To try and salvage this Santa related issue for 6yr old dd?

[ClownsandCowboys]

I've cocked up. All Santa presents were wrapped and in the loft. This morning, I was tired hungover and let dd go into the loft to fetch something. She loves the loft it's fully floored, not dangerous. I was with her.

She has now been questioning us as to why there are presents in the loft, why do they say "from Santa" on them etc. She's autistic and very good at spotting detail, and inquisitive.

I feel awful. Is there anything I can do to salvage this? I was thinking of re-wrapping them in different paper, but not sure it will work. Should I just fess up?

I know it's not the end of the world, but life is pretty hard for dd, stressful, anxiety inducing. She loves Christmas and the magic of Santa and the elves. She rally genuinely believes. I feel I've made life just a little bit more shit for her.

Nonce pie

Nonce pie 😂😂😂😂

The reason I'm asking is because my nearly 7 year old (being assessed for asd) seems uninterested in Santa this year. I think he may have been told he's not real but another child at school and doesn't want to say. I thought they'd, believe for a couple more years yet!

Oh dear god, nonce pie. I’m having hysterics and my DH thinks I’m mad...

@Winterdaysarehere please don't do that when I am drinking.

@clownsandcowboys Use your imagination! Pretend Santa's sleigh broke down and you are helping store some of his presents or something like that. Haha. Merry Christmas!

@Winterdaysarehere NONCE PIE oh my fucking god I couldn't find a laughing face to express my gratitude but cheers for the giggle!

Oh my days I am never gonna live this down am I??

I found the Santa gifts one year OP and my DM told me that Santa only had room for the ‘main present’ in his sleigh on Christmas Eve but for children who were very good and deserved more than just one the elves dropped them off early and ‘hid’ them for Santa to retrieve on the night!

• My childhood elves hid presents in the built in storage under my parents bed 😂👍🏻

Amazon don't have just the one warehouse.

Why would Santa?

Santa is glorified delivery man in this house. We buy and wrap and send to santa or we send santa money. Got way too complicated when my eldest child with adhd wouldnt let go about the ins and outs of why their were children who didnt get presents on tv

I'd continue to feign a lack of knowledge
Maybe it's because the presents don't all fit in the sleigh and your DD must have stumbled upon the strategy used!

Do you have anywhere else you can store the presents, and can you transfer them there without her seeing?

If so, move them, then say to her that you’ve been thinking about the mystery of those presents and you think you should both go and have another look. When you get up there you will find a note from the elves explaining that Santa doesn’t have room on his sleigh to carry all of the presents at once, so sometimes the elves go looking for an especially good, trustworthy child in whose home the presents can be safely stored for a few days before Christmas. Santa wants to thank [name] for their help in getting the presents to the children on Christmas Eve.

Then re-wrap in new paper!

Nonce9 is going to be my new MN name

I wrote her a letter from Santa, swirly writing and glitter and everything. She asked if I wrote it. She is now asking again why they are there and who they are from. She said they can't be from Santa be a use he delivers on Christmas eve and not before.

I don't know if she suspects and wants me to confirm. I feel so bloody awful. It was so important to me to keep this magic and I've bloody ruined it. I'm such a twat.

I'm also obviously losing my mind because dd is 7, not 6. Almost 7.5, so no even a recent thing. I need more sleep.

You haven't ruined anything. All kids eventually work it out, it's inevitable. You can't keep up the lie forever.

I read somewhere about someone explaining to their kid that Santa is the spirit of Christmas and that when you learn the truth you "become a Santa" because now you're in on it. Or something along those lines.

So if she's worked it out (and it sounds like she has) then maybe try making her feel like she's part of something special, not that she's had something taken away.

Children value honesty and going to increasingly deceptive lengths to keep the make believe going is probably just going to be worse in the long run.

I asked her outright and she says she does believe in Santa, of course she does. She is just really confused about the presents. So I'm going with they are from grandma.

One of the issues will be her ASD, meaning that if she knows they are there, but not what they are the waiting for them is torture.

Tell her she has an overactive imagination.

I've said they are probably from Grandma. That we've been given some by both grandparents and hidden them from the cats and dog. I said that sometimes grandma used to put from Santa when they from her as a joke.

This has been completely accepted, more than any magical letter.

😂

“it was so important to me to keep this magic”

This Says it all sadly- it’s about you and not her. And when she does find out the truth as she will do, she will probably remember this lie as well. And wonder what else you lie to her about.

It's really not the end of the world if she figures it out. I found out Santa wasn't real when I was 6. I grew up to be a very well adjusted adult who finds enjoys Christmas. I'm not a big fan of nonce pies though.

Santa must have dropped them off early because he has so much work to do! It means he can do his whole wround on Christmas Eve and finish before Christmas morning!

Having said that, I told my kids from the start that he didn't exist and was a lovely myth, much like Jesus being born in a stable. However, some people believe so they mustn't tell anyone - I don't think they ever did!

Isadora2007

Behave. Most sensible people can tell the difference between childhood beliefs indulged by loving parents and “lies”.