why doesn't santa go to the poor people ??

balletshoes

poppyscorner wrote: »

Oh no I can't tell him the truth yet he's still too young IMO he doesn't question his existence just why he gets presents and others don't it makes him feel sad that's all.

We talk alot about children who are less fortunate than them in this house he is my eldest so no risk of an elder sibling telling him "the truth" as it were.

I like the idea of the sending money to santa answer think I may go with that thank you

xx

we do that too - mummies and daddies have to send pennies to Santa for all your pressies.
my DD's class (I guess it would have been when she was 7 too) had a discussion in school about Santa, because there are kids from different cultures and religions who don't have Santa come to them and who don't have Christmas. DD and the other kids who do get a visit from Santa were all fine with this, as the kids who don't celebrate Christmas have other days in their own religion where they celebrate with their families.
maybe your son would like to donate a toy next christmas (or this one even if theres still time) to your local underpriviledged kids charity?

balletshoes

poppyscorner wrote: »

Totally appreciate where you're coming from but I'm just not telling him yet he's got the rest of his life to know "the truth" for now I'm just happy that he can enjoy the innocence of it all and still believe in the magic of santa.

I am proud that he thinks the way he does I think its really sweet of him and generally speaking he can be really really thoughtful and mindful of others something I have instilled in him from being very young, but I don't think that means he should know the full and detailed answer to the question either kids grow up far too quickly to start with I'm in no rush to push him along that road.

x

totally agree - my DD is 9 and is not sure whether she really believes in Santa now (she knows a couple of her friends don't believe anymore) but she's not come right out and asked me the question, so I'm not prompting the conversation! Let kids be kids, along with the Magic of Christmas, Santa and Rudolph .

flower24

I'm pretty sure the OP would have an inkling if he didn't believe any more.

I believed until I was 10/11, when my best friend told me he wasn't real. Makes me sad to think of 7 year olds not believing, my dd is 4, am hoping I have more than 3 more magical Christmases with her, as it's only this year and last that she really understood!

Britwife

I'm sure you'll figure out what to say but wanted to add that there are Christians in Africa that celebrate Christmas for the pure purpose of celebrating Jesus' birth.

Also, we have poor families here that "Santa" sadly probably doesn't visit either. This is a good opportunity to see if he would like to chose a toy for a needy child that is local. Make it a yearly gesture and it will stay with him and he already sounds like a very caring young man, well done mum!

rachbc

I'd go with ' I'm not sure, why do you think it might be' rather than telling more tales tbh. In our house santa brings stockings and tree presents are from family

Mankysteve

Susan_Frost wrote: »

Difficult one

Another situation where school think it is ok to spoil the magic of childhood. They can teach about the poor without mentioning Christmas, surely.

I think most children can see the difference between them and the poor.

GlasweJen

We started the santa thing off different so this sort of question is easy.

We told my sisters kids that adults pay santa all year round and at christmas we order gifts for him to deliver and he takes the money from our accounts to cover it. His elves wrap all the gifts and tag them so that santa can deliver them to the correct children at Christmas. Adults can also buy gifts and wrap them, if we put them under the tree the elves will arrange for the gifts to be transported to the north pole where they can be processed for delivery.

As part of our christmas we buy and wrap gifts and books for various local causes, we let the kids help and we put these under the tree for the elves to collect (and we nip down to the church/library/asda/starbucks when the kids are at school).

One year we got my sister a gift for a family in the 3rd world, we told the kids that santa let the goat fly with rudolf until he dropped it off in Africa for the family. They were quite concerned that the goat wouldn't like being gift wrapped by the elves lol.

Mankysteve

May I also add you don't need the belief in Santa to have a magical Christmas with your kids.

Its what you do to that makes it special.

Vaila

im sorry but i almost spat out my coffee when someone said they believed in santa till they were 18, seriously

id be happy that your son is now showing an interest in other cultures and countries and i wouldnt patronize him by saying all people believe in santa or celebrate christmas. simply tell him that , educate him about other religious festivals etc

christmas shouldnt be about santa or consumerism it should be about celebrating the birth of christ and family

im athiest but i was brought up to appreciate all religions and cultures not a cocacola santa

birduk

My brother came up with a good idea for his kids. He tells them that mummy and daddy buy the presents and they then send them to Santa (AKA put them in the loft). Then Santa can decide if they have been good or bad and which presents to send to them. Then Santa brings them back on Christmas Day.

Maybe you could suggest the same thing and suggest to your little boy (who sounds wonderful by the way- bless him) that he sends some of his pressies to other deserving boys and girls (like those suggested above).