The delicate matter of the truth about Santa ... *spoilers* — Page 2

Now, I don't remember this, but my mom says this is how it went down: When I was 5, we subscribed to Parents magazine, and I would leaf through it (I started reading very early). In one issue, there was an article about "The Santa Myth" or something. I took the article to my mom and basically said "You got some 'splainin' to do." She didn't come right out and say that Santa wasn't real, but that he embodied the spirit of giving and goodwill and all that happy crap.

I nodded silently and started to leave. As I got to the door, I turned around and yelled, "He is SO real!"

Anyway, I don't see the harm in it. My mom says she didn't tell me the whole truth then because she knew I wasn't ready to hear it. Eventually, I realized there was no Santa, and it wasn't a big deal. Let kids believe if they want to.

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I teach 4th grade at a Christian school and a lot of parents tell their kids from the beginning that there is no Santa, but some kids still believe. I had to stop an argument in my class the other day because one little girl was telling her friend how they were wrong because her mom (who is a teacher as well, but at a different school) showed her a website that proved how Santa was real. I think that that is taking it too far because the mom has lied and then tried to provide reassurance for the lie. That child will be upset when she learns the truth because mom didn't just let her believe, she lied to her.

Now that I'm going to be a mom I will tell my child about Santa and let him figure it out on his own over the years like I did. I learned the truth when I was 7 or 8, but I kept "believing" for my parents' sake. Christmas was always magical and I don't want to take that away from my child.

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