First Christmas after Santa?

[Annwithnoe]

This is going to be our first year without Santa. The dc are all still very young: 9, 8 and DD will have only turned 7. So we're not ready for a teenage type Christmas by any means. I thought that when this time came I'd be happy to embrace a new phase of Christmas, maybe go to midnight mass, enjoy the lie-in on Christmas morning, etc
I'm a bit nonplussed about how to proceed.

At the moment I'm thinking that I'll still go through the motions of Santa, get them more involved in charity donations to food banks, and picking out toys for other kids (which up to now I've glossed over with them as they thought Santa brought toys to everyone)

I should add that this is also the first year any of them don't believe, so there's been no gradual transition, or keeping magic alive for the younger sibling. We don't have any close relatives with younger kids either.

I'm wondering what the transition has been like for others? Or if you have tips for holding on to some of the magic? Or what it was like for you as a child that first Christmas when you knew about Santa.

Are you sure your just seven year old doesn't believe? It's very young. I would worry they are just saying they don't. Even the 8 year old tbh actually thinking about it all three are young.

Christmas is still the same for us. Even though oldest rd no longer believes, he would be devastated not to have a stocking and still gets up early on Christmas day. Seeing as I still had a stocking by until I left home, I can't complain !

I will still do stockings once mine don't believe - I knew by time I was 6 but Christmas was still magical for me and was still awake early! When we were older we did go to midnight mass, home to unwrap one present and then bed.

Mydcaremarvel she definitely knows We've had a few lovely discussions about it, but she's much more scientifically minded and logical than I was as a child. And quite the interrogator!

We still kept up the pretence until I left home, I assumed everyone did...

We still do the elf snitch and Santa, and the Christmas dvds come out (even though none of the buggers will let me watch Elf or the muppets Christmas movie).

No more Father Christmas ? You can't be serious. He doesn't go away the magic just changes - particularly for the little one. It's entirely possible to not believe all year and suddenly as Norad starts tracking him, as the carrots get chopped up and stockings hung up it all feels very real again.

Why would it be different (not meant snarkily ) I mean, you will still be giving presents, won't you?

You carry on as if they still believe, they live playing along wi h it and would be sad not to have their familiar family Christmas routines. I still got a stocking by my bed until I left home at 20 🌲

No different here years after my dcs stopped believing. (18yo and 12yo)

I still say ask santa when they say what they want. I just get knowing smiles. And they're still enjoying the magic.

The only thing I've stopped is the putting out food/drinks/carrots on Christmas Eve

What on earth is a teenage type Christmas ?

Tell them Santa does it or else you'll have to step in and get educational toys and worthy books. Watch the magic re-appear. As far as we are aware the 17 year old hasn't caught on yet, his pretence is so good .

Just because they don't believe, doesn't mean that they are ready to give up the traditions they are used to. I wouldn't do anything very different this year - keep the surprises and excitement but maybe get each of them to take on a small "Santa" role themselves in terms of choosing gifts for one another/wrapping/hiding.

My youngest child is 16 & we still "do" Santa. She puts out a tray for him on Xmas Eve & he still delivers stockings & presents. She'd be devastated if we gave up on him! 😉

I have a 10 year old and a 13 year old and I am 100% sure they both know that Santa isn’t real however we’ll still do Christmas the same as we’ve done every other year!
Neither have ever asked me outright + I will never say the words “Santa’s not real” but I know they know and they just go along with it!!
I don’t think anything has to change, especially when yours are still so young, keep the magic going for a few more years......

Thanks. Feeling a bit better reading these responses.

Even once I knew Santa wasn't real my parents still kept the same traditions id have been sad if they hadn't !!

Infact even during a brief period of living back home in my 20s that included a Christmas, I made sure I was home from the pub at a reasonable time and in bed so my mum could put my presents under the tree without me seeing them 😂

I do love Christmas though !!

Eldest two (10 & 14) don't believe, but 6 year old does (although she does like to interrogate me a bit) - we still carry on as normal with all the Father Christmas stuff!

No change here either, apart from stopping going to see him in his grotto. It felt slightly awkward the first year but the DCs go along with it quite happily now.

Santa's not real? What do you mean?

Seriously OP, just carry on. I find myself almost believing sometimes, until I remember we have to put the stockings up ourselves.

My parents did Santa for me until I left home. Then I met DH who is crazy about Christmas too and we did Santa for each other for 7 years before DS was born.
How sad that a 7 year old doesn't believe.

We still did the whole Santa thing right up until my dad died - I was 40!! No-one was allowed into the living room on Christmas morning til dad had checked to see if Santa had been.

I miss that

I still do christmas like before. I am christmas mad and ds (13) doesnt really care so i half do it for him and half do it for myself. Or it is more like 75% for me.

We have always done stockings in my family and it's still always the best part of Xmas!

No Santa, no presents.

Then ask if they believe!!