Losing The Magic
It was a sad day when my children informed me that they knew Santa isn’t real. It hit me harder than it hit them. I expected that I would be upset; I did not expect the roller coaster of emotions I would go through.
At first, I was shocked. How was I supposed to respond? I wasn’t ready for this yet. I was completely caught off guard. What do I do now?
Next, I felt anger. I wanted to know which kid ruined this for my own. I wanted all the details. I planned what I was going to say when I called the other parent. This was NOT right!
After that, I felt sad for my children.
They had lost that bit of innocence. Children need something to believe in. And this was just the first in a landslide of realizations. If they knew about Santa, they would soon figure out about the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and all the other things parents make up.
This led to my next emotion – relief. I didn’t have to hide anymore. I didn’t have to get out of my warm bed as I’m just about to fall asleep because I forgot to move that stupid elf. I didn’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to put out gifts. This would make life so much easier!
Lastly, I felt sad again – but this time it was for me.
I actually enjoyed al of those things. I enjoyed sneaking around. It meant I got to see the joy in my children’s eyes each morning as they found their elf. Watching them wake up and find their gifts was a true highlight of my year. I was NEVER going to have that again.
I gathered my thoughts and decided what to say to my children. They already knew why we celebrated. They were Catholic school students. They had known the real reason for Christmas for many years. I had to answer differently. I confirmed their suspicions, but I told them that Christmas isn’t about a figure. Santa doesn’t make Christmas.
Christmas was about the magic, the feeling, the wonder.
I had read something on social media before this happened. It said something along the lines of there is a little Santa in all of us. We have a duty to carry on the magic for the next generation. So I went with this. I told them that they were let in on a secret that has been carried on for many generations before them, and it will continue long after them. They had cousins to play along for. They was entrusted not to tell anyone else their secret.
Not long after this happened, I found myself pregnant again. My children were SO excited to be able to carry on the secret. Now they have two younger siblings to play along for. They love their role in Christmas now. They’ve grown up so much. They’ve kept the secret. They’ve moved the elf. They’ve helped me shop. They’ve hidden gifts. They enjoy having a little Santa in their heart!
