Is there really a Santa Claus?
Few days to go and it’s the merriest time of the year again.
I always remember my parents telling me to always be nice because dear Santa Claus can see me always and is making a list. (talk about the song..hehehe)
But lemme' ask these?
When was Santa revealed to you? Or better yet, when did you know about the truth about Santa Claus? and when is the best time to reveal our kids or young ones the real nature of Santa?
SPOILER ALERT – If you still believe that Santa Claus exists, please don’t read anymore. hehehehe
…….
…….
……
……
Now, to our question.
Personally, I think Santa Claus was not directly revealed to me by my parents. I don’t even remember the exact moment or the transition. All I know was till 7 years old, I still believed in Santa because my wish came true. I wished for a special toy because it was my 7th Birthday year and Santa gave it to me. That feeling of happiness stayed in my heart and till now, even though reality has set in, that “Santa feeling” is still amazing.
I guess the transition happened when I started to go to the big school. Classmates from different upbringing about Santa started to unravel. Some like me were believers at that age, and some were exposed to the reality early on. The transition was quick, albeit, unnoticeable.
All I knew that my coming of age (probably the age between 8 to 10) made me kept the secret for the younger ones as it made me happy when they are happy, even if I knew my parents wore Santa’s hat already.
So how do we handle the fact that some children can be exposed to the truth early and may spoil the magic? My simple thought on this is nothing. We cannot do anything.
Each family will have a different take on Santa Claus. Some, like my family, would want the magic alive till it is revealed naturally. Some want the revelation to come directly from their parents at a young age to avoid the idea of “consumerism” and all sorts of logical and practical reasons. Some are simply for tradition. I know a friend’s family who made sure that Santa Claus is only real till the age of 4, only because it is part of the family tradition. Cool for some, not cool for others. But this is their tradition and who are we to judge.
I guess to simplify, there is no really right or wrong way to reveal Santa Claus. It is how we perceive the revelation and how it will make our own family and kids happy.
Santa Claus epitomizes the spirit of giving. It gives us a reason to be merry and to be generous. It makes us happy and proud whenever we see the beautiful smile in a child’s heart.
This for me is Santa Claus. This is the reality of Santa Claus for our family.
What is your Santa Claus story? Is He real for you?
We are happy to hear it. Share your thoughts below.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New year too all =)
Recent Comments
12
Hiya,
My mum grew up celebrating a very religious Christmas, but there was no tradition of Santa Claus for her.
But that didn’t matter to her or us, here in Australia. This was our birthplace she decided, and we would have it all. Nor did it matter that I saw her putting my Christmas present on top of a wardrobe when I was three. Mum and Dad gave us gifts. We always knew that.
We still had family photos with Santa in the shopping mall, every year. There were some super awkward ones! We still sang Santa songs. We still drew pictures of Santa and put on family Christmas shows featuring... Santa!
We didn’t need to believe Santa was real as kids to enjoy Santa. We still took part in the extended community activity known as Christmas, because we loved it. Christmas writ large, was like a delicious game we all played once a year. We played along, because we enjoyed that willing suspension of disbelief.
When I was seven I wrote a very long poem in rhyming couplets about Santa during a class activity. I was very proud of it because it was my first properly rhyming poem, and ...it was longer than the Norse Eddas, LOL.
But my teacher at the time sent me home crying because she was angered by the idea that I (gasp) might actually believe in Santa. She had words with my parents about the very notion.
Yes, you’re thinking, but wait...? You never actually...?
Yes, true. Since we never had, and Santa was just part of the whole Christmas season fun, it was a mystery why anyone would be so determined to tell me he didn’t exist. We never thought he did. It’s a poem I wrote when I discovered one could do that with words. It was fun.
So if you ask - when is it ok to spoil the fun? I say never. Because trying to break the news to kids that ‘Santa doesn’t exist,’ when and if they probably already know that, is really only stating - ‘I don’t want to play this game with you any more’.
Childhood should be the place we nurture imagination, not squash it. And adults should never forget how to be playful.
Xo
Ivy
P.S. Mum also had a habit of playing Bing’s White Christmas vinyl on loop every year. Just to get us all in the spirit. :)
Fantastic =) Beautiful story. Thank you for sharing Ivy =) I'd love to hear your poem if you still have it... I do agree and appreciate your last message... "Childhood should be the place we nurture imagination". This for me encapsulates one of the true meanings of Santa's existence. Wonderful sharing. Thank you and Merry Christmas =)
Same same... hehehe... and in the Philippines, Christmas starts on the "BER" months... so as early as September, you can feel the Christmas atmosphere both inside our house and the community =)
We have a lot of Philippino friends here in Australia, and they have such large, strong, merry families, that it’s not surprising the merriness gets even louder at Christmas! Philippino Music ensembles dominate many of the church communities here, too. It’s awesome. :)
I have no idea where the poem is now. That was back in the 70s! If it’s still about, it will be in some secret sentimental stash of my mother’s. ;)
Wow. that's awesome =) I actually have some friends there too =) Great to know the tradition lives on =) It's that Christmas spirit wherever we may be =)
Whoah.. hehehe...but yeah, it would be such a surprising moment if it is suddenly revealed to you again =)
See more comments
The magic dies for YOU when your children say "Aw I don't believe that stuff anymore!"
I agree Michael.... thank you for sharing your thoughts =)