When your child learns to read

[tater03]

I have a kinda funny story. The other day I was writing an email to a friend about something that I was looking to buy my youngest son. Well my oldest who is seven unbeknowenst to me was reading it over my shoulder. He is like "Mom why are you buying that for Ty for Christmas? I thought Santa was bringing that?" Well I talked my way out of it but it just brought to the forefront that a lot of things I was able to do in the past I now have to watch because he can now read. Just like driving in the car last night I was going over the speed limit by five miles and he pointed out that fact to me. He is just growing up way to fast for me.

 

[dong]

Hah, he'll figure that Santa biz out soon...I cottoned on when I realised that the handwriting on "Santa's" personal messages alternated every year...between my mother's and my father's. Will you bother telling him or will you let him sort it out himself?

We can look upon these kinds of things in two ways: With a certain sense of pride, or a certain sense of poignancy. Or even both, as, I imagine, would often be the case.

 

[hokeshel]

I went to great lengths to cover for Santa. Santa used different wrapping paper, different tags and even wrote the names a little differently. I used the children's nicknames, while Santa used their formal names. Reindeer hoofprints were seen one year and bells were heard on top of the house a few times. One year, Santa came while we were gone visiting. That one really freaked out the oldest who had pretty much decided there was no Santa Clause, It kept her going for another year.

 

[tater03]

I really don't want to tell my oldest but I am afraid if I don't that when he finds out he will blurt it out to his youngest brother. I just so enjoy that they still believe but you're right I am sure the time is coming real soon when he won't. I will enjoy this year because it may just be his last.

 

[FourBear]

My parents tried their best to cover Santa. I remember hearing them frantically wrapping late at night; when I asked them about it, they said Santa dropped off the presents without wrapping them. Even now, when both my brother and I have known the "truth" for awhile, about half our gifts still say "from Santa."

 

[mtatum4496]

I remember one year I played Santa Claus for the children of a friend of mine. After "Santa" left, I snuck away and came back in my regular clothes to have a bite to eat with everyone. The kids were busy showing me everything that Santa had brought, when one of them stopped in mid-sentence and said "you sure do smell like Santa!"

Tip for potential Santa's out there - don't put on your aftershave until your stint in the red suit is over with...

 

[tater03]

I found out when one Christmas Eve my parents had a disagreement about who should be wrapping the gifts. It's funny now when I look back on it but it wasn't funny at the time it happened.

 

[mamab]

When I was growing up, we didn't have a chimney, so we were upset because Santa couldn't get into our house. We woke up early in the morning, there was red flannel in the door, and foot prints in the snow around the door. My parents continued the charade for another year. Finally, they broke down and told us.

 

[mtatum4496]

LOL - I remember my consternation when we moved from a farmhouse with a chimney to a house in town with central heat and air - how would Santa get in the house?????? My parents assured me that Santa was magic and magic could do anything. That worked until I learned the truth a couple years after that.