskets the day before Easter. DS, then 10, "rediscovered" the truth.

 

[NoWorriesMate]

we believe!

(can't find a Santa smilie but it would be there if i could)

thanks for Santa e-mail site kidswill enjoy that this year

 

[tatooed goofy]

As a teacher, I deal with this every year in December. I have 4th grade and this is the age where their friends or such say things. I tell them I believe and read the POLAR EXPRESS to them every year. I also have the janitor ring the bell at the end of the story and nobody can see him. It works!!! Many of them say later...see I told you that you were wrong. However, at home I think you need to leave footprints outside, sprinkle reindeer food, leave food for Santa and have him write back. Do it with your opposite hand. It works better and doesn't look as neat like yours would be. Just some thoughts for you. Good luck. I know this hurts....... Hugs!!!!

 

[etmom]

thanks everyone. I found a nice article on the web here's the link for anyone who would like to read it

http://familyfun.go.com/parenting/child/dev/expert/dony127fatruthsanta/

June 2005 Beach Club (first trip to WDW)

DH DS9 Myself

 

[Becky2005]

It all depends on your child! LOL! My 8-year old cornered me and asked me point blank 'Is he real or not, I want a real answer'! ROFL!!! Of course, this is the same child that knew characters are people in costume at age 3 and basically he told me he didn't think Santa was real and gave me all the logical reasons - he's always been very analytical, etc...

That being said, he did say it in the car (told him I would tell him later and he wouldn't let it go, kept hounding me around the house after we got home!) and his 10 at the time sister pipped up "I BELIEVE HE IS REAL" She's also one that doesn't want to grow up and is into the magic of everything (can't wait for the Disney trip to see Pooh bear, etc...). She has known for a long time but she never believed me that it was us.

I have never been one to do Santa up big anyway, he's there and we enjoy the magic of it but I always knew he wasn't real, etc... (Had to ask my mom how I always knew when DD was born because I never had any huge experience with asking my parents or anything, it just always was a given. They just always told us, etc...). That is the same way I have worked it. I know when I told DS - I also told him he couldn't tell any of his friends, they had to ask their own parents.

Although, we have experience "Santa" for real! I also think that is where DD gets it from and she is kind of right. One Christmas we got anonymous gifts donated to us and when DD asked "Who got us these?" - I just told her it was real life Santa's....but it wasn't one person coming down the chimmney - they were left them at the doorstep a few days before.

 

[thelionqueen]

Hi all this isn't exactly Disney related but it is about "the magic"
Today is my sons last day of school and this morning he asked me if Santa is real (how ironic) I stumbled and stammered and pretty much avoided the truth. He says he wants to believe but now he needs "proof"
I'm sort of sad but I know I can't just ignore it. So how have you all handled this?
Thanks

I just recently dealt with a similar situation. My 7 year old son asked the "dreaded question" "Is Santa real?" The only thing I could tell him is the truth, which I vowed I always would, here's how it went, I asked him....
"Do you believe in Santa Claus?" he replied yes, then asked me if I believed in Santa Claus, to which I answered completely truthfully "Absolutely, he is a big part of my heart, my memories and my future, I couldn't imagine Christmastime without him." I honestly believe in the spirit of Santa Claus and have a confession. Last year I was woken up by a noise on the rooftop (Christmas eve of course) and in my instant waking moment, the 1st thing that came to my mind is..."it's Santa." Then I smiled and drifted back to sleep. If that isn't proof I still believe (even just a little), I don't know what is. Santa makes my heart happy, and I don't see how something so magical could be explained to a child in a simple yes or no fashion. Explain what you feel and think and let them be the judge. Good luck!!