Believing In Santa

I'm kind of sad that our Santa ruse is over. We quietly slipped right by the milestone of our son no longer believing in Santa. For him, I think it was more of a gradual thing. We didn't have a big reveal, a big uh-oh moment where we were caught putting his presents under the tree or a slip of the tongue that gave it away.  We were able to pull it off longer than most people though. And we had fun!

He was an infant for his first Christmas so we really didn't start the Santa deception until his second Christmas and we added to them as time went on (and he asked more questions!). One year early into the deception, my husband found some wrapping paper with Santa on it. We bought several rolls and we got the idea that Santa's gifts would be wrapped differently than all the other gifts. He noticed the different paper right away and checked the tags. Addressed to him from Santa. He was so excited!
 So every year since he looks for the special paper. By about the second year that we did that, we bought several large rolls and have used the same paper for the last several years.

When he was about three he got concerned because all the tales of Santa tell of him coming down the chimney and we don't have a chimney. He wanted to know how Santa would get in. I happened to have ordered in some pewter "Santa keys" for some door knob hangers I had painted. He didn't know about them so I pulled one out and showed him Santa's key. He took it to the front door and tried to fit it into the lock. He was upset because it wouldn't work in the lock and Santa still wouldn't be able to get in. I told him that it only worked when it was in Santa's hand. I told him we would hang it on the outside on Christmas Eve right before he went to bed and Santa would put it back on the inside for us. That seemed to satisfy him and he made sure every year to put the key out for Santa.

Another thing that I started is a letter FROM Santa. Instead of him writing a letter telling Santa what he wanted, Santa sends him a letter highlighting some of the things he has accomplished, good deeds he did and milestones reached during the year. Santa knows all about the time he helped the classmate that was in the wheelchair, the lost teeth and winning the school spelling bee. Santa also tells him a little bit about what is happening at the North Pole. Every year he would get very anxious until his letter arrived. This is one thing that sort of spiraled into crazy and it's my own fault. I began including the nieces and nephews in my letter writing.... there are seven of them!! And then I added our parents. And then I added our step grandparents. I write at least 11 Santa letters every Christmas! I don't just write them. I custom design the letterhead, they are printed on parchment paper and the edges are charred so they look like olden days. Once all of them are done I address them, put them into an envelope and mail them to the North Pole where they are each given a real North Pole postmark. The elves then mail them back to everyone. 

I honestly don't know how we kept up the ruse so long because we also taught him the other side of Christmas. The true meaning. He knows the stories from the Bible, and the real reason we celebrate Christmas. We have shown him and had him participate in donating to others so that their Christmas is good too. We've taught him about how there are others less fortunate and tried to instill in him that he can and does make a difference by helping others and giving. When we moved him to a private school, he was so helpful and generous during the charity drives. I am extremely proud of him because I see that spirit of giving and helping alive in him throughout the entire year. Giving away the toys he no longer plays with, helping a disabled person, buying lunch for a classmate that forgot their lunch card. So now that he's not a little boy anymore the focus will naturally be on those sort of things and and the true and real aspects of Christmas. 

But still...... as crazy as it all got at times, it was so much fun and I am sure going to miss it.     
We still believe in the magic and wonder this Season always brings so we will always have part of it all with us. And we have the memories.... Ahhhh the memories! 
 Merry Christmas!!