"Is Santa real? Isn't it just you and Dad?" Can you hear my heartbreaking from where you are? I was really hoping we could just drop him off at his dorm room still believing in the man in the red suit.
When Big Brother was around 3-years-old he was absolutely obsessed with Santa & Christmas ... all year long. He even actually dressed up as Santa Claus for Halloween one year. He watched Christmas movies year round & for years has dressed up as Santa on Christmas Eve so all of his little cousins can tell him what they want for Christmas.
And yes, I am fully aware that some of you don't "do" Santa ... & that's fine. We do & will continue. My Mama always said ... "If you don't believe in Santa ... you don't get any gifts." Which has been reason enough for me to still believe even after all of this time.
For the past several years, Mister & I knew it was just a matter of time. And I have dreaded the moment he would ask. Well, it happened. So, I answered him the best way I could. I found this letter a couple of years ago on Pinterest {HERE} & it is truly the best explanation of Santa I have ever read. We tweaked the original letter a little bit & wrote him this ...
"You asked us a question we knew you would eventually ask one day ... 'Are you & Dad really Santa?'. We know you want to know the answer & we wanted to tell you the best way we knew how.
The answer is no. We are not Santa. There is no one, single Santa.
Dad & I choose & buy your gifts - just like our parents did for us, their parents did for them, & you'll do for your kids someday.
However, this could never make any of us Santa. Santa is lots & lots of people who keep the spirit of Christmas alive. He lives in our hearts ... not at the North Pole. Santa is the wonder and love and spirit of giving to others. What he teaches children is to believe in something they can't see or touch. Throughout your life you'll need this capacity to believe: in yourself, in your family, in your friends, and in God. You'll need to be able to believe in things you can't measure or hold in your hands.
So, now you know the secret of how he gets down all of those chimneys on Christmas Eve ... he has help from all of the people he has filled with joy!
People like us take our turns, helping Santa do a job that would be otherwise impossible. So no, we are not Santa. Santa is the love and wonder and hope and happiness and about the spirit of giving. We are on his team, and now you are too!"
I am 37-years-old & I still believe in the spirit of Santa ... the love, wonder, giving ... & I hope that spirit is never lost in either of my children.
No comments:
Post a Comment