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Simply Santa....

23/12/2016

15 Comments

 

A bit late for this year perhaps, but here is a nice solution to the How to tell them about Santa question. (This is not my idea and I am sorry I cannot credit it, but I don't remember where I read it.)

When you sense the time is right you take your child to a coffee shop perhaps - somewhere 'grown up' and just with you, if you can. You say you have noticed how much they have grown up this past year, and you have often noticed how kind they can be, so  you think perhaps they are old enough now to learn how to become a Santa.

You describe Santa's job - surprising people with thoughtful gifts and making them happy - and you suggest they give it a trial this Christmas by choosing someone (perhaps a neighbour, or a younger sibling?) figuring out what they might want or need, and getting it to them for Christmas without them knowing who sent it.

The example given was a solitary woman who spoke to no-one and was seen lifting in her morning milk from her doorstep in bare feet. The child had to guess what size slippers etc etc and deliver them without being seen on Christmas Eve.  The writer descibed the look of delight on his child's face when seeing the woman come to her door wearing the slippers as 'unforgettable' and I can believe it.  Whether apocryphal or not, the story appeals as an approach to 'telling the truth' about Father Christmas that may have a lot of mileage in it. It could be seen as a kind of right of passage, which would surely encourage thoughtfulness and unselfishness...

It would certainly be nicer than my experience when my naughty cousin told me 'the truth' in bed on Christmas Eve!

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There are quite a few posts about children's Christmas books under Simply Christmas. Here is one with further links within if by chance you have any time to browse!
15 Comments
Mary Horn
23/12/2016 02:47:49 pm

My grandchildren have asked me not to tell Daddy they know about Santa. He enjoys the business of writing letters, posting them up the chimney and having surprises etc. that they don't want to spoil it for him. They have actually arranged a surprise for him. I love them all!!!!

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Freda
23/12/2016 03:34:09 pm

That is so lovely Mary!

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Swissrose link
23/12/2016 11:57:01 pm

I worry a bit about the Santa trauma in English-speaking countries!
Although we do have the Christ child in some families, it's more ethereal and not taken as seriously as Santa. I found that our children were busy making gifts for other people in the family so naturally got to understand about gift-giving/receiving and were thrilled to see the reactions to their efforts from the recipients. If they wanted anything particular for Christmas, they were told to ask the Christ child and see what happened, and sometimes did write a letter. Or I have also heard of writing to St. Nicholas on Dec. 6th so he can pass it on to the Christ child :) We always made it clear that it was up to the Christ child whether they actually got what they wanted but it seemed clear to them that their gifts came from us in the end and that there was reciprocality. At least, I don't think there was any trauma! Perhaps I should ask them!

As I spent most Christmasses of my childhood in Germany despite living in England, I didn't get much of the Santa tradition - except for being taken to Rackham's Grotto in Birmingham and sitting on Santa's knee, pictures to prove that lol

A peaceful Christmas to you, Freda.

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Freda
24/12/2016 01:06:00 pm

And to you Swissrose and thank you for sharing.

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Mary
24/12/2016 03:32:46 am

When my children were young, I didn't take them to see shopping mall Santa's and tried not to invoke Santa as a means of improving their behavior in the weeks leading up to Christmas (though it was tempting). However,, I did use the possibility of finding some coal in their stockings when they got unruly. I grew up in UK and we had coal fires (and I believe I got a chunk of it once or twice myself...). I had to introduce them to that old cultural reference. But as for Santa, I simply talked about it as the spirit of giving and they seemed fine with it and didn't have too much trauma when other children tried to tell them the "truth".

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Freda
24/12/2016 01:06:50 pm

I didn't know that one about the coal either!

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elaine link
24/12/2016 03:44:28 am

A lovely selection of Christmas books - I still believe! Have yourself as good as a Christmas as you can manage - and hope the new year brings you peace and good health. Best wishes Elaine x

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Freda
24/12/2016 01:07:42 pm

Many thanks Elaine. Have a lovely time.

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julia
24/12/2016 04:23:13 am

the christmas i was 6 and my sister was 5, my parents simply did not have the money to carry on the "mystery" of santa...they were the ones suffering "santa trauma"; because if they had taken us to see santa, and we'd asked for more than they could afford, then what? so they had to tell us...well, i simply did NOT believe them. and christmas eve night, i watched out the window for a very long time. sure enough, i did see santa and his sleigh, sailing thru the sky..and i said to my sister; don't worry, he IS real..i saw him...the next morning, there was a little toy mop for each of us, and we were quite content with that.. to this day, i KNOW i did see him!

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Lotta link
24/12/2016 10:01:27 am

I know you saw him Julia, because I heard the sleigh bells!

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Freda
24/12/2016 01:08:36 pm

Hurrah for Christmas magic!

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cath
24/12/2016 07:58:54 am

Do these books come from your collection? I love how the illustrations are so very different and yet so right. Lovely banner too.

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Freda
24/12/2016 01:09:54 pm

Yes Cath. It has been such a pleasure collecting them one each year.

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Lotta link
24/12/2016 09:49:27 am

What a naughty cousin! I think someone told me on a school trip when I was 6 or 7, but I had already begun to suspect so it wasn't too much of a shock.

That's a lovely solution though. I enjoyed this blog post on the same subject too: http://lusaorganics.typepad.com/clean/2016/12/answering-the-santa-question.html

Aren't Christmas book illustrations magical...

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Freda
24/12/2016 01:11:17 pm

I'm not sure I ever quite forgave cousin Mae! Thank you for the good link. Have a magical Christmas.

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