I’m not sure why but unlike a lot of people I talk to, I don’t actually remember a lot of my childhood. There are moments that stand out for me though, like Christmas.
I remember eagerly hanging my stocking and cuddling up with my mom to sing Christmas Carols on Christmas Eve, reading the words only by the light of a lamp, because the Christmas Tree, all lit up was just so beautiful. We’d have hot chocolate with marshmallows and Mom would tell me to make sure I sang loud – cause you know – Santa might hear you in his travels. And then it would be scurrying off to bed and trying to make sure I fell asleep as fast as possible so Santa had his time to come. We didn’t have a fireplace and lived in a trailer but I never once questioned how he got in. I just believed.
I still love the Magic of Christmas.
To me, that magic has always included Santa Claus and the secret being revealed is one of the things I don’t recall. I don’t remember if it was a friend who told me or if I finally questioned who was letting Santa in the front door?
Now I know parents who chose to either, never go with The Santa Secret or tell their kids quite early on because of that “lying” factor. Anyone who knows me knows that I am the last person to judge someone for doing something different from me so – no judgment to those of you who have chosen that route. Both my kids are in school so I’m waiting for the day that one of mine finally comes home cause kids talk or they could come to their own conclusion as well, and I gotta be honest, I’m dreading the day.
Because for me, I don’t have a lot of magical childhood memories, but I will always have Christmas. I truly believe it will break my heart because, for me, it signifies the beginning of the end of that innocent belief in make-believe. Maybe it’s because part of me wishes I could believe again and it delights me so much to live in those moments with them.
For those of you currently weaving the magic of Santa, I recently read a post on PopSugarMoms titled “The Sweetest Way to Tell Your Kids the Truth About Santa” which features a piece from author Marth Brockenbrough. Honestly, it had me tearing up and I would love to be able to share it with them like this.
“If we all could see the world through the eyes of a child, we would see the magic in everything!”
How about you Moms and Dads? Spill!
Are you a parent who has never gone the “Santa” route? Or if you did and now they know, how did your kids find out? Or maybe you have an age in mind that you’re planning to tell them?
