Most of those things have to do with presence, love, and selflessness," she said. "This year, I asked the kids where they were in the whole Santa thing, and my daughter explained that she thinks it's more the magic of giving and that this magic can really inhabit anyone, and it might be that her parents had been playing Santa all along but that was OK because the magic is still there."

Some of these jokes were a little funny. Some of them really weren't. But they were all endemic of something more sinister, and I honestly don't think the men in question even realize it. So to the generally well-intentioned men in my life, please consider this: She was crying not like a child who is hurting and needs her mom to comfort and soothe her and make it right. She was holding it all in, still, silent tears sliding slowly down her cheeks. When I was a child my family struggled financially, so Christmas and birthdays were almost the only days I received a gift. Seeing my parents argue because of finances, I thought that if I helped them save money, my family could be happier. I believed that if I asked Santa for the gift I really wanted, my parents wouldn’t have to buy me anything. I believed Santa was a rich guy who could afford Christmas presents for all the children in the world. When Christmas approached, I prayed every night before going to sleep. And my daughter is always the first to respond with an elaborate, magical explanation about why Santa is real, followed by a discrete wink and smile in my direction. She paused a moment and then said, “So, I’m guessing that the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, all of them aren’t real, huh?”Yes Virginia There Is A Santa Claus written by Lauren Martin and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2022-11 with categories. Hutchinson loved the idea so much, she shared it on Facebook as well: This is by far the best idea I've seen about telling your kids about Santa. Had to share! *********"In our family, we... Do You Believe In Santa written by Sierra Donovan and has been published by Zebra Books this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1949-01-01 with Fiction categories. For us, we both grew up having Santa as a part of Christmas. For me, it wasn't as much of the focus as the Christian Christmas story, and my parents were a bit lax by the time I came around, as my oldest brother is 10 1/2 years older than I am (my middle brother is 3 1/2 years older). I remember sleeping on my parent's floor (a Christmas tradition where my middle brother and I would crash on their floor on Christmas night for some reason). And I heard all the rustles of Christmas set-up as my father said "ho ho ho" from the living room. I cornered my mother the next day in the bathroom and had her fess up, as she encouraged me to not clue my middle brother in just yet!

You already know how to make one of these bad boys, but here’s a basic template if you’re needing a dose of inspo: Now that they're in on the secret, have them choose someone who could really use a great gift and devise a plan to give it away — secretly, of course. "We then have the child choose someone they know — a neighbor, usually. The child's mission is to secretly, deviously, find out something that the person needs, and then provide it, wrap it, deliver it — and never reveal to the target where it came from. Being a Santa isn't about getting credit, you see. It's unselfish giving." His eyes lit right up," she writes. "That excitement and joy returned to him and he couldn't stop asking me questions! ... Instantly I could see the wheels were turning and he started planning who his special target would be and what he would get them and how he'd pull it off." I have a friend who once joked that it was all right for him to catcall women because he's good-looking. I had another ask me in faux outrage why it was OK for me to describe a cupcake (as in an actual chocolate baked good) as a “seven," but not OK for him to rank women the same way. I was recently at a house party where a group of guys referred to a soundproofed recording studio in the basement as the “rape room" 45 times. The idea of Santa may seem frivolous to many adults, but to believe in something much bigger than yourself, only to learn you've been lied to by the people you trust most in the world? That can be a really big deal to a kid (and can possibly even create long-term trust issues for them, as one study found). The Santa conversation is one many parents understandably want to get right.Which one is mine? Is that big one my kitchen play toy? Or is it the one about the size of a princess play set?’

As with all questions, Geering recommends parents "match your child's development with how you respond" and suggests providing some answers to help their child's understanding – whether it's a fun explanation for how Santa's sleigh is powered or why Santas might look different for different families.

In a little over a week, Hutchinson's post has racked up thousands of Likes and shares, with plenty of thankful parents chiming in in the comments.

There comes an age when we all start to question the reality of Santa Claus. We mean, can he really deliver Christmas presents to every kid in the world, all in one night? While questioning these tales shows development in a child’s independent thinking and analyses, it also opens the door to discussing the history of the jolly man in red, and of course, answering the question: “ Is Santa real?” But here I am, years later, finally fitting the pieces of my life together in a way I never thought they could before. The semicolon (and the message that goes along with it) is a reminder that I've faced dark times, but I'm still here." Thank goodness for this beautiful book! My daughter is a staunch believer in Santa Claus and is now 11 years old. I was the same way at that age—no one could convince me Santa wasn’t real. My mom couldn’t bear to tell me so my lovely older sister broke the news to me in the most beautiful way possible on Christmas Day. (The timing was awful, though. I was devastated. My advice: Please don’t have this conversation on Christmas Day!) But her message was beautiful and loving and full of hope. THIS is a perfect rendering of my sister’s explanation, one she used with her own (now grown) children but even better, as it is accompanied by the most tender illustrations and a true reverence for the magic of giving, the magic of Santa, all the while underscoring parents’ (and loved ones’) profound love for their children. One way to do so is to emphasize that it is a choice to believe. There are many aspects of life and the beyond that people either choose to believe in or not. It is no different from Santa Claus. As children become old enough to understand choices and the power of making them, begin to explain that we all have the choice to believe in magic or not. You can also emphasize that everyone has the right to believe whatever they would like, but it’s a personal choice. In addition, you can discuss why people choose to believe in magic—the unexplainable aspects of life, the beauty and joy of believing in magic, and the way that it makes everything feel more special.

Oh gosh, dear reader, I feel like I should apologize. You thought this was going to be a how-to guide for bringing your child gently through the Santa reveal in a conscious and tender and not-at-all-harmful way. We are three months post-reveal now and deep in the heat of the holidays. My second grade son is suspicious. He’s talking about setting up video surveillance and Rube Goldberg traps to prove once and for all, one way or another, whether this whole Santa thing is legit. In third grade, I knew the questions would come again. It would be our fifth holiday season to sidestep, weave, redirect, and ultimately, betray our daughter’s trust in us to perpetuate this fantastical myth. And I was getting tired.But wait, it gets better—all of these meals can be made organic at an affordable price, using O Organics® at Albertsons. O Organics helps shoppers find quality ingredients at reasonable prices every day of the year. Friendsgiving is no different. If your child asks how Santa can be at the mall and at the zoo and at their classmate's church all at the same time, you could certainly explain that Santa employs many helpers this time of year. But you can also get a better sense of your child's understanding by saying: "That's a very good question! Santa is so busy these days – how do you think he's in so many places at once?"