Santa Claus

I will tell my daughter about Santa, but as a story. She will always know that her gifts come from her father and me, because we love her. I would hope that schools would not promote the idea of Santa being real, but if her's does and she says its not true, nuts to them. I'm not lying to my child either. But she is only 16 months old, so I don't have to worry yet. Stick to your convictions!

We tell our children about Santa, they are 4 and 1. It just adds a little excitement for them. My son loves to write (well scribbles lol) letters to Santa and hearing storys about the reindeer. He puts cookies and milk out Christmas Eve and gets a real kick out of it the next morning when they are gone.
I think it is your decision and if you don't feel comfortable with it then you shouldn't.
My parents let me believe in Santa and when I eventually found out he wasn't true I never felt like they were lying to me because it isn't meant to be hurtful but fun and exciting.
It sounds like you raise your children with a lot of love and that is what really matters, to each his own.

I don't think that there is anything wrong with a child believing in Santa Clause, I think that it's important for a child to let their imaginations soar...it's part of what makes being a kid so much fun. I personally would not tell a child that I'm really Santa Clause, I think it's something that you should let them decide for themselves, when they are ready to stop believing in him, they will.

I figure by 8 the kid should know the truth.

break his heart if neccesary, its sad adults invent this huge lie over 1 day a year.

A child simply lets you know when he is ready for the truth. Schools do not have the right what so ever to make this decision for you. They are supposed to teach your children, not crush their imagination and their happiness. I can't believe the things our school systems are getting away with. It is just sad!

My children found out much the same way....at school. When they started to go to school other children told them that "Santa" was not real and that it was their parents who bought them presents.I explained to them that although Santa was not a live person he did exist in our hearts as he is more or less "the spirit of Christmas" just as the Easter Bunny is the "spirit of Easter" and so on. This may seem like a lie to some, but it was easier for them to take then me lying to them for years:)

I think, at some point, all children pretty much figure it out for themselves. I would start getting worried if my daughter was a teenager and still believed in him but it's not something I stress over.

When I found out my parents lied to me about Santa I figured they lied about Jesus also. I decided right then and there I would never lie to my own kids. My daughter is 17 1/2 and she knows there really was a St. Nicholas who died and the parents took over for him to continue on the spirit of christmas. She also understood from kindergarten that it was "our little secret" and that it is nice to "pretend" for the sake of the other children, who do believe. As far as I know, she never ruined it for anyone, but she appreciated being told the truth and we always put some presents from us and some from Santa under the tree, even though she knew the real truth, just because believing in Santa is fun.

santa claus is coming to town...you better watch out!

My daughter is 5, and this is what we tell her.

Santa is the spirit of Christmas, or the Christmas spirit, which takes care of him "flying around the world in one night"

She asked us why there are gift trees etc for kids who have nothing when Santa should be bringing them stuff.

We told her that parents have to give santa money to make the gifts because even santa can't get free stuff. So parents give what they can afford to make the gifts for their children.

When a mom and dad don't have enough money to buy their children gifts, then santa looks for the christmas spirit in other people to help them ou so that every child can have a nice christmas.

I don't feel a need to destroy the magic for her.. and what we have told her is almost true anyway. We are all Santa Claus.. and it's christmas spirit that brings the gifts.