Christmas is a magical time of the year. The joy and spirit of the holidays is even more amplified with children in the home. If you have children and celebrate Christmas, the odds are pretty high that Santa is ever present in your home come December. But what if your child is getting a bit older? Are you starting to question when a child should stop believing in Santa?
It can be a hard decision for parents to make… let their child believe and hold onto that magic or not tell and risk them finding out by someone at school, the bus, or anywhere else outside the home. What should parents do?
What Age Should a Child Stop Believing in Santa?
Santa is a concept standing in for the true meaning of Christmas – – love, kindness, and generosity. It’s thinking of others first and foremost. Santa is a concept about giving to others.
If your child believes in Santa, there is no set age when he/she should know who is really putting those gifts under the tree. You can however, take cues from your child. If he/she starts asking questions, don’t just rattle off the first thing that pops in your head. Really listen to the question. If you child is between the ages of 7 and 10, the chances are they are starting to view their world with more logic and the logistics of Santa’s one night magic may not make much sense anymore.
It could be one question, it could be dozens, but if your child is questioning, at the very least you should start planning how you want to answer.
How to Tell Your Child About Santa
There are varying reactions a child may experience when learning the truth about Santa. He may feel anger, sadness, hurt, or deceived. Alternatively, he/she may feel relieved to be let in on the big reveal. What’s important is to provide your child with a safe space to go through these emotions, however big or small, and not dictate how they should feel, or for how long.
Only you know your child best, and it’ll be up to you to decide when is the best time to tell your child about Santa: The Christmas season is about the spirit of generosity. Santa represents that spirit of kindness, giving and generosity.
Santa represents caring, thoughtfulness and giving to others – – – he isn’t just one man flying over the world. He is every man, woman and child who loves, cares, and gives to others. Santa represents everyone who thinks of others with a kind heart, caring and compassion.
One of the best ways to help your child through this transition is to enlist his/her help this season in being Santa for someone else. It could be in helping to shop for siblings, wrapping gifts, baking treats for neighbors, or volunteering (shelter, food bank, animal shelter, babysitting for a sibling, etc.) to name a few.
If you have younger kids, the big kids can also help be a Santa to their sibling by going along with the Santa tradition. He/she can help put out the cookies on Christmas Eve and still sit on Santa’s lap when the family visits.
It’s important to remind your child that even though they stopped believing in Santa, the traditions in your home will remain the same. The spirit of Christmas doesn’t change. While the notion of Santa has shifted, what he represents remains the same. Giving.
The Truth About Santa
Big emotions are natural when a child learns the truth about Santa. Give them time. Listen to them. To their worries, their hurt, and their sadness. Your job is to be a safe place for these emotions. Be there for them.
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