Not 'doing' Santa - part two

skintchick

I thought, seeing as the other thread was so hotly debated, people might be interested in how Christmas without Santa worked for us?

My DD is 3.5. We have told her Father Christmas is a story, that he is not real but people like to dress up as him.

So this year we did her what we called a Santa Sack, but she knew the presents were from Mummy and Daddy.

On Christmas Eve she chose where she wanted to hang it, then we sprinkled imaginary magic dust over the bag while saying 'Magic, magic, one, two, three, Bring lots of lovely presents for me'.

Not a great rhyme but I made it up on the spot! Will work on something better for next year.

In the morning, she was VERY excited to see it was full. She happily opened them all (not actually that many, the bag is smaller than a pillowcase) and was delighted.

There didn't seem to be any loss of magic or excitement or enjoyment (reference other thread).

I do want a better poem to be part of the tradition (ideally without the word 'lots' in) but I was really happy and so was DD. She certainly did not seem to be missing out on anything by knowing it was me and Oh who did it.

Just thought some of those who followed the other thread might be interested as there were a lot of accusations of 'taking all the joy and magic out of Christmas' which certainly was not evident in our house.

go_cat

Each to their own but as a mum to a 5 year old, I will get him to believe in the magic of Santa for as long as I can

Ps I find it as much fun as he does :rotfl:

Xebnotlaw_2

So you're telling her that Santa isn't real but then sprinkling 'magic dust' on a pillowcase? Along with singing a rhyme about magic. Why would you tell a little girl that Santa is not a real thing but let her believe that magic is? Surely you may as well just let her believe in Father Christmas for a bit longer... It seems a bit contradictory.
Also, when she tells all of her friends that he isn't real then you are going to have some unhappy parents to contend with...

omnasia

Aren't you lying to her about the magic dust ?

x with xebnotlaw. I agree, it seems daft, why not just have Santa.

skintchick

Xebnotlaw wrote: »

So you're telling her that Santa isn't real but then sprinkling 'magic dust' on a pillowcase? Along with singing a rhyme about magic. Why would you tell a little girl that Santa is not a real thing but let her believe that magic is? Surely you may as well just let her believe in Father Christmas for a bit longer... It seems a bit contradictory.
Also, when she tells all of her friends that he isn't real then you are going to have some unhappy parents to contend with...

I don't. She knows 'magic' is makebelieve. That was the whole point of the other thread. Please go and read it first.

The point about other parents was covered too.

ecgirl07

The parents of the other kids in school are going to love you and your child. Nothing worse than the kids who authoratively tell the class "santas not real, its your mum and dad". "Magic magic one two three" just substitutes one hocus pocus with another to prove your point.

duchy

I am really glad you had a lovely day .
I admit I sort of winced at the poem as it was all about receiving and nothing about giving which to me is the spirit of Christmas .....but as you say you'll be improving it anyway . I did wonder if a santa sack if theres no santa in your world might cause confusion when she mixes with other children who DO believe so maybe a name for the sack that is less conventional ?

We all build our own Christmas traditions .....enjoy building yours

(I still think it makes no sense to insist FC is a lie but magic isn't though-You're basically Bonkers ! )

madison-nyc

lol love it. santa is a story but magic is really along with 'magic dust'?! just re-enforces my orginal point that not going along with the whole santa thing is pointless and only seems to benefit the parents in some way , not sure which way though??

Poppy9

I personally think children only buy into and get excited by the idea of Father Christmas from age about 5-8. Before that they are not really sure what to make of it and after 8 they are starting to question.

I did do the whole Father Christmas thing with DD but hadn't planned on buying into Tooth Fairy or Easter Bunny but both sort of happened as she heard of them from school.

She loved the Tooth Fairy and for a couple of years the Easter Bunny did a treasure hunt for her to wake upto on Easter Sunday.

I can still remember, though I don't know how old I was, looking out of my bedroom window hoping to see Father Christmas on his sleigh flying through the sky. I used to be so excited by it and it's never the same when you stop asking "has he been yet"!!!

I still smile when I think of the conversation I had in the car with DD when she was about 8/9 and she asked me if I had anything else to declare after admitting that there was no such thing as the Tooth Fairy - she already knew there was no Easter Bunny! I just said Father Christmas was real if you believed in him!

There are always children in school eager to tell their classmates that FC etc. doesn't exist as their mother/father/sibling has told them. It does upset the younger children.

I do think it's embarrassing if they are in secondary school and still believe:)

Northern_Princess

ecgirl07 wrote: »

The parents of the other kids in school are going to love you and your child. Nothing worse than the kids who authoratively tell the class "santas not real, its your mum and dad". "Magic magic one two three" just substitutes one hocus pocus with another to prove your point.

I agree with this post 100%. I look forward to reading the reply.

Poppy9

skintchick wrote: »

I don't. She knows 'magic' is makebelieve. That was the whole point of the other thread. Please go and read it first.

The point about other parents was covered too.

nbf but why start a new thread if you want to continue the discussion from the old thread. Many posters like myself don't read all the threads and just join in on new threads as it's too daunting to read hundreds of posts!