Having 'The Talk'... How We Told Our Kids About Santa

No I don't mean the sex talk... we've had that a couple of times... and will continue to have it...

I'm talking about 'the Santa' talk.

Overall it went well, it was actually quite a magical experience for us and the older two kids.

Q was questioning this year. Some of her friends said they wanted to believe, but sort of didn't. She's in middle school now, some of the adults in the lunch room even talked about parents being Santa.

Thus far I've reassured her with the words... do you believe? That is all that matters.

I think G could've gone another year. He was on the fence, but less than Q.

I have certain issues with Santa anyway. He has never taken center stage at our house. He only brings one thing and the focus is family centered, not Santa centered. Christmas morning there isn't even much talk about what Santa has brought. But, he is there. I do appreciate the wonder and magic created by this person... but the web of lies sometimes... oh the lies! All for the purpose of creating magic and wonder, yes, and when they are little you don't even really talk about it, so there isn't really guilt about lying. But... as they get older, there is flat out lying as they ask questions and try to put the puzzle together... and to orchestrate it all... yikes! It's crazy sometimes!

Santa, to me, is the spirit of giving, the magic and wonder of something bigger than ourselves. He is something that unifies, a tradition that spans the globe in some form or another. He is goodness in that way.

So, I teetered, do we tell them, do we let them just find out? What do you do?

Both Matt and I just found out, stopped believing, and there you have it you go on with life. Totally anti-climactic after a childhood of believing.

This is where our decision to tell them came in. We wanted to be the ones to tell them, and tell them why we have the tradition in the first place.

Why Christmas Eve?

I decided it would be a great opportunity for them to experience the magic for themselves... the magic of giving... of being Santa.

It was a success.

After we put everyone to bed, and the little's were asleep I got the big kids out of bed and asked them to come downstairs.

I said we wanted to share something with them, about Santa.

I prefaced it with knowing more as we get older, and how there is a certain responsibility we carry, as we know more about Santa, to keep the Spirit, of what he is, alive.

That means we believe . We believe when the little kids in our home ask us about Santa, and when our friends at school as us... we believe and keep the magic alive!

Matt asked if they knew what we were saying... and told them we are Santa.

Q caught on, but because G was still teetering he needed the flat out... He's us... explanation!

Then we told them we thought it would be fun for them to help us!

They loved this! We hauled all of the gifts in and they put them all under the tree, with the exception of a few big gifts we didn't put out until they were sleeping!

They filled the stockings and helped us get everything ready. They loved it!

It really was magical. I got choked up a bit. I had shared with them that the magic for both Matt and I came alive when we had them, and how wonderful and magical it is too give and see such awe and excitement, and happiness in our little kids, that are now so big. We told them to watch for that in their little brothers, and notice how fun it is!

We could feel their excitement as they got our house all ready for Christmas morning. They felt the spirit of Christmas and the Spirit of Santa Claus.