Miracles just don’t happen on 34th street. They happen right in my Chevy Suburban. I remember the first time one of my kids asked me the big question—is Santa real? It was four years ago when I picked up Jackson from school. He got into the car and was practically in tears. He said that all of his friends made fun of him because he still believed in Santa. I immediately stepped on the break, and to refrain from getting “city girl gone crazy” on the playground, I remembered to take a deep breath and think it through. I needed a plan, and I needed it quick. There was no way I was about to let those kids hijack my son’s innocence and this very exciting season. After all, Santa is still part of the magic for me, so why shouldn’t it be for him?

Year after year, we overhear groups of children at play conversing about the man, the myth, the legend. “Santa can’t be real because I just saw him at the mall. His beard was much shorter and his belly was twice the size!” As most parents can attest, these observations challenge the assumptions of our little logical thinkers, and they start to question whether the jolly bearded guy they’ve come to love is for real.


In the Marvel comics, Santa Claus is actually the world’s most powerful mutant ever registered by the X-Men.


kids in pajamas on bed kids with santa claus

3 Ways To Have the Santa Talk & Discuss the Spirit of the Holidays

To be quite honest, I panicked when my son asked if Santa was real. Those big brown eyes, filled with equal parts hope and despair, peered up at me pleading for validation. And that’s all it took. At that moment, the magic of Christmas prevailed yet again, and I knew exactly what to say. For our family, it’s not only about Santa, toys, stockings, and reindeer. Religion plays a big part in this joyous season.

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kids in pajamas with hot chocolate kids in santa hats on the beach

Ask Your Child If They Believe In Something They Can’t See

I asked Jackson if he believed in someone or something he couldn’t physically see. He nodded his head, yes, and I explained how this was similar to the spirit of Santa. You see, Santa is bigger than just one person. To put smiles on the faces of millions of children around the globe, it takes an army of Santas! And although these Santas are likely messengers, we can certainly still believe, even if we can’t see the real thing.

These messengers of hope, love, and spirit are magical in their own right, by bringing so much joy to others. Just as Grandma Lucy taught me during my childhood years, I also encourage my children to dream big and believe in something bigger.


Canada formally awarded Santa Claus official citizenship and gave him his own postal code, H0H 0H0, so children can send him letters.


kids by christmas tree with letter to santa kids with santa claus

Refuse To Let the Door Slam on Their Childhood

Sure, my kids have to grow up. I get it. But the truth is, I believe in Santa and the miracles that the holidays bring. My grandmother made sure that the holidays were filled with awe and wonder. When I look back, I see chilly mornings with hot cocoa, evenings in the kitchen baking cookies, marathons of Christmas classics on TV, and also writing my Christmas wish list. Those days with her were full of cheer and delight.

When my kids ask if Santa is real, I think of what Christmas means to me and my family. Now that I am a mother to four, I want them to experience that same magic in everything that Christmas represents, not just the man in the red suit. It’s everything else: the Christmas story, the lights, the trees, and the magic that we see at every turn of the head during this time of year. If we didn’t believe in Santa or what he represents, the magic of the holidays simply wouldn’t exist!

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Santa Claus was issued a pilot’s license from the United States government in 1927.


 

kids in pajamas on the beachwoman with santa claus

Doing Santa’s Job

What I learned from my grandmother is that it’s our job to spread the magic of Santa. Whether it be love, spirit, or hope. I told my son it was up to him to carry that torch. The spirit that’s in his heart should be shared with his three younger siblings, and one day, with his own children who will excitedly run down the stairs on Christmas morning.

At the end of the day, the look on his face said it all. He felt the spirit in his heart, and in our home (of course, turning the house into a winter wonderland always makes it magical), but the true magic lies within my son’s heart, and in mine too, for that matter. I simply couldn’t bring myself to say, “Jackson, your friends are right, there is no Santa,” when I believe otherwise.


Santa Claus is based on St. Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra. He earned a reputation as an anonymous gift giver by paying the dowries of impoverished girls and handing out treats and coins to children. Since his death, St. Nicholas has been canonized as the patron saint of children.


Edwin Osgood Grover Quotekids on bed in christmas pajamas

Special thanks to The Hotel Del For a superb location and my dream team of creatives:
Petidoux For The Chic Pajamas
Nat Warr Our Videographer
Carie Webb HMUA Extraordinaire
Veronika Howard Master Set Stylist

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12 thoughts on “What To Do When the Kids Ask: “Mommy, Is Santa Real?””

  1. That’s similar to how I explain to my boys! It’s the Spirit, and very compelling;)) What a beautiful story and reminder—- always wanting to keep that innocence!

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  2. This is such beautifully written post Danielle. I still believe in Santa and I still believe in the magic a Christmas. What a sad thought that some actually don’t……

    Reply

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