The Santa Disclosure
Last week my youngest angrily demanded in a slightly hurting voice, "once and for all", to know whether Santa Claus is real or not.
I sighed a big, heavy, long-suffering sigh because we have been having this discussion every year since he was big enough to care. It's the same discussion I've had with his brother. My younger acts like I'm lying to him. I never have.
Every year I explain that Saint Nicholas once upon a time was a real person who did acts of kindness and charity for children at Christmastime, and that in honor of his generous spirit, people in the US and Europe keep the tradition of acting like Saint Nick and giving gifts mysteriously in the middle of the night. I explain that this tradition has gone on for centuries and grown to its current state. I explain that this Santa thing is at once a legend and a game. I explain that the idea of Santa Claus bringing you presents may be vaguely true in the most general sense, in that if it weren't for Saint Nick, we wouldn't have this tradition, but that in practical concrete terms it is -not- a round guy in a funny suit doing all the gift-schlepping.
And still I get the third degree. So I explained it all over again. He's hurt and upset because this debate is still raging among his friends, and the paternal side of his family is siding firmly with literal belief in the myth. This irritates me, but he is my child, and I won't lie to him, not even to make the in-laws happy.
I just wish, "once and for all", he'd believe me, and then just take an attitude of letting the in-laws and the fellow third-graders just have their fun. Wink and nod, my dear. Wink and nod.
Spring wrote:
"...in practical concrete terms it is -not- a round guy in a funny suit doing all the gift-schlepping..."
At my house it is.
scott <aedhoo@yahoo.com>
- Sunday, December 21, 2003 at 16:40:08 (EST)
Very funny, Scott.
At my house, the kids are a six-year-old 15-year-old and a 15-year-old 11-year-old. I have always told them Santa was imaginary, but they they could believe what they chose -- as people tend to do -- and they've said "then I'm going to believe in him!" and they do -- in spite of knowing the truth. I found that an interesting lesson in human nature.
All the best Spring, Sean, Wlofie, and boys
for a happy season
and good luck on getting that Swedie boy over here!
Kate
kate <twoshoes@sasktel.net>
- Tuesday, December 23, 2003 at 10:46:16 (EST)
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