It’s a sad day when kids stop believing in Santa Clause, the Tooth Fairy, and fairies.
Not because I enjoy lying to my kids, but because–on the day they stop believing–a piece of their innocence is lost. An unforgettable, valuable part of childhood dies.
Believing in magic is a beautiful thing.
Do you remember the last time you looked around the world with a sense of wonder? When seeing a puppy form in the clouds was a miracle? When the idea of an ant carrying 1000 times its own weight was something worth watching? When the impossible goodness of a fat man squeezing down your chimney fills you with hope instead of making you call 911?
Do I believe in Santa?
Of course not, but I believe the concept of Santa is worthy of my children’s belief. I don’t want them to lose that innocence and wonder.
When my teenager was young, he asked if Santa was real. I responded by asking what he thought. When he told me he didn’t believe, I offered to let Santa know. His panic told me he wasn’t ready to give up the magic.
The day that conversation didn’t cause a panic, he looked hurt, like he’d lost something precious. He had.
His world of magic was gone.
The he asked why I had spent his lifetime lying to him. I told him the truth. I said I couldn’t bear to be the one to shatter his belief in magic before he was ready.
Then, I informed him that he was in on the conspiracy. He was not allowed to ruin it for anyone else. Not his sisters, not his friends.
That Christmas, my little boy helped me stuff stockings, which was an odd feeling.
The magic was over, but we still got to share the magic of his cousins and sisters.
We tell our kids that we buy the presents. Are we bad parents? I don’t think he understand Santa yet. He’s just a scary old guy in a red suit who ride around in a flying sleigh….
I don’t remember how our son figured out that Santa doesn’t exist and that my Finish colleague doesn’t have him for dinner on Sundays. But I remember how the whole Tooth Fairy thing went out of the window. One of his friends stayed up and saw his mum putting money under his pillow; of course he told everybody and all kids knew that their parents don’t know sh*t about how things work. And we wonder how our children end up in therapy.
I think my kids know what’s up. With a wink and a nod, they keep graciously accepting all these gifts “Santa” brings.
But they are totally hoodwinked by the ole tooth fairy.
I never “believed” in Santa or the tooth fairy, BUT, my mom made sure that I understood what they stood for – the magic of the holidays and childhood – so I never stomped on anyone else’s beliefs. I liked knowing what other kids didn’t know, but more importantly, I never had anything crushed. I think that is why I continue to have a childhood love for Halloween and Christmas…I never lost the general “magic” of the feelings of the holidays. They’re still just as awesome to me. 🙂 If I have kids, they will also be told about the magic without the extras, and they better dang well not ruin anybody else’s beliefs either…hell to pay…
The magic is still there, even at my somewhat mature age! I love laying back on a summer day watching the clouds form shapes and sipping my coffee and making out the shapes that the tree leaves form (it is much easier without my glasses on – the leaves are all fuzzy and glomb together much faster that way)!
I’ve never given up believing
Every time I go fishing – I believe in the magic that will catch me a biggun
If I didn’t believe in this magic – there would be no point in going.
Same with my local football team – they’re rubbish but I always believe that they will magic up a win.
Theres no other way.
Long Live Magic!!
I had to go along with this scam until I was like 18 because my brother is so much younger than me! You’re a brave man for having that convo. I would have ran away!
Jason, I haven’t stopped believing in Santa Claus. I’m 27 years old and the magic of Christmas hasn’t gone anywhere. I’m trying to fight off the cynicism of adulthood for as long as I possibly can.
If I remember well it was my older brother who busted the bubble on Santa! Not that I was surprised really, I guess even as a kid I had an inkling to logic…fat man, red suit sneaking in through chimneys, come on! lol
Still, I do believe its a nice tradition and will strive to keep my kids “in the dark” till they can figure it out…let them enjoy the wonder some more 🙂 Most times I think its not so much the personalities (santa, tooth fairy, easter bunny) as what they stand for…hope for more better times!