Let me start off by saying this was the big gift of Christmas. I was sort of against it, but it was their Dad's idea and it will probably be the most memorable gift for years to come. Advice: if the kids want the powerwheels - get one.
Okay, I'm moving into controversial territory with this post, but now that the holiday season is gone, I feel like we can chat about it without any criticism and I'm really just looking for other ideas and feedback.
1. Why is important that kids think of Santa at all at Christmas?
2. Do your currently or will you plan to have your kids "believe" in the mystery of Santa, in what form? Stockings? Gifts galore? One gift? Socks and underwear?
3. How do you plan to tell them or did you tell them when they got the idea that the whole Santa & Elf thing wasn't happening?
I loved the idea of Santa -probably until some inappropriately old age (like 11 or 12). Seeing the surprises of Christmas was the highlight of the season and I was not burned or saddened when I found out there was no Santa -- probably because it would have been totally embarassing to admit that I was still going along with the ol' big man in red suit idea. But, for our family, I'm just kind of already over it (I know Lara - I'm such a scrooge right?!!! :)) with it. In practical terms, keeping extra "santa" wrapping paper (we didn't bother to wrap them), wondering if the letter got to the north pole, cookies, yadda, yadda, it's just extra to do. In realistic terms, there are the questions which you cannot answer truthfully but must somehow avoid lying about. For example, our smarter than the average bear 4 year old said the following when I offered to take him to see Santa at the ward christmas party, "Why? Everyone knows it's just a guy in a silly suit." Of course everyone knows. Not to mention that when encouraging the Santa list or whatever, I constantly have to narrow it down because it is absurd for my kids to believe some jolly old fat man will bring them a list full of items. We say one gift, plus a stocking and your best gift comes from your mom and dad who love you most of all. Finally, there's a spiritual aspect, I am seriously not looking for trouble, but doesn't the Santa thing sort of overwhelm the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ? It just feels like it does. My neighbor doesn't do Santa at all - she just told her kids, he's like any other character in a children's book and not real. I think it could be stretched further as a parallel for christian spirit and giving - not to mention the naughty or nice list, but do you think this would doom the children to an unhappy childhood if I pulled the plug on Santa? Thoughts?
Here's what Tim and I looked like after Christmas:
