Honest Questions for Santa Families

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So, we have chosen not to "do Santa" in our family. We don't have any moral problems with Santa, nor do we feel "better" than those who do Santa, nor do we feel that those who do Santa are wrong and bad. We just have chosen not to "do Santa" for our family, and it works for us.

But I am curious about a few things, and I haven't found a way to ask them without sounding judgmental to my friends who do "do Santa."

If presents are coming from Santa, how do you handle the massive requests? You know, the little one who wants, say, a pony for Chistmas. Or maybe something more reasonable but still out of the budget, like an American Girl Doll? What happens when Santa disappoints?

The next question is this: If Santa loves all kids equally, how do you explain why some kids don't get any gifts? Is that something your kids just don't notice? What if your kids are the ones who don't get anything becuase, say, your husband was laid off and there is no money this year? How do you explain the inequality when your kids go to school and their friend got the xBox and your kid got a new remote controlled car, although he did put the xBox on his list? Why did Santa choose the $20 toy for him and gave the other kid the $100 gaming system?

If you read this and do "do Santa," can you please chime in? I am simply curious, as I have thought of these questions before and wondered what the answer would be. Thanks for giving me some insight!

Comments

Ginny Marie said…
We don't "do Santa", either, and sometimes I feel like people think we're crazy parents! I have the same questions you do.

Here's a question for you. How do you handle it when strangers ask your kids what they want Santa to bring them? I've tried telling them we don't do Santa, but sometimes I just don't say anything because it's not worth it.
December 11, 2010 at 6:34 AM
laugavitz said…
I do not yet know how we will handle those questions, but for us growing up, it just was a non issue????

Didn't you do Santa growing up?
December 12, 2010 at 6:36 AM
bella1021 said…
As far as the inequity of it all.. most kids don't actually remember the long list of things that they actually asked santa for.. usually whatever they get they are excited for and about.. and just don't remember... and usually by the time they are between 7-10 they have usually found out about santa-- when they can actually put 2 and 2 together..

i don't think a lot of kids think about the money either.. they don't really have the concept of it.. just my casual observation..
December 12, 2010 at 11:13 AM
Heather said…
I could go on and on about this post...in a good way :)

We did do Santa. Oh for about 2 years and then Victoria figured it out. She is way to smart. This year we noticed that Logan was all about GET, GET, GET. So we had a little talk with him. He told him that Santa is real in make-believe. :) He looked at me like I was crazy!! He had a lot of quesitons, but in the end, he understood it. Before we had a talk with him about Santa, his list included an x-box, remote control cars (the expensive kind) and so forth. He didn't care about giving AT ALL.

Now that he knows mommy and daddy give the presents his list is VERY different. :) He still likes knowing that he is going to be getting gifts, but he is more willing to give now that he knows people give gifts too at Christmas. They don't all come from Santa.

If I had to do it over again, I would not introduce Satnta into our household. But, I have lived and learned.
December 13, 2010 at 6:58 AM
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