in feeling slightly uncomfortable making up answers to all ds's Santa questions?

[thatsnotmymonster]

Basically DS (4.8) asks loads and loads of questions about Santa, for example

How does Santa get so much money to buy all the toys?
How does Santa make the toys?
How are they the same as the ones you can buy in the shops?
Who helps him?
Why are the elves all different colours?
Where do they all live?
What do they do when it's not Christmas?
Why are the Santas you see in the shops not the real Santa?

This happened last year too but it's worse this year. I try to give quite basic answers because for some reason I feel uncomfortable making it all up. I have nothing against the Santa myth and it's very sweet how excited he is about it but he is so inquisitive that the more info I give him the more complex and difficult the questions become...what do you do in this situation?

Can you say "Ooo, good question. I don't know. What do you think?"

I go with the "No-one really knows, that is the magic - people believe lots of different things about Father Christmas"

I then go on to bore him about his various names and the different traditions around the world.

The best answer I've found (by accident, in desperation!) is 'Gosh, I don't really know... what do you think might happen?'

DD thinks Santa is "magic" so can do anything.

She tells ME how Santa does it.

PErhpas you can tell him it's all magic and cannot be understood my mere mortals?

I am feeling a bit off because I am trying to tell DD that Santa probably won't be bringing her a pair of wings. I told her Rudolph needed them and she said Santa would make her a special pair.

Skegness -- great minds, eh?

How does Santa get so much money to buy all the toys? we send him the money
How does Santa make the toys? he doesn't make them all, he has to buy some from the factory
How are they the same as the ones you can buy in the shops? because he has to buy some from the factory
Who helps him? his elves
Why are the elves all different colours? because they're like people.
Where do they all live? in little houses on the same complex as santa's workshop
What do they do when it's not Christmas? get ready for christmas. it takes 11 months to prepare and get all the stuff ready
Why are the Santas you see in the shops not the real Santa? because he can't be everywhere because he's working, so the shops just have look-a-likes who pass on all the requests to him.

I still think much easier to skirt around the questions and let them work out what they believe themselves .

I feel uncomfortable doing it as well.

The biggie this year was that Santas grotto in Norwich shopping centre was a portal to the North Pole, like in Stargate. That's how come 'Santa' was off feeding the reindeer for a whole fucking hour little while while we waited, and how ocme he can be in all shopping centres and garden centres at once.

Ds has just turned 7 though, so I fear the doubts are creeping in (the questions are getting ever more complex) and this may be the last year he believes. Although, dh is sure thaat ds is just humouring us and the game is already up.

DD asked me how come the naughty kids at her school still get pressies and also how come some kids get loads more than others. She had recently seen some pictures on the oxfam website and can't understand how Santa can't just come along and give them clothes, food. toys etc. Help-what do I say?

Katie - blimey, now that is a tough one. It would render me speachless as well.

I do often go with the 'I don't what do you think' reply but it just leads on to more and more questions.

I also use the 'magic' thing as well but it just feels sort of wrong

I have no problem with knowing what to say- I could easily was lyrical about Santa and his lifestyle in response to the questions- I just don't feel like I should!!

katie007 that's part of it, if they think Santa is magic and can do everything then it can be a problem!

I have got myself into a right mess with this. This is the first year that we have given any real detail about FC (DD is 3), and I keep getting confused, forgetting what I said before, and contradicting myself!
My parents never bothered making out that FC was real, so I haven't got a personal experience to utilise!
The worst thing is that DD has asked FC for a pink scooter. My mum and Dad have said they'll buy it, and now it turns out they won't be able to give it to her until boxing day, so I now have to explain that to DD! Argh!

Lol!

My mum and dad never pretended it was real either and I know my mum doesn't really approve that our dc's 'believe'.

Christmas was always really special to me anyway. We always had stockings from Santa and a few pressies too but we always knew it was really mum and dad!

I certainly don't let my dc's think everything is from Santa- I think they should know where most of their presents come from!! Santa fills stockings and that is basically it!

Katie, your daughter sounds lovely and caring. How about skirting around the issue and getting her involved in some kind of Christmas charity thing? When I was at school there was something called Operation Christmas Child where you got to put together a shoebox full of gifts and it would be shipped off to a boy or girl living with poverty in Romania. Or Santa could buy her an Oxfam unwrapped gift and leave her a note to say he got some school books for children in Liberia on her behalf...

Simples...the answer is always "is magic, innit?"

And don't do Op xmas child boxes unless you want to explain why poor children can only have a shoebox if they sign up to bible classes....

'no one knows for sure as it is magic'

is i believe the standard answer...