Some twenty years ago our son figured out that Santa was not real. This realization happened on Christmas Eve. It wasn’t that he saw us placing gifts under the tree. His older sister did not tell him. He did not ask a lot of questions prior. But on that Christmas Eve he somehow just knew. With big, welling tears in his eyes he asked the inevitable question and that’s when I shared the story of Santa. The message below is what I wrote.
At first I was so sad to undo that first, cherished story of Santa that my kids believed for years. I encouraged him to believe that he had Santa in him all along. Everything realigned. Everything was real. And still is today.
Dear Son,
We all carry Santa around with us in many different ways. By thinking of people we care about and by helping them…we are Santa. By doing special things for people…we are Santa. Thank you for being such a good boy. I feel proud that you will always believe. You will help keep the promise to believe and message for many years, with your children and then theirs, someday.
Not everyone believes. Not everyone can. But you do. You have a very big heart. I know this. You care about people. This is what Santa is all about.
Merry Christmas, always.
Love, Mom
Lisa Rose Bauer 