Auf wiedersehen!!
Auf wiedersehen!!
Ping.
When my kids asked me if Santa Claus was real, I told them about St. Nicholas.
Besides, St. Nicholas or the Christkindl (Baby Jesus) are the traditional gift-givers in German-speaking countries. No point in sacrificing ones home tradition for some ersatz commercial marketing symbol.
I approve, both in general and in this particular year. I’ve made an effort for many years to keep Christmas centered on Christ, and the “loot” has never been a big part of the day or an extravagance. This year in particular though, my total consumer spending for Christmas presents is $0 in honor of the Zero in our White House. I will maintain that level of consumerism until we have a real American in the White House (meaning someone who loves freedom - it has nothing to do with skin color), then return to a Christ-centered day but one with a little (and only a little) more materialism in the celebration.
Weihnachtsmann ping!
I love Santa! There is nothing more wonderful to me than seeing the faces of the little ones on christmas morning as their wishes come true. There is no other time when one is so open to believing that wishes can come true. When i told my eldest about Santa, we used the story of the real Santa to explain it. How good it feels to give just for the sake of giving. He really understood it well.
I always felt uncomfortable lying to the kids about Santa. I tried to phrase it as, “What do you think happens?” Also, I told them about St. Nicholas and said that perhaps Santa Claus’s nickname came from the way he admired and tried to be as kind as the original, ancient St. Nicholas.
Finally, last week, my second child, now eight, asked me point-blank about Santa. When I told him that Daddy supplied the gifts, his response was really unexpected. He just beamed and said, “Wow! Daddy loves me soooo much!!!!” I also told him that his sister loves him a lot, too, since she had kept the secret for two years, so he could continue to enjoy Santa after she had found out. He gave her a big hug and a “thank-you.” When my DH got home that evening, he was greeted with a big, joyful hug from my son.
For a stay-at-home-mom, that was a great day “at the office”.
When they came for the easter bunny I said nothing because I was not an easter bunny, and when they came for Santa I said nothing because I was not Santa Claus.....