Santa or Not?

It's that time of the year. You know it, when the stores are filled with sparkling trees, and holiday songs begin to appear on regular radio stations. It's my favorite time of the year, but my it's hectic. Already we have begun building our thankful turkey, cut out hands inked with words of gratitude are plastered in a heap on our fridge. A mess of feathery goodness. Elly has had some good practice time at cutting with this fun tradition. She is getting better everyday. :-) Soon I'll be yanking down plastic fall leaves from the valances and mantle to replace it with plastic garland and tree wooden beads. I'm thinking it be would be fun to go au natural this year-as in REAL tree garland and REAL holly and popcorn string and cranberries. Might be fun and new to do homemade this year. Also, Elly has asked Danny and I if Santa is real. It may sound harsh but we have talked about how we don't like lying to our kiddies. My issue I've been mulling over lately is that if the kids think Santa is real and then poof one day he is no longer well then where is the trust and more importantly I'm afraid of this question
"Mom if Santa isn't real and I've been writing letters to him, well then is God real? Am I praying to someone/thing that is real?".
Anywho, I'm sure many of you may think I'm being ridiculous, but that is just what is going through my head. Dannys issue with Santa is more about receiving gifts from some guy no matter what. He feels it is something to be earned. He works hard and provides for his family and he wants the girls to know that gifts are to those who work hard and show respect. Or something along those lines. Anyways back to the story, so Elly asked me and Danny at separate times if Santa was real. I mentioned that he was once real and that his real name was Saint Nicholas. Well this brought on tears and consoling and my poor little girl in denial asked again is Santa real? I said Santa is real in everyone's hearts. Well we ended the conversation with: sure he's real. I felt horrible because you know I don't want to spoil her childhood and reason to hope and dream. Dannys conversation at a seperate time was almost identical. So Elly believes in Santa still and I'm not planning on ruining this. She is only five and since hey there really was a Saint Nicholas who did deliver gifts to children why not? And quite frankly this is sort of new thing for us. As you remember (maybe) last year we did visit Santa and write letters to him. So yeah, my views keep changing, my heart keeps turning and I'm constantly questioning what is the best to do with my girls. They are smart and sweet, and I love em.

Comments

Andrea said…
We've been going through the same thing...with Madisen who just turned 10! Well, she's suspected for the last two years kind of and is still asking for something from him this year;) I don't know, I think we may not continue the tradition with the other little ones. Right now, we have the "Santa only brings 1 or 2 gifts" policy. That way, they understand the "spirit" of giving and don't expect to get a pile as they have in the past. This year I kind of wish he WAS real to bring her the only thing on her list... a laptop;P
November 14, 2012 at 12:29 PM
CTR Mama said…
We have actually never done Santa at all. It was probably easier for us to start that way rather than switch mid-childhood, but it has been good for us and our kids. We can chat about it sometime if you want.
The older my kids get, the more convinced I am that there will always be some uncertainty, some issue to consider, some decision to be made about how to proceed for their good. I really should stop being so surprised by it! You're doing a great job with your girls :))
November 23, 2012 at 1:24 PM
Danielle said…
Andrea,
I hear ya. Before this Santa only brought the stocking gifts and they only get four gifts at Christmas. Of course the Cooper grandparents get them zillions, so they are still getting a lot
:-). I think next year we are going to scale down all around and try to make a more "spritual, reason for the Season one.". I mean we are still going to try that this year-but the presents are already bought. So yeah.;-)
November 26, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Danielle said…
Becky,
I'd love to chat about it. You guys are so wise with your decisions. I'm hoping if we slowly wean her off the idea, then maybe by the time brinley can comprehend a Santa she will know he isnt real, though he was a great man a long time ago. I just really wanna slowly try our best to take all of the commercialism away and keep it all about Jesus and the spirit of service an giving. We have a long way to go-especially since my parents have already bought us polar express tickets this year-my guilt for ruining Elly's Christmas
November 26, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Love Story Part 1

To tell my love story, I have to start from the beginning, which involves a mini love story before the love story-a chance for you to see the real confused and pushy jerk within me. We all have doubts and confusion about what is the right thing to do, what we really truly want in life, just most of you aren't crazy ridiculous like me. No matter,I will still share the story, because it is the story of me...and how I eventually met and married the love of my forever, Danny. Enjoy! It is a little bit all over the place and yeah I don't edit-no time for that. And feel free to judge.::::: "I'm not supposed to be here!" The words rattled into my head. Here I was standing in the hallway of a church building awaiting for the young single adult festivities to officially begin. Men and women bustled about, introducing themselves, laughing, playing games, while I stood there frozen in place, my heart beating with anxiety. After all, I didn't belong here, I ...
Read more

Meal Time Sentences

Image
Our lovely flash cards that we DO use!!                        I am not a very good teacher.   I should be going over letters and numbers every single day with Ellyanna, but I’m not.   I should be teaching her how to trace and write them out, but of course I’m not.   I save it all for preschool, which is only two days a week.   I’m far from perfect.   But I am taking little steps.   I do something small every day, something I like to call meal time sentences.               What are meal time sentences?   Let me back track here.   A couple of years ago we bought “Your Baby Can Read” because I just had to have it and insisted that our daughters would be becomes real life geniuses in result.   Of course being the mom that I am, I was gung ho for the first couple of weeks and...
Read more