Lying About Santa

By | December 7, 2012

Letting kids believe in santa

Hi guys!

Today I have a special treat for you! My friend, Adrienne from The Mommy Mess is here today! A while back I was over at her place making a huge mess talking about the time our toilet and bathtub exploded with a poop volcano, and my ceiling fell in and everything on my floor was ruined. Adrienne is obviously quite gracious and strong of stomach. Oh, and she’s funny and smart and has a beautiful smile.

Lying About Santa

I love Adrienne’s blog because it’s warm and real. She writes in a way that makes you feel comfortable and as if you’re sitting across a table sharing a cup of coffee. She can do the whole silly and serious thing in a way I totally admire. She can talk about hiding out in her mom fort (funny post) and she can also unveil the delicate struggles she has as a parent. After you read this post, go look around on her blog and subscribe, like, follow–you know the drill. She’s a great gal and I want you to be friends!

The Mommy Mess

                                                                                                      
I’m one of those really mean parents who go to extreme measures to make sure that my kid is good and devastated when he finally finds out that Santa isn’t real.

Last year, I sort of started feeling bad about the whole we lie to our kids about Santa thing. But, it’s part of being a kid, no? Just tell me it is, OK? If I had to do it all over again, I might not do the Santa thing. I would just tell my toddler straight up.

It’s all a lie and all those other parents are mean! 

But, I don’t have a toddler. I have an (almost) eight year old, and he believes in Santa.

 I mean, he really believes!

When I signed up for Santa, I’m pretty sure I signed in blood! It’s totally going to suck big Christmas ornaments when my son finds out, but in the mean time, I’ll be busy lying to my kid.

Here are a few things we do in our home to ensure our child will be good and ready for therapy.

1. We leave reindeer food out in the yard, and man those reindeer love it! Oatmeal and glitter with a side of carrots. Every Christmas Eve we sprinkle this yummy goodness in the yard, and every Christmas morning the pile is gone confirming yet another year in a row that Santa IS real!

2. We use special wrapping paper for all of the gifts that Santa leaves. It’s usually something shiny and over the top and way prettier than the cheap stuff I use. Then I write “From Santa” in fancy calligraphy wannabe letters because I don’t know how to write calligraphy but Santa probably does.

3. Two cookies, a glass of milk, and a sweet note from my son complete every Christmas Eve night. He usually writes something sweet about what he wants for Christmas. I save every.single.one.

 

4. Every good kid thinks of Santa too! Would ya’ll believe me if I told you that my son leaves Santa a present? How about if I told you how much Santa loves those gifts AND leaves a thank-you note in its place? Last year Santa got a Webkinz, and it’s hidden in the top of my closet. 

5. Santa can make it happen! The last couple of years have been tricky to pull off the item on his list, but we did it last year and I’m pretty sure we’ll pull it off again this year.

Because I’m a mean mom, lie to my kids, and put time and money into their future need for therapy.

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!!

*****
Adrienne is a homeschooling mother of two and blogger at www.themommymess.com, where she writes about the mess of motherhood, marriage, and all things mom!  You can also find her as @TheMommyMess on twitter and connect with her on Facebook.

36 thoughts on “Lying About Santa

  1. ilene

    We are a multi-holiday family in December – and I LOVE that I married into Christmas. I get to hold the “santa is watching every thing you do” thing over their heads for a good 6 weeks leading up to christmas – all but my oldest still believes. guess I’m mean too then, huh? Love seeing you here, girl. xo

    Reply
  2. Kim

    We did the exact same thing, so I guess I am a fellow member in the Mean Mom club. ???? We even hid our special wrapping paper in the attic so the girls would never see it. We were lucky that when the oldest figured it out, she kept the secret for her younger sister. Funny, the oldest really enjoyed knowing something her sister did not…

    Reply
  3. Jess

    Don’t feel bad…we have special north pole paper too..BUT Santa doesn’t need to write his name because we also have Tiny Elf…Santa’s little helper who goes and checks on the kids several times in december. He leaves little itty bitty notes and gifts about two or three times letting them know he was checking on them. (nothing big..usually a ring pop or something like that). THEN he drops off a SAMPLE of their north pole paper so they will recognize it. He’s even been chased by my cat and had a rip in the paper..lol..I can’t write about my Santa happenings though bc my 9 year old reads my blog…she even told her teacher about it and they check it out every now and then…lol..oops! So my lies go deep too…

    Reply
    1. Adrienne

      Oh Jess! You are really mean! I love it! I am totally with you on the whole kids reading blog thing! Right now my home page has a blurb sending people here, and I better be careful!!

      Reply
    2. hillary

      Oh geez! I am scared of the day when my kids read this blog haha! Probably a lot of my great material will be banned for use!

      Reply
  4. Kim@Co-Pilot Mom

    We do a lot of these things, too. We leave our reindeer food on the plate with Santa’s cookies, though. We just trust that Santa will bring it up to the roof and distribute it to the reindeer when he goes. ????

