Monday, November 30, 2009

The Talk

No, not the sex talk. The Santa talk.

My guy is 9 and has been asking me about Santa for almost a month now. I've ducked and dodged as many ways as I know how but finally said we'd talk at bed time tonight. He did not forget. He asked me yet again if Santa is "really your parents." When I took a deep breath and said yes he quietly rolled over and cried a little. I felt so sad and I wanted to cry with him. But I didn't...

Instead, I explained that as long as you have Christmas Spirit and choose to Believe it's fine. It doesn't matter if Santa is a real person or the family that loves you. Christmas is about us sharing our love and being together and that we give gifts to show part of that love for one another. I told him I love him so much.

He asked how old I was when I found out and I said I was about the same age. He told me he won't be discussing this with his sister until she's older and ready. (his words, not mine - I told him I am so proud of the young man he is.)

He told me he was bummed and went on to say that now he'll never catch Santa because he always wakes up one hour after Santa leaves...my son chooses to Believe.

Do you? How did you handle it if you have been down this road before?

3 comments:

  1. When I was a kid, I figured it out pretty early. I asked my mom, when I was about three, why Santa kept leaving price tags on the gifts in my stocking. My dad's explanation, that Santa didn't have time to make all the gifts and so had to make a last-minute shopping trip - well, it really didn't wash. But I wasn't officially told until I was eight, I think.

    The good part about that was my mom let me help fill the stockings! And I got to eat Santa's cookies after my little brothers went to bed!

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  2. wow that is a hard one I'm not looking forward to, glad it went well for you!

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  3. Anonymous12/04/2009

    wow, yeah I am not looking forward to doing that with my son. I keep thinking it is the last year and hoping for another. He is turning 8 next month so maybe one more year past this, who knows. as far as what to say, I have no idea what I will tell him but I am sure pretty close to what you said. That was defiantly good :-)

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