DD has discovered..... (don't open with children present)

[Paperpapereverywhere]

.... that FC isn't real and was DP and I all along. She asked me outright whether he was real and (after checking she wanted to know and wasn't just looking for reassurance) I had to tell her (she has mild SN's and knowing the absolute truth about everything is very important to her). Which is fine, we had a discussion about all the nice meanings behind FC still being real even if the man/red costume/sleigh isn't. But it's properly dented my Xmas planning!

Normally plan nice stuff to do together, she spends AGES writing her Christmas list to Santa, we go to see a Santa, we make biccies for Santa to eat on Xmas Eve, do the NORAD Santa watch, the whole works. So what so we do now? Anyone else had to redo traditions in the light of The Truth? Can probably convince her still to do a list (so I know what on earth she wants!) but what about the rest? I'll really miss doing those things with her but worried it'll seem too false to her to enjoy, or what can I replace it with?

[Tiredemma]

How old is she?

[Paperpapereverywhere]

She's just turned 10 but in terms of emotional maturity she's more around 7 so a bit too 'young' to just abandon the Christmas fuss altogether.

[Tiredemma]

I have a 10 year old and a 13 year old- the 10 year old is also quite immature- He knows that santa doesn't exist but we still do the mince pie stuff/carrot for rudolph etc.

have you thought about asking her what she wants to do to prepare for Christmas? My boys enjoy now going into the city centre to see the lights, visit the christmas market etc.

[MrsCosmopilite]

Maybe source some information about other Christmas/Yule related traditions and see what she might like to do?

I make cards and gifts for family and close friends, so this has become part of my 'traditional' behaviour.

Not looking forward to the FC thing. DD is only 2.8. Although we haven't done "gifts from Santa" yet, so maybe I just won't go that route....

[Unexpected]

Well, you can still do most of those things surely? Make the biccies but give them as a gift to someone, still keep an eye on NORAD, etc? Create some new traditions - visit to pant or christmas movie, Christmas light switch-on, "girly" shopping day where you have lunch and maybe just buy some decs or a Christmas outfit for her (rather than tying to actually do your Christmas shopping!), choose one lovely new decoration for your tree each year to build up a collection for her when she is older and has her own tree. Lots of magic still to be had!

[lizzywig]

I remember being little and melting chocolate and pouring into Christmas shaped plastic mounds & turning them into tree chocolates. We used to hang them on the tree in the evening.

[girlywhirly]

You could research the origins of all the Christmas traditions we have today, St Nicholas, why we have chocolate coins and stockings, yule logs and evergreens, Christmas pudding and pies, the popularity of different meats for the Christmas feast. You could emphasise that even though the man in the red suit may not be accurate, the traditions and celebration have their base in history, as many pagan ones were 'adopted' for Christmas. This doesn't make them any less valid.

As others have said, find out what she would like to do and create some new traditions.

[LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops]

I know how you feel OP, my DS is 7 and doesn't 'believe' anymore - it's such a shame, it was great going to see FC somewhere special each year. As others have said, we'll still do fun, Christmassy things but it's very sad to be moving on.

[WantAnOrange]

Hello. My DS is 7 and has recently figured it out too, however we are still doing all the usual traditions and he is excited. In fact, he is even more excited than last year I think. He now thinks he's really grown up and in on a big surprise. We told him how much we enjoy playing the 'game', of creating the magic for him an seeing him so happy, and we've asked him to help us to do the same for his baby sister (1 year old). He is so pleased with himself.

[Oldraver]

DS is nearly 8 and he asked recently if Santa was true as "well reindeers dont really fly in the sky do they"

My lip did wobble

[Zeeky]

7 yr olds don't believe in Father Christmas???!!!

That means I only have one more year of magic????!!!

Off to have a little sob....

[wheredidiputit]

Zeeky

You may get more.

DD1 is 10 just after christmas. And still believes in FC. To the point I wasn't thinking, she has just learned to ride a bike and would like a new one (having grown out of the 2 we have bought her) and I said absentmindedly we would could buy one either for christmas or her birthday. To which she replied we would ask FC for a bike for.

So there is hope.

[piratecat]

Mrscosmo

set your own doable traditions early on. i did what was done when i was little. happily might add but ended up giving dd alot in the sack from fc which set a precedent and it is harder to recreate as she has got older.
my parents were more well off than i am
dd is eleven now and half believes and we seriously have to talk about the size of the sack/stocking she leaves out. its too big for the smaller things she wants there days.
i was fine when i was filling it with crappy plastic pony stuff and disney pirate gear