Do I tell my daughter about Father Christmas

[PollySays]

Genuinely don't know what to do for the best - Our daughter is 11-year-old and in Year 7 at school.

She is a lovely natured kid, full of fun and magic, so since last Christmas rather than just blurt out about the big FC, we've just avoided saying things like "What would you like from Father Christmas" and replaced it by saying things like "If there is anything you would particularly like, let us know and we can get you it, otherwise we'll just buy some surprises"...that kind of thing. She's not mentioned that she doesn't believe, and I suppose I've just assumed (hoped!) that at school they'll have been chatting about it and she now knows the truth. I was happy with this, because it wouldn't be me breaking her heart!

But this week she has asked on at least two occasions, if I think the Elf on the Shelf will visit this year or if he'll think she's too old 😩My husband has said I need to tell her that it's us and her older brother who do the Elf but that we can still do it as part of a family and just take it turns getting him into mischief and that it will need to be said sooner rather than later, before she says something at school and is ridiculed (he works away, so it's not really fair to ask him to be a part of the conversation over the phone), so it's definitely just me.

Question is, what do I say??

Dts in y7 know full well well about fc they've been playing the long game. One of them said to me yesterday that when I put the stockings in their room that I am to put them under the tree not on the beds so it was like an open acknowledgment without having to say.

They are still firmly requesting the elves come back though, I think they just like the fun of it.

I'd play along for now tbh.

We had this last year, I always said if they asked directly I would tell. Lots of tears when we explained and a couple of days feeling a bit weird about it but got over it pretty quickly. I was glad tbh as was worried about someone bursting the bubble at school.

We just said he was real (told the story of St Nicholas origins etc) and that every year we all try and keep the magic alive for other little ones. We also got rid of the tooth fairy in the same hit so it was traumatic but soon forgotten.

Good luck OP!