Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Santa

43 replies

Sux2buthen · 17/09/2024 20:38

This thread is for believers or at the very least prepared to go along with it folk!
My seven year old was doing a task at school today about their favourite time and my daughter chose Christmas.
During a chat she mentioned Santa (you know where this is going) and yes a new 'friend' shut her down and said he's not real.
My daughters a complicated girl, she's only just told me and she's asked me and I've said some stuff about Christmas magic but I can see she's in doubt.
She's having a tough time at the moment and she needs to be happy.
How can I help her believe a bit longer?

In our house we believe so please if you can't resist negative replies I'm so sorry but I'll be ignoring them. Christmas Santa magic for a child doesn't last long but a little longer would be good 🎅🏼

OP posts:
TENSsion · 17/09/2024 20:41

We go down the route of “no one can tell you what to believe”.

PicturePlace · 17/09/2024 20:45

We say (with incredulity) that some families don't believe in Santa! And that Santa somehow knows with his magic which families want him to come and which don't. This usually works for ours, they pity the kids who don't believe! I'm hoping to get to 10 before ours stop believing!

Bey · 17/09/2024 20:46

I would say something along the lines of not everyone believes in Santa and that's up to them but believing in Santa makes me feel excited and happy so I believe. It's up to you if you do or not and it's up to your friend if she doesn't x

gardenmusic · 17/09/2024 20:49

'Well, I think we should look for evidence this year. We will take pictures' Knowing nod

Looking for proof could be great fun.

Original poster
Sux2buthen · 17/09/2024 20:51

Thanks all that's along the lines of what I said and I know it happens at school sometimes but she's barely started the first year of juniors and still so young.
We really go for it for Christmas in our house, she loves it so much

As an aside her best friend has turned on her (unrelated to this) and actually slapped her yesterday and along with a few other bits this seemed to be the final straw for her when she told me. I am sorting all of that out as well of course

OP posts:
Original poster
Sux2buthen · 17/09/2024 20:52

gardenmusic · 17/09/2024 20:49

'Well, I think we should look for evidence this year. We will take pictures' Knowing nod

Looking for proof could be great fun.

This made me smile Thankyou

OP posts:
SonicTheHodgeheg · 17/09/2024 20:53

Would she accept some people believe in god while others don’t? Or some people don’t celebrate Christmas?

Original poster
Sux2buthen · 17/09/2024 20:55

I did mention that some believe in god and that some people don't celebrate Christmas at all.
Sounds like my ramblings have covered a few bases at least so maybe it's helped her

OP posts:
DeadbeatYoda · 17/09/2024 21:54

Instead of trying to fool her ( and make her look foolish in front of most of her friends), why don't you allow her to be more grown up about it and say ' thinking about Father Christmas brings so much fun and colour to Christmas. What would you rather have? A lovely time where we enjoy talking about reindeer and Christmas elves or a boring time being all serious and not believing in all the fun stuff'.

Ucchildcare · 17/09/2024 22:12

DeadbeatYoda · 17/09/2024 21:54

Instead of trying to fool her ( and make her look foolish in front of most of her friends), why don't you allow her to be more grown up about it and say ' thinking about Father Christmas brings so much fun and colour to Christmas. What would you rather have? A lovely time where we enjoy talking about reindeer and Christmas elves or a boring time being all serious and not believing in all the fun stuff'.

Probably because she's 7 and 7 year olds don't need to be grown up?

Let kids be kids

Original poster
Sux2buthen · 17/09/2024 22:17

Thankyou all for being understanding about my point of view that she's still quite young for all this. Her brother is almost ten and he still believes although he's very logical so I can see his cogs turning lol. He will be fine about it because he's older.
Her big brown eyes made me feel sad for her tonight.
She will have a magical Christmas whatever happens in the end

OP posts:
ASphinx · 17/09/2024 22:22

Ucchildcare · 17/09/2024 22:12

Probably because she's 7 and 7 year olds don't need to be grown up?

Let kids be kids

Show quote history

Well, another seven year old has told her the truth. Children mature at different rates, and it’s not possible to control what her peers say.

