Need help thinking up an excuse for Santa

lostinrates

I was trying to think how I found out and I remembered late last night the story of me at 'nursery' school when I was a toddler, a father dressed as Father Christmas. I was kind of surprised that no one realised he wasn't Father Christmas, those baby fools!) and sort of horrified that every one was going along with it. When I was put on his lap I whispered in his ear...you are so and so' and remember he tried to bluff it and I had a big sort of. Revelation about people in general.

I don't think it was traumatic, but I do think it was educational, about life, people, the nature of fantasy and how important it is socially to go along with things sometimes.

I went along happily with Father Christmas, (for my own benefit, no younger siblings!) half believing it though knowing in my heart of hearts it wasn't true for some years, not sure how many.

balletshoes

lostinrates wrote: »

I was trying to think how I found out and I remembered late last night the story of me at 'nursery' school when I was a toddler, a father dressed as Father Christmas. I was kind of surprised that no one realised he wasn't Father Christmas, those baby fools!) and sort of horrified that every one was going along with it. When I was put on his lap I whispered in his ear...you are so and so' and remember he tried to bluff it and I had a big sort of. Revelation about people in general.

I don't think it was traumatic, but I do think it was educational, about life, people, the nature of fantasy and how important it is socially to go along with things sometimes.

I went along happily with Father Christmas, (for my own benefit, no younger siblings!) half believing it though knowing in my heart of hearts it wasn't true for some years, not sure how many.

we used to play "guess who's dad is santa this year" at all of our activity club xmas parties as a child - because of course its people dressing up as santa to help him out, the real santa is far too busy in december to be popping into xmas parties and grottos .

OrkneyStar

Thanks to folk who answered my 1/2/3 thing about santa. Those were just potential things that came to mind, and some of the replies have been interesting too.
As for following the herd, I try to do what feels right for us, sometimes it does feel like no-one is doing what I am doing with certain things, other times I feel like I am doing what pretty much everyone else is doing! It is important to kids not to 'stick out like a sore thumb' so if we do anything really different than the 'norm' (eg no santa, or whatever) I do try to explain that other folk do things differently, doesn't make any person more of value than another, just we do it differently to them! I would also only do something differently if it was what I thought was right for us, not for the sake of it (not saying anyone here does that, but sometimes I wonder lol).

BJV

Well woke up this morning and our house is in fever pitch. Xmas is so close.


TBH I love Christmas. The magic the fact that everyone no matter what there circumstances try's just for one day to be nice to each other. Love it!


I did read a post when someone stated that they where disappointed when they found out. OMG I was devastated. Not that my parents had lied, I understood that, it was ok, instead it was just that there seemed to be no real magic left.


I suppose from then on in it just got commercialised. As soon as I knew where they presents came from I could ask for what ever I wanted and knew exactly which of my parents buttons to press to make sure 99.9 % of the time I got them!. ( yes I was a brat! )


But now sad to admit but I can re-live it all again. We have already made presents for the reindeers ( everyone always forgets the reindeers lol) My two are so excited sorry for good or bad can not wait!

lostinrates

balletshoes wrote: »

we used to play "guess who's dad is santa this year" at all of our activity club xmas parties as a child - because of course its people dressing up as santa to help him out, the real santa is far too busy in december to be popping into xmas parties and grottos .[/



That's good.

Tbc, I know I had a really active imagination and fantasy was never a problem, I just wasn't silly enough to think the man who was obviously a lacklustre dad was a saint come fantasy figure. I think that probably clues in as many kids as it terrifies ( and that's a few isn't it?).

I think my parents did the bells outside the window one year which would have been fun. .

Maybe the whole figuring it is part of the experience though, and the thing about not blindly trusting your parents too.

quidsy

My son broke up yesterday & the school had a santa grotto/party day, party food, gift from santa etc.

When I got in from work & asked him how the day was he said "yeah, really good, look what I got from the fake santa" lol

I said "fake santa?" him: Yes, the real one wouldn't come to our school party would he, too busy! and then looked at me like I was simple.

poet123

Judi wrote: »

If you cant trust your parents, who can you trust?

The Santa fantasy is not a trust issue in my book. It is a piece of childhood magic, nothing more.

lostinrates

Judi wrote: »

If you cant trust your parents, who can you trust?

A some point, not as toddlers, but in emerging adult hood one hopes, our parents often want something different for us than what we want for ourselves. Its important to know, I think, by then certainly, that parents are fallible. I think its probably easier if this doesn't come as a big realisation but as a reasonable series of smaller conclusions, that your parents are 'on your side' but not always to be entirely 'trusted' to know exactly what is right.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do what you are told, quite the contrary, under their roof I think you go by their rules, but it doesn't hurt to think about them in a way beyond resentment.

Who you trust with your own life and life decisions as an adult?Yourself. But you don't hit 16 or 18 and change.

Furthermore, outside of the bounds of normal loving relationships, many people cannot trust their parents. Even within those bounds I think a lot of people don't necessarily put their own wants on the back burner when advising their offspring.

quidsy

Along the lines of when oh tells ds that he has something for him then hands him a hand fart (men & boys!!!) ds finds it hilarious but it has taught ds to be wary of sitting too near dad.

quidsy

lostinrates wrote: »

A some point, not as toddlers, but in emerging adult hood one hopes, our parents often want something different for us than what we want for ourselves. Its important to know, I think, by then certainly, that parents are fallible. I think its probably easier if this doesn't come as a big realisation but as a reasonable series of smaller conclusions, that your parents are 'on your side' but not always to be entirely 'trusted' to know exactly what is right.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do what you are told, quite the contrary, under their roof I think you go by their rules, but it doesn't hurt to think about them in a way beyond resentment.

Who you trust with your own life and life decisions as an adult?Yourself. But you don't hit 16 or 18 and change.

Furthermore, outside of the bounds of normal loving relationships, many people cannot trust their parents. Even within those bounds I think a lot of people don't necessarily put their own wants on the back burner when advising their offspring.

All power to you for taking time to put a well thought out answer together but I don't know why you bother replying to such a post.