According to my son.... Santa Clause is real, and I will be getting nothing for Christmas because I'm mean!
I am Mean because I wouldn't stop at Starbucks on our way home from school for Dessert, and then I became even meaner when I told him Santa Clause wasn't real... I can hear you all booing at me, but I must explain!
The whole real story of a Jolly Guy that took toys to an orphanage is a wonderful thing! The pretend story of a plump man in a red suit with white beard saying HO HO HO... Is a FUN thing! It is a story, it is an enjoyable wonderful movie... It's fun to have your kids picture taken with a jolly ol' replica.. but heck, any picture with a child is fun... However, we decided at his first Christmas on this earth that we wouldn't do the "Santa Clause" thing.
He knows that the presents come from Mom or Dad or Grandparents, etc. And It was actually very easy for us NOT to talk about Santa Clause or make it a big deal in our home because he was terrified of the whole Jolly Bearded Dude. And more importantly, I wasn't going to tell a lie... which, saying a present came from Santa when you clearly purchased it yourself IS A LIE!!!
MY MIL sends a letter every year to Veg saying its from Santa... hello! That is a lie.... We tell Veg that it is pretend from Grandma.
Now, fast forward to today! We are driving home looking at the pretty sunset over the pretty lake, and Veg asks if we can go to Starbucks for a piece of coffee cake. I reply by saying "No, because we need to go home and eat dinner" His reply back to me was that I was MEAN and Santa wasn't going to bring me a gift?
=====WHAT?===== I ask? Santa?
"Yeah Mom, Santa doesn't bring gifts to people that are mean"
<Who told you that Santa brought gifts at all?>
"J, at school, he said that Santa is coming to town and if your not nice you won't get a present"
So I explain, that is just a story and not for real. And OH MY!!! You would have thought I had told him that he couldn't have a starbucks cake ever again, because he SCREAMED at me that Santa is real, and it wasn't pretend, and that Santa was coming to town and will be coming through our chimney and....... yadda yadda yadda.... You get the idea!
OK, HOW THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO REPLY TO THIS!!!!!!!!!!! I figured, by not making this stuff up at home, that we just wouldn't have to deal with it. But now, If I make it a point to explain that its not real, and he goes to tell that boy at school, then his parents be mad.
If I don't say anything, then I'm not really lying because he didn't ask me a questions and I just didn't respond. But letting him believe something that isn't real, is a bad thing also..... I decide to take the "Explain" approach.
I told him the true story of the great guy that took things to the Orphanage and how that tradition of Santa Clause came about... I told him that the thought of Santa Clause now a days, to some people is very real and is a wonderful story to make believe. His friend at school must believe that it is real. And to him, in his mind it is real. But for us, I want him to know the truth, and then he can make believe as he sees fit.
And therefore I was MEAN! No matter what I said at this point, I heard this...
"Mom, your just mean"
I guess I would rather be called Mean then be called a horrible person in 4 years when I have to explain why I let him believe something that wasn't true! All the while, expecting him to be honest with me.
And besides..... His anger didn't last! By the time we were home, eating dinner, snacks, reading books and playing games, I was no longer "Mean"! I had raised my status to "Mom, your the Best"
Even if Santa doesn't bring me any presents... I've got all the presents I need right here!