DS suspects that Father Christmas is me!

[TheToldYouSoDance]

Help please!! DS will be 10 soon and almost busted us last year when we used the same wrapping paper as FC. Not sure ‘FC shops at Aldi too’ will fly this year. Any tips for letting children know the truth about the big man. Apologies if this comes as a surprise to anyone here. . Thank you!

Just answer him honestly. And praise his critical thinking skills.

He's 10. It's time to be honest. Just admit the truth and move on.

At 10 I’d just come clean

He's 10. Of course he knows it's you! Just carry on with the lovely pretend game-we still do and my children were 16 and 21 last year!

Thanks everyone! Time for the truth then. Don’t know who’ll be more upset.

Its a game, you just keep pretending and start winking and ‘letting him in on it’.

Does he have younger siblings?

I think I said something like 'But Father Christmas can't come if you don't believe in him' with a straight face. Child was straight back with 'Good thing you buy the presents then' 😂. Job done.

Slightly different but I told my 4 year old that we give Father Christmas the wrapping paper so he knows which house to deliver the presents too.

No, he’s an only child. We did the ‘don’t believe, don’t receive’ last year. He’s even put a diary note in my phone for Christmas Day ‘tell mini-Dance, mummy is Santa’. .

Oh BCup, why didn’t I think of that. Mind you, I have the worst poker face in the world so probably best that the jig is up.

I’ll get flamed but have never done FC with DD. Not my decision what she believes. If she chooses to, fine, but the amount of manipulation that goes on to persuade kids to believe for presents by adults makes me

My ds is worse than Miss Marple so I'm impressed you've managed it for so long!

Mine are 28-5 years old. All told 'if you don't believe- you don't receive'.
They all humour me as they all 'know' I 'believe'- if that makes sense! The big ones all know if the 5 year old finds out from one of them, death will ensue!

We only ever gave stockings from FC anyway. Wrapped presents come from people, with the occasional gift to the whole family labelled as from 'FC'.
They still like putting out some cake and a whisky on Christmas Eve.

He's 10. Sounds like you will be more upset than him.

I rather like this account and approach to the whole issue: parentingbeyondbelief.com/blog/?p=3738

"At some point (with Santa, anyway) the weight of inconsistency eventually becomes too great, and the direct question is asked. And when it’s asked, you ANSWER, and congratulate the child for figuring it out.

Just before Christmas, Laney’s questions intensified, but remained oblique. At one point she looked Becca in the eye and asked the most convoluted almost-direct indirect question I’ve ever heard:

“When I’m just about to have kids of my own, are you all of a sudden going to tell me something that I need to know about something?”

“Uh…not that I know of,” Becca replied. Which was true.

“Good, because I love Santa.”

“Who said anything about Santa?”

“Never mind.”

It sounds to me like he’s trying to tell you that he wants the truth...

10???? really ---the other children will be laughing at him, let him know the truth.

He is a bit long in the tooth to be believing in Father Christmas.

I think that he already knows. Kids at that age talk about everything so I don't think there is any way he still believes.

If he actually still does, then unfortunately he may be made fun of for it.

Dd1 at almost 10 spotted FC gave her sister's something from M&S. she started asking/testing the water so I said "would you like to ask me a question because if you would, I promise I'll answer honestly." Dd thought, smiled and said "no thank you." So all good, she clearly knew but was happy to play along (younger dc and presumably worried she won't get a stocking). 2 weeks later she told her best friend about her discovery re the M&S gifts (I overheard from the other room). Her friend said "oh yes, his elves can't make everything so he sends some to shop locally to get extra bits!" I think dd is now completely confused. DD's friend is lovely but totally away with the fairies and will probably believe until she's 18 even if she's outright told.

For those saying 10 is too old, he's still a child ffs. Not every 10yo is the same and it's not an issue if he still believes - lots of dd1's class do.

There is the rather lovely true story of 8 year old Virginia O’Hanlon writing to a newspaper asking is Santa is true. The editor appears to have been a wonderful man -

www.irishcentral.com/culture/a-christmas-tale-for-the-ages-yes-virginia-ohanlon-there-is-a-santa-claus

Really odd for a child of ten to believe in Father Christmas, he will be teased at school. Tell him ASAP, you should have never let it carry on this long.

🙀 F.C. is not real