to tell my 4 and half year old about Santa?

[MummyAbroad]

So my four and half year old just asked me if Santa is real or not. I was a bit surprised and stalled him by asking him what he thought. He said "yes!" and ran off, but I know I will get asked again later (he likes repetition!)

Last week I had to do a great deal of explaining that ghosts and dracula and all that other Halloween stuff wasnt real because it was making him scared at bedtime, and I have also been telling him that "fibbing" is naughty (as he has just started doing it) So why would I make up a great big lie about Santa? How am I going to explain the fact that I lied when he does find out?

I never believed in Santa myself as the first year I asked who he was my older sister told me it was all made up and he didnt exist.

Is it a big deal to believe in the "magic"? Can I just tell him the truth? Does anyone else?

Just keep saying " What do YOU think?" and leave it at that.

We always knew FC wasn't real but a nice story.

It'd be a pity to tell him the truth when he's only four. I was a bit sad when I found out, I must have been about 8, but I'd rather that than have never had the magic at all.

If you believe that Father Christmas is the spirit of love and generosity then he is as real as you make him . As I got older my mum explained this to me and that part of it was making it magical for very young children. At that point I started helping do my little brother's stocking and it was really cool going all out to make it convincing for him. Now we have 18 month old DS2 I love having a little one in the house again now as DS1 had reached the point where he no longer did literal Father Christmas

Don't tell her! It won't go sour when she is old enough to find out he's not real, she will just feel mature

I believed in Santa until I was 9 or 10 and I can still remember the magic of going to bed knowing he was coming. Sadly ds's 1&2 (17&15) no longer believe but are doing everything in their power to keep their little brother (6) believing. Neither of them have ever accused me of lies and I don't feel my parents lied to me.

I never understand why it is acceptable to have the word 'count' and other swear word in thread titles but not mention FC is not real

Yes, now you put it that way valium it does seem a bit OTT.

Cunt I mean - I must have a shy keyboard!

"I can't believe people get their knickers in such a twist about 'lying' to their children about FC.

Really???

Did you all wake up screaming and hated your parents forevermore when you uncovered their hideous deceit?"

absolutely. the bastards - buying me all those lovely pressies and not getting any of the credit. i must send them my therapy bill.

My sister was really pissed off with our parents when she found out Father Christmas wasn't real. I, on the other hand, pretended to believe for many years after I knew as if benefitted me greatly

DD1 (9) knows that Santa is not real. DD2 (6) says "Mummy, I know it's the parents" - but in a searching way, looking sort of pleadingly at my face, hoping I will deny it.

So far I have been using the tried-and-true "what do you think" approach but I fear this might be the last year. 6 feels so young to stop believing

Oh, but it's fun getting your teenagers to write leave a note for Santa along with the sherry and mince pies, and it's still magical to get up in the morning and find the pile of presents under the tree that weren't there before you went to bed.

I am, however, finding it more and more difficult to stay awake until I know they've gone to sleep, and the intumescent strips on the recently installed firedoors, following the arrival of the loft conversion, make Santa's attempts to fill the stockings at the foot of their beds rather noisy.

When my dgd was 9 she found out about Santa. She said to ds "so you lied to me since I was born?...it was a good lie and I will tell it to my children one day!"