    Reply
  5. Jill of PJgamers

    What did your parents do? I’m one of the younger kids. By the time I was born the Santa gig was up. So, my parents never did any Santa stuff. It was sad. Not that I wanted to be lied to….but I wanted to have played the game that all my friends got to play. I wanted to have all the excitement from all the songs. I wanted to have believed.

    I even started filling up the stockings myself. …with oranges I snuck from the kitchen and candy canes I bought with my allowance.

    So, don’t feel bad about playing Santa.

    At my house we play “the Santa game”. Every time my boy asks if Santa is real, I ask him if he wants to keep playing the Santa game……and every time he talks about his friends and Santa, I talk about how fun it is that his friends are playing the Santa game, too.

    We’ve never left food out for the reindeer, though. That’s pretty considerate of you!

    Reply
    1. Adrienne

      I’m also the youngest! You filled your own stocking? ???? Me no likey.

      Reply
  6. Holly Lefevre

    We do it all…it is part of the magic of being a kid. That magic disappears all too soon anyway. I believed hard and for a long time when I was a kid and the reasons I need therapy and not this!

    Reply
    1. Adrienne

      Amen! Santa’s pretty much at the bottom of my list of reasons, too! ????

      Reply
  7. Janis

    Not mean!! Let them be kids as long as possible. … The world is tough enough.. I have enjoyed every moment … I am like Super Santa Helper!!! So Who has the Elf??? Yep we do that too..

    My daughter 11 is in the not believing but wanting to believe. I didnt think it would last this long. I am waiting for the question… My answer will be honest … Yes we are Santa but the Spirit of Christmas and Santa are everywhere and they start in the heart..

    Good Huh??

    Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

    Reply
    1. Adrienne

      My son has asked me straight up, and guess what? I lied! Straight to his sweet little cheeks. Sigh…

      Reply
  8. Kelley

    We do the reindoor food stuff, too! We’re still lying over here, too. I have two sons, ages 4 and 8, and they both definitely still believe. Love that your son leaves Santa a present!

    Reply
    1. Adrienne

      It’s so sweet, Kelly! I figure that might be a payoff when he learns the truth. he’ll get all that stuff back. Right?

      Reply
  9. Tracie

    I’m one of those moms who doesn’t do Christmas. And you know what? Everyone says I am mean.

    Reply
    1. Adrienne

      I’ve thought about going that route too, Tracie, but too late. You’re right! WE can’t catch a break!

      Reply
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  12. HouseTalkN

    I always say “Forget saving for college, I’m saving for their therapy!”

    This is a great post- so happy to “meet” you!

    Kerry at HouseTalkN

    Reply
  13. Meredith

    We have actually tracked wet leaves in the living room and said the reindeer did it. The lengths we’ll go to, right? I think your lying is perfect!

    Reply
  14. Crystal

    I’m a mean Mom as well! This year has been really tricky because our daughter ( 6 years old) thinks Santa can do anything, and the 2 things she “just knows Santa will bring her” DO NOT EXIST! Yeah, talk about a Googling fool! I finally had to quiz her on her wish list, asking her where in the world Santa would such toys (meaning which commercial did she see), and she says, “Uh, Momma, he makes them!” Geez!

    Reply
    1. Adrienne

      OMG! Crystal, I went through the SAME thing this year. I was so stressed out about it, but I found one of the items on amazon from some random seller who was more than happy to rip me off! I can’t even think about how much I paid for said item, but I don’t care. I had to have! what is your little girl asking for? I hope you find her what she’s looking for!

      Reply
      1. Crystal

        LOL! My daughter wants a remote control van, that she’s never seen, but she knows she would love it and play with it every day. I’ve talked until I’m blue in the face, trying to figure out what kind of van she thinks she wants. I actually opted for a truck, and I think Santa will leave a note telling her that he thought she would like the truck much better than the van. LOL! The other thing she asked for was a talking Biscuit (the dog from the childrens books). One day I asked “I wonder where Santa would find a talking Biscuit?”, and she says, “Uh Momma, Santa can make it!”. Well duh! What was I thinking! LOL!

        Reply
  15. Melissa @ Completely Eclipsed

    I’m a mean mom, but it has very little to do with Santa, it just comes naturally ????

    Reply
    1. Adrienne

      LOL!! That would make for a mean mom! Krimping? What were we thinking??

      Reply
  16. hollow tree ventures

    We do this stuff, too! Plus there’s evidence I give my kids other neurosis, like the time we put out Reindeer Food twice because my son was afraid the placement of the first batch would have the reindeer coming in too low over the driveway and their hooves might scratch the car.

    Reply
  17. Crystal

    Haha, I LOVE this post!!!

    Love this blog too. I just found my way here somehow and LOVe it!!!

    Reply
    1. Adrienne

      Glad you like the post, Crystal! Hilary has a great place here, doesn’t she? So glad she let me come over and play. ????

      Reply

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