Not 'doing' Santa

CFC

margaretclare wrote: »

I can't let this one pass.

Last evening, and next Saturday, our church was invited to sing carols in the foyer of the new Holiday Inn, part of the airport redevelopment, as people were arriving for an event. The foyer was decorated nicely but in a restrained way - a Christmas tree but nothing OTT like flashing lights.

We sang the traditional carols and also more modern ones. We 'sang the story', if you like to put it like that. There was no mention of Santa nor of any reindeer, with or without red noses. That story is 'magical' in itself without any commercialised additions.

I don't remember, as a child, hearing anything at all about reindeer. They're not an indigenous species. What on earth is 'reindeer food', what do you assume that they eat? I thought they dug for lichens under the snow in Siberia, places like that.

One of our church members last night told me something I didn't know - that the song 'Dashing through the snow', or 'Jingle Bells' which is often played as a Christmas song, was originally written for the American Thanksgiving, mid-19th century. It doesn't mention reindeer either - a 'one-horse open sleigh'.

We're going out to a local church this afternoon which is advertised in the local paper as a Family Christmas Celebration - the Journey Home. And that will be 'magical', I can guarantee it. This is the 3rd Sunday in Advent and we're getting close to 'homecoming'.

Ok I think I can clear this one up for you.
Most magical childhood memories of Christmas for non religous families involve Santa AKA Father Christmas. Seriously I am NO spring chicken but Santa was present in my childhood, as were the reindeer. I SERIOUSLY doubt you are old enough to remember what preceded him as a famous figure in England, King Christmas, and he superseded the Lord of Misrule. If you are then you will have got more than a telegram from the queen....
As a religious family your mileage may differ.

PS what's 'homecoming' apart from an americanism to do with some kind of dance? Never heard that in any bible class or church I ever went to...

CFC

madison-nyc wrote: »

The chances of her believing in santa if you don't tell her he's 'real' is slim to none though isn't it?? so you are denying her the option to believe. It's not one of those things you can say she can decide when she's older as , by the time , she's 6/7/8 it's all over anyway.

The fact that you don't have good memories of xmas seem to be a major factor here as if you'd have good memories of waiting for santa , putting the reindeer food out etc. , you wouldn't be going down this route, i'm sure.

Yes , there are many things about xmas that are 'magical' but the majority of them are santa related , you can't deny that.

Spot on, spot on. You can't have a long ontological discussion with a LO which ends with you saying, but feel free to believe in Santa if you want to!

Janepig

Not that I really want to resurrect this thread but it sprang to mind this morning when DD(9) was in tears first thing (not hysterical but a bit upset) because, shock, horror, the tooth fairy hadn't been in the night to exchange her tooth for cash!!! DH is standing behind her at this point gesturing furiously, miming "we forgot!!" lol. Think fast!!! So I explained that as she'd also lost a tooth last Friday and had money from the tooth fairy then, I think there must be a rule that you can't have a visit more than once a week and for her to put it under her pillow tonight and [STRIKE]hope mami and dadi remember[/STRIKE] see what happens. :D:D She bought it anyway. :cool:

Almost as good as the last time we "forgot" afew years ago when I explained that the tooth fairy had rung me during the night to say that she was really really busy and wouldn't be able to call until the following night. Phew!!!

To top it off today we went to see "Rise of the Guardians" at the cinema which is all about Father Christmas, the Sandman, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny and Jack Frost. I thought of this thread then too. :rotfl::rotfl:

I'll resurrect this thread in about ten years time when DD is in a psychiatric ward jibbering on about the time the tooth fairy didn't come! :D

Jx

gingin_2

Janepig wrote: »

Not that I really want to resurrect this thread but it sprang to mind this morning when DD(9) was in tears first thing (not hysterical but a bit upset) because, shock, horror, the tooth fairy hadn't been in the night to exchange her tooth for cash!!! DH is standing behind her at this point gesturing furiously, miming "we forgot!!" lol. Think fast!!! So I explained that as she'd also lost a tooth last Friday and had money from the tooth fairy then, I think there must be a rule that you can't have a visit more than once a week and for her to put it under her pillow tonight and [STRIKE]hope mami and dadi remember[/STRIKE] see what happens. :D:D She bought it anyway. :cool:

Almost as good as the last time we "forgot" afew years ago when I explained that the tooth fairy had rung me during the night to say that she was really really busy and wouldn't be able to call until the following night. Phew!!!

To top it off today we went to see "Rise of the Guardians" at the cinema which is all about Father Christmas, the Sandman, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny and Jack Frost. I thought of this thread then too. :rotfl::rotfl:

I'll resurrect this thread in about ten years time when DD is in a psychiatric ward jibbering on about the time the tooth fairy didn't come! :D

Jx

No no no!

What you must do is say " are you sure you checked properly?" Then magician style hide a coin up your sleeve and rustle about under the pillow in front of said child and magically produce the coin from (up your sleeve) under the pillow and tell them they must have missed it.

Gingin (Been there. Done it. Got the t-shirt)

Almost 9 year old dd also wants to see rise of the guardians. Had no idea what she was on about until you mentioned it