Phoney Father Christmas's!!!!

[PetraBP]

Is it time to tell DD8 the truth?

We took her to see Santa on Saturday afternoon at, let’s call it “Venue A”.

Her bestie, as it turns out, also went to see Santa on Saturday afternoon at “Venue B”.

Yesterday DD came home on the verge of tears because she and bestie had a huge blazing row about who had seen the real Father Christmas and who had seen a “phoney Father Christmas” at the weekend.

Add to that, we have the charity float thing that comes round and the Santa who was in that looked nothing like the Santa she saw.

Also, you seem to see “Santas” everywhere when out and about.

We’re reaching Santa saturation point!

I think it’s causing her some anxiety. She was wet last night too.

Is 8 the right age to tell her it’s all a bit of fun for younger children? I think I’d worked it out by then but never said anything in case I got fewer presents!

Santa can’t be in 2 places at once. He’s got to have helpers. The real deal is at the north pole getting the important shit nailed down in the run up to Christmas. Your daughter and her friend both saw helpers. Surprised this is first time you’ve faced this issue as your child is 8.

Exactly this.

The ones they see before Christmas are all santas helpers as he is busy getting everything ready at the North Pole :)

This

I always told my kids that they are just santas helpers as he's do busy getting ready to do it himself.

I didn’t no anyone let their child think they were seeing the real Santa, it’s obviously not sustainable when santas are everywere! They are helper santas, but Santa does make some appearances too so you can never be sure wether it’s the real one or not!

Santa is far too busy at the north Pole working in preparation for Christmas. The ones you go to see are his employees that send Christmas wishes back

Santa is mega busy at this time of year. He has helpers. But he does visit some places. Almost like a spot check :)

That's what I tell my 8yo when he says they're fake. I ask if he wants to take the risk of offending the real one.

I always told my kids that the Santas at shopping centres etc were actors hired by Santa to spread Christmas cheer. The real one is obviously very busy right now.

Do eight year olds really believe in Santa? My son was enlightened by another kid in the reception class the Christmas after he started school.

My 9 year old DD still very much believes! Hopefully as long as possible

Yep this. They are his helpers.

He wasn't the real Santa and sat on a throne of lies 😂

But yeah either the helpers line or he's so magic he can be in several places at once.

Santa is currently at the North Pole overseeing final preparations. So in December, he calls on the good men (and women) around the world to be his special agents to meet the children of the world to ensure he has the correct present requests.

Honestly... you are overthinking this. The children meet multiple Santa's in the run up to Christmas. I think they work out they aren't actual Santa... or elves, or reindeer or Mr Scrooge or Mrs Claus.

I always say that there is only one or two real Santas helpers (these are the ones with the real beards so we judge when we see them if to tell her it's a real santas helper) I tell her everyone else is just a bit of fun.

Doesn’t everyone just say it’s not the real santa, it’s his helpers to feed back the message.
Sure Santa is way too busy with Christmas prep to be sitting about in a shop all day.

Like others, as soon as they start asking smart questions (little buggers!), you tell them without skipping a beat that no one EVER sees the real Father Christmas; he's only out and about once a year. Depending on the age/wisdom/persistence of the child you can tell them the others are helpers, or people dressed up.

Oh to be a fly on the wall during the blazing row. She'll be fine and you'll laugh about it in time. You can tell her that really little kids do believe the ones they see before Xmas are the real one, but that now she's older she knows it can't be right.

It's quite cute when they think they're SO clever for working out the Santa in the school grotto was actually Lola's Dad!

Well I'm in my late 30s and still believe. I've told my teenage kids to see what happens if they stop believing. They daren't try it....

My eldest did right up until she left primary school - Father Christmas only brings one gift (the rest are openly from us) and the sneaky sod always gives something to my children that I would never agree to buying (I am the fun police).

There is a reason we have a 6 foot toy lion amongst other ridiculous items living in our home - they are the incredibly daft things off the Christmas lists that are much loved by the children, for the eldest she loves that feeling that the lion is the "magic" lion even though she's fully on board with what really happens now.

Coupled with the assertion that children who don't believe don't get "Father Christmas" gifts she was perfectly happy buying into the magic of the whole thing and couldn't be dissuaded by other children.

Some kids love the idea of magic so much they'll see it where others just see the mundane - I was happy to go along with that for as long as possible. We spend far more time being ordinary in our lives.

the whole point OP is that you NEVER know if it's the real santa or not!

And a partridge in a pear tree!!!!

eh?

Today just seen a poster for a film called “Violent Night” and has asked me if Santa has turned evil.

Give me strength…

You could tell her that Santa is very busy and sometimes his brother helps out.

My daughter is 4 and we went on steam train on the weekend to see santa. She saw santa at school 2 weeks before. She said he wasn't the real santa because the other one didn't have glasses on.

Doesn't miss a trick