White Lies
*sigh* It’s the same every year at this time…kids are excited about Christmas…and suspicious. It’s the logic thing…just how does Santa manage it? ALL the houses…in ALL the world…do reindeer really fly?
And they so want to believe…you see it in their eyes…the yearning to believe in the magic.
And it’s a glorious burden to bear the mantle of the last moments of childhood innocence. One girl, whose house burned down earlier this year, announced that Santa knew about her house and came early to bring them some clothes and toys. Ain’t no way I’m messing with that.
And the joy. Do you remember that joy of the expectation of Santa? Kids have to grow up so fast now…why can’t they have a few years of happy expectation?
So when they ask if Santa is real, I tell them that Santa comes to my house. That Santa Claus was originally the very real Saint Nicholas (and you should see their eyes light up as they compare the phonemes of ‘Saint Nicholas’ to the more familiar ‘Santa Claus’). That now he’s an angel with the magic of love that makes all the wonder of Christmas happen.
And as a teacher I have the honor of adding to the magic of love. So screw the regular Social Studies plans…we are going to have Christmas activities, with cutting and gluing and glittering and FUN! Life is too short. Let the kids be kids. Let them be innocent and enjoy the season, because Santa rocks!
December 1st, 2009 at 7:27 am
Thank you for being you! The magic of love – that’s where it’s at!
Santa does rock!!
AND, you can tell your students that I saw him at my Gram’s when I was little. I had gotten up to use the bathroom and there he was. He was eating the cookies in the living room. (I booked it back to bed!!) No one believes me to this day, but he WAS there.
xo
LBC
December 1st, 2009 at 7:50 am
GOD BLESS YOU! I was moved to tears reading this… too often childhood joy is cut short by painful reality. At 52, I still want to believe.
This year our 10 year old grandson Tyler found out there’s no Santa. It was unbelievably painful; he cried. His mother told him the truth because she was afraid that his sister would beat her to it… I still could not have done it.
The burdens of a parent! And teachers….!
December 1st, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Santa is thinking twice about stopping at our house. I think it might be safer for him if our daughter Rachel is around. We’d end up with cops, SPCA, PETA and fashion police on our doorstep. Sigh.
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Santa is real (and you can tell Tyler this Pam!) Santa is magic and Santa is about love. Love is real. Does everyone believe? No. And those poor souls do not get visited by the real Santa. But for those of us 40ish year olds who still believe – he still comes. Every year. Does Santa always bring toys? Well no, but is that really what he was ever about? No again. He is about warmth, love, a realization of what matters most in the world. Can he spread love around the world in one night? You betcha, with time for snacks along the way. It breaks my heart when parents think they have to “tell the truth” to a child in order to prevent someone else from “telling the truth”. Those poor children likely never will know the truth. I wish those well meaning parents would share the real truth. As for me and my house, we believe.
And thank you Mrs Who for not steeling the wonder of Santa from the little lights in your care. Now, I gotta polish up a little of the Christmas in my house here…
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Everyone before me said exactly what I would have. I am 43 and I still believe in Santa – not the man, but in the magic and the love that he represents. You rock!