StrongAutumn · 17/09/2024 22:33

'Ahhh... That's a pity. When a little girl believes in Father Christmas the real Father Christmas comes to her house and brings her presents. But when a little girl doesn't believe in Father Christmas then he can't come. So that little girl's mummy puts presents out for her so she's not disappointed on Christmas morning. Let your friend think what she thinks but you keep believing darling 😊'

debbiewest0 · 17/09/2024 23:29

We like reading “the empty stocking” as it has a few lines in that talk about those strange people who think it’s mum and dad who buy the presents. It confirms there is a Father Christmas. And is a beautiful story as well

TheSandgroper · 18/09/2024 01:00

I was seriously cranky with dd once so I just snapped at her “well, Fr Christmas lives down the road from the Easter Bunny and around the corner from the Tooth Fairy and don’t you go thinking that they don’t know each other and talk between themselves.”

I think I got an extra few years out of that.

ITSSSSCHRISTMASSS · 18/09/2024 01:12

We do the some believe some don’t, like religion. Other ones are, well you know we don’t have money to buy this stuff so where else does it come from. I’d also have no problem saying the friend is mean and silly for saying that, but just ignore her as we know the truth.

Ive always said we all work together, parents and Santa as he can’t get everyone everything they want so parents help out and agree what Santa is and isn’t allowed to bring. Example, we told Santa absolutely no to the electric cars because we had no room to store them and no phones before x age.

GettingStuffed · 18/09/2024 01:42

I'd tell her that she thinks Santa isn't real because she's been on the naughty list.

Sleepydoor · 18/09/2024 01:54

GettingStuffed · 18/09/2024 01:42

I'd tell her that she thinks Santa isn't real because she's been on the naughty list.

Really? Do you get your kids to believe in Santa for fun or just to try and control their behaviour?

PurpleDiva22 · 18/09/2024 05:19

Depends on what exactly she's been told, but the line "of course santa is real, do you really think your parents could afford to buy you all those things...." kept me believing for at least another 4 years after someone told me!

Original poster
Sux2buthen · 18/09/2024 06:15

GettingStuffed · 18/09/2024 01:42

I'd tell her that she thinks Santa isn't real because she's been on the naughty list.

Grin

These are mostly lovely responses, Thankyou so much.

OP posts:
Hatfullofwillow · 18/09/2024 06:47

Santa, or at least St Nicholas, might well be real. There seems to be as much historical evidence for him as there is for Jesus, maybe more.

You could get your daughter to ask her friend "if it wasn't Santa who resurrected three children, who had been murdered and pickled in brine by a butcher planning to sell them as pork during a famine, then who was it?" Or maybe not?

gardenmusic · 18/09/2024 07:06

Really? Do you get your kids to believe in Santa for fun or just to try and control their behaviour?

Control all the way in our house. We were very well behaved before Christmas.
When your son no longer believes, it would be good to pull him in to the 'magic' - siblings are often the ones to spill the beans. It was my next brother up who told me.
Have you seen the Santa App? (where he is during the evening)
Bit of 'snow' by the chimney or door?
You can actually get a letter from Santa (I think it's a charity)
'Well who ate the mince pie we left out? You didn't, did you?' Puzzled look.

ayvasili · 18/09/2024 07:13

Lie a previous poster..let's look for evidence. There are apps that can take photos of Santa standing next to your tree in your house, and of course the NORAD tracking which we STILL turn on every Xmas eve...and my kids are now 20 and 18!

NormaSnickers · 18/09/2024 07:22

When DS was starting to question I bought a cheap pair of wire rimmed specs like the pair Santa is often pictured wearing, and on Christmas morning they were laying on the floor next to one of his gifts. DS was convinced that Santa had dropped his glasses when delivering the presents - might be an idea for you? Can't remember whether I got the specs from Etsy or eBay but I don't imagine it would be hard to track some down.

Ucchildcare · 18/09/2024 07:22

ASphinx · 17/09/2024 22:22

Well, another seven year old has told her the truth. Children mature at different rates, and it’s not possible to control what her peers say.

Show quote history

Your answer isn't remotely related to what the poster said and my reply.