For me, Santa is magic - an opportunity to create joy and wonder. I did the Santa story with my kids. They got one present from Santa. I tried to make it something they had been asking for. Some years, they wrote letters, I never mailed them or answered them. I told them all the Santas at craft fairs were Santa helpers. We did not do pictures on Santa’s lap. We did put out cookies and milk and stockings.
I loved the ritual. Still do.
When they were 7 and 9, my youngest sprung the ‘is Santa real’ question on me one June summer morning. I was not prepared for the question.
I sat down with them and asked them if they really wanted to know. I told them they could not unknow this. I told them once they knew, they would have to keep the secret. I asked them if they liked believing in Santa and they both agreed they did. They agreed to not tell any other kids once they knew.
I then told them I was Santa. They both jumped up and ran and hugged me. They stepped back and asked, “Do you wear the suit and beard?” I said, "No sillies, I run around in my underwear drinking wine!"
They laughed and laughed.
Then I explained that anyone can be Santa. Santa is an anonymous gift. A gift without someone to thank. A gift for gift's sake.
They both really liked that. After that, there began to be so many gifts from Santa under our tree. Strange and wonderful gifts wrapped poorly and often things we already owned. Haha.
For us, Santa is not a lie but a ritual of magic. It's a beautiful opportunity to play a long game. How you play it is up to you.
I hope this is helpful.
For me, it was an act of love. And that is mostly the message of all those Santa movies.
Happy Holidays and Happy Solstice
Monica Lee
aka Teacher Monica
aka Sophia and Matteo's Mom
aka Santa.
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