I don't regret not participating. Why would I? I have fond memories of Christmas and Santa as a child; but I feel no reason to regret the choice that we've made. I've just learned not to discuss it because people act as if you are personally offending them.

I decided when my son was a baby to be honest about Santa if he asked directly, but to go with the flow otherwise. When he was in preschool he asked me something about Santa- whether he really flies or something, and I told him that it's fun to pretend lots of things about Santa, and flying is one of those things. DH and I don't pretend Santa is real, but don't correct DS if he said something about him. Over the years his take on Santa has largely reflected what his friends and he decide is the truth about him- whether he's real, whether he really lives in the north pole, whether he flies, etc, but remarkably he (at 7) has not yet asked me point-blank whether Santa is real. I don't know whether he believes in him or not, but while I won't lie to him about it, I'm glad he has never asked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weird to me, just being honest. I think you think about things too much. Glad uiu weren't my mom! No offense.

Santana's magic btw!

Oops, sorry Santana can be magic too. Just pass the bong.

My dd is 8 and we still play Santa! I don't know if she still believes it or just plays along for my sake. I am pretty sure she still believed it last year.

We also do Tooth Fairy, Easter Buddy, and Leprechaun! I kept her letters to tooth fairy and I planned on showing them on her wedding day! haha.

They only believe in magic for such a short time. I think you should do it!

Seriously? Unlike adults kids need magic and make belief. It helps them develop. Who cares how you feel about Santa. Don't deprive your child of the experience. Besides, do you really want to have THAT kid in school?

Anonymous wrote:Weird to me, just being honest. I think you think about things too much. Glad uiu weren't my mom! No offense.

Santana's magic btw!

Weird to me, just being honest. I think you think about things too much. Glad uiu weren't my mom! No offense.

I don't know but I would worry about the peers. Somewhere between preschool and 2nd grade might be tough because telling them the truth risks them bursting their friends' bubble, but the alternative is to tell them that santa visits some kids but not others, which seems like a downer.

just do it and figure out if you regret it in the morning. That's my motto.

I can't tell from your post, but do you actually celebrate Christmas? If you don't believe in God, yet celebrate Christmas, I don't see how adding Santa to the mix is so terrible.

Just please don't let your kid tell my kid.

You don't have to do it. If it doesn't resonate for you, find some holiday traditions that do.

There's lots of ways to put magic into childhood.

I have a two year old and really have no desire to do the whole Santa thing with him. I parents did it with me, but they didn't with my much younger brothers as it didn't align with the fundamentalist beliefs my family was into. DH remembers the "game" of Santa, but never really believing in him and doesn't care if I do it or not. Neither DH nor I believe in a god, though we have discussions about the possibility of it quite often. And we do have traditions, which are more centered around our families. Which, is currently lacking in little children, save for DS.

I have a whole host of reasons that make perfect sense to my 30-something sensibilities, but when I think of the "magic" of it all I pause and worry my pragmatism is getting in the way of his childhood experience. My brothers are no worse for the wear, but they were also homeschooled which is something we don't plan to do with our kid(s).

Thoughts?