Y’all…. I am stressing about the holidays this year. Not for the normal reasons – this is a big freaking deal.
Our boys are 10 this year (well, 10 1/2 technically)…. I have my suspicions that AT LEAST one of them doesn’t believe in Santa Claus. That means that the other has been told Santa isn’t real. Ugh… twins suck, sometimes. So what do we do?!? If we don’t come clean and tell them that Santa isn’t real, the one son will certainly torment and try to tear apart the magic for the other (little assholes that I love)… So I guess this is the year that I tell my kids we are liars.
Parenting & adulting is the hardest thing – like ever.
In this day and age, I know they can look up whatever on Google, YouTube, or ask Siri…. In fact, they had me ask Siri a couple of years ago, thankfully she is shady AF and gives good answers! Maybe they know, but not really know, you know?
So do I let them figure things out on their own? Do I let their disappointment in us and our lifetime web of lies creep in and destroy their holiday spirit? Or do I find a way to break it to them gently, without breaking their hearts…. let’s face it, no matter how cool they act on the outside, finding out that something magic isn’t what you think , is crappy.
I don’t remember when I figured it out as a kid. It obviously didn’t scar me for life – if I had to guess, my sister & cousin probably ruined it for me (4 years older). But, I do not remember being upset. I do not remember my parents worrying about it, and I turned out relatively fine (I think). But, I feel like I want to give my kids more than that. I don’t want to be the Grinch who Stole Christmas….
So here are my thoughts – and I honestly would love to hear what you think. I probably won’t go full-Pinterest mom and write a mushy letter about how much they have grown, and blah, blah, blah…. Let’s face it, my kids are smart and sassy (no idea where they get that), and also a little crazy (definitely not me). But, I feel like I need to find the right way to tell them what I believe.
I believe in the magic of Christmas. I believe that it is a time of year where people open up their hearts and are more thoughtful and giving than any other time. I believe in going above and beyond to make lives a little brighter, and to keep the magic alive for everyone, but especially little ones.
I believe in Santa. I do. I believe that Santa is a lot of people, who keep the spirit of Christmas alive. I believe he lives in our hearts – not at the North Pole. I believe Santa is the magic and love and spirit of giving to others. I believe that Santa teaches us to believe in something we can’t see or touch – and that is an important thing in life… And I believe in the importance of carrying this magic on year after year, generation after generation. No, we are not “the” Santa, but we are like his elves – Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness, we are just part of the team.
Yeah, I will explain that it was us that chose and wrapped their presents. I will tell them that the gosh darn Elf On The Shelf was all us, doing our job to share the magic of Christmas (some very late and crazy shenanigan planning, that I will no longer stress about). Seriously – I glued together Popsicle sticks last year to make him a freakin tree house….
So, I know what I want to say…. I just don’t know how. It isn’t an “Oh by the way….” type of conversation. But I feel like this is the year we need to tell them. Rich & Jerritt are on board with telling them (because the elf). And I actually KNOW that the elf will appear in some funny/inappropriate situations this year (because boys/men are gross & they share an odd sense of humor), but the kids will enjoy it on a different level. And I am sure I will still have reason to be up until 3 am during the holidays, making some kind of magic happen – AND I AM OKAY WITH THAT.
It really sucks. They can’t stay little forever. I get that. But I hope, beyond any other Christmas miracle, that I can tell them the truth and keep the Christmas spirit alive… I’m probably stressing over nothing. They probably gave up believing long ago – but crap, let a mom hold on to their childhood a bit longer, okay?!?
So, what do you think? How should this whole bombshell go down? Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas? Do your ideas involve wine, because mine do…. (for me, not the kids, I swear)! Help a momma out!!!
#CrazyAsAMother #IDontWantToBeAGrinch #ChristmasSpirit #TherapyForChristmas #HelpMeNotScrewUpTheirChildhood #GoodbyeElf
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Oh damn! Smart little monkeys ruining everything for themselves! lol I have no advice for you, I can only nod and wish you luck 😉
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Teach them the magic that is Santa….I’d just wait for them to ask you. They (or at least one of them) may still want to believe.
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My sister told me what she told her kids when the Santa question came up. She told them that Santa was real but there were more kids in the world than there used to be so sometimes Santa asks Moms and Dads to help him at Christmas.
I handled it differently. When my boys were little, usually starting around September, every time they’d ask for a toy I’d tell them no Christmas was coming, ask Santa. When they persisted I’d make it a point to say the toys weren’t worth the money or cost too much. On Christmas they’d see that Santa brought what they’d asked for.
The day that my boys asked if Santa was real my answer was simple. “Do you you think I’d spend that much money on toys”?
They smiled, and remembering all my refusals when they asked, answered “No, you wouldn’t”. They never asked that question again.
When my 10 year old grandson asked me if I believed in Santa my answer was a simple and truthful “yes”.
Hope this helps.
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