Santa was a big decision in our house. Chuck did not really want to do the whole Santa thing, but I did. We finally agreed to do the Santa thing but down play it a lot. So in our house, Santa comes and fills the stockings, eats the cookies and milk (the reindeer get a carrot) and he leaves each kid one book. I like this, it is not as much work for us, the kids are not as invested in a lie, I don’t have to try as hard to keep up the lie (which I suck at) and they learn that the rest of the gifts come from family and friends.
I will say that it has caused some interesting interactions with other kids recently. P meet Santa by chance at Home Depot the other day (I gave up pretty quick on the whole photo with Santa thing. If it happens by chance fine but I am not waiting on line for it.) Santa, of course, asked what she wanted for Christmas P told him that he only brings books everything else comes from her mom and dad. Luckily he laughed and played along. p on the other hand got into an argument with another 3 year old over whether or not Santa was magical. The other kids said he was p says he is not, that he is just some guy who brings books.
I don’t see a problem with these things and actually think that they were both very funny incidents. However, I told a couple people about these events and the answer from all of them were the same; that we were making it hard on the other parents and kids. I had to stop and think about that for a bit. We were making other parents jobs harder. We were ruining Santa and maybe Christmas for other kids. WOW. I don’t think I realized until recently how much everyone expects you to conform to how they see the world. I wonder what happens to kids who are raised that there is not a Santa. I know some Jewish families who tell their kids there is not a Santa but don’t tell the other kids it could ruin it for them. I have come to the conclusion that whereas I feel sorry for making things harder on other parents and their kids, that is not my circus and those are not my monkeys.
I would love to hear how some other families have done Santa.