It was just like any weekday morning; I was getting my kids ready for school when it happened. My super inquisitive seven-year-old asks me ‘Mama, is Santa real?’ I froze, I didn’t want to give the wrong answer and have her back me into a corner, and her little sister was all ears. So, I turned it on her and asked her what she thought. She got quiet for a minute and told me she was unsure and had more research to do. I really wanted to ask what type of research she was doing but decided I was better off not knowing.
The question was left unanswered and she was done with the topic…so I thought. Three days later, she informs me that her research has not given her the answer she was looking for. I wasn’t surprised, what adult wants to ruin the magic of Christmas for a child? Even know-it-all Siri didn’t give her a direct answer.
My husband and I have never pushed the Santa narrative, but we also don’t rain on their parade. We have always played along, leaving out the reindeer food, baking cookies for Santa, and tracking Santa. We also made sure that they knew their most coveted gifts were from Mommy and Daddy, the big guy does not get all the credit. Mommy and Daddy buy the dollhouse and Santa buys the dolls.
I also don’t want my daughter to be that kid. You know, the know-it-all kid that goes to school and tells all the other kids that Santa is not real. And then all the other moms are side-eyeing me because my kid ruined the magic of Christmas. I discussed the questions with some other moms, and they all agreed that I should not force or ruin the image of Santa. Just let her figure it out on her own. At the end of the day, I desire my kids know the true meaning of Christmas. Whether they still believe in Santa cannot come close to that.
As of right now, her research has not yielded an answer. Regardless of what she discovers she and her sister will have a magical Christmas (and childhood) this year and every year after.
