https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 05 May 2026 18:30:43 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2397584 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 20:17:18 +0000 Autumnmama79 2397584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A big YES to Santa!! Childhood is a such a short but magical time, I love sharing every part of that magic with LO :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2397576 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 20:08:54 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2397576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents "did" Santa, in that we got some gifts from him and some from them. They attempted fake handwriting and they stuffed our stockings late at night after we went to sleep. They never threatened us or made us think he was watching. I don't remember when I found out he wasn't real, and that might be because I was always skeptical. I remember loving the idea and playing along with it (I have two younger brothers) for years. In fact, I'm pretty sure my parents still sign one or two gifts from Santa. DW grew up with similar traditions, so I figure we will do the same with our kids. We are not religious. I think it's a nice balance. To us, Christmas is about giving, family, and a magical time of year. This is what I want our kids to believe in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2397422 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 16:47:55 +0000 PawPrints 2397422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We really don't want to ever lie to her. But we'll discuss Santa in the context of a fun game we all play. </p> <p>We are undecided on how hard-core we're going to be in how we present this to relatives. Like, if Grandma says "What do you want Santa to bring you" and LO says "Santa isn't real" I don't know how big of a thing we are interested in making out of it. I find usually it's better to let things slide so we'll see how it goes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2397417 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 16:43:14 +0000 sunny 2397417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are approaching it the same as @mediagirl. </p> <p>I'm from an immigrant family but my mom and dad embraced this tradition. My mom said she bought the tree the year I was born and she put presents under the tree "From Santa" every year that I could remember. I was also asked not to spoil it for my little brother once I figured it out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2397415 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 16:40:07 +0000 Raindrop 2397415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Totally in the same boat. My parents didn't understand Santa at all but they tried... we use to get presents from Santa on x-mas eve and x-mas!! My parents didn't know which day he came. Hahaha. We didn't complain. </p> <p>I think you still have a lot of time to figure this!! </p> <p>My LO is almost 4 and he's just starting to ask about Santa, we talk about it but I don't think he gets it. We will probably have one present from Santa but I don't think he will understand since he's getting presents from a lot of people that aren't going to be physically with us on x-mas. I plan to explain more if he asks. This year I don't think we will leave cookies and milk out but I was thinking maybe later on we will. We don't have a fireplace so I'm not sure what to say about that either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2397207 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 14:24:13 +0000 mauxie 2397207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes! I actually did have Santa as a kid, did the cookies, etc, but my parents (also immigrants) didn't go overboard with the whole "Santa's watching" / good behavior = presents. It was fun and I have fond memories of it. I even remember when I figured out he wasn't "real" and thought it was nice that my parents did it for me/my sis. </p> <p>DH did not do Santa and doesn't really care, either way haha.</p> <p>We do read books about Santa, visit him at the mall, sing/talk about him, etc, but we are also Christian so I don't want to push the Santa stuff a lot. I'm not a big fan of Elf on the Shelf and the behavior control aspect of it.</p> <p>At the same time, I don't want LO (3) to go blabbing to her friends that he's not real. So far, we are just doing it casual and she thinks of him more like a character. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2397066 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 13:00:52 +0000 Bao 2397066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artsyfartsy: that's ok! It's not for everyone :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2397047 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 12:51:58 +0000 youboots 2397047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not sure how we will handle it. Diet Santa I think. We took her to get photos with Santa, this will likely be the only year. But we won't give gifts from Santa, my in laws will and I don't really care enough to fight them on it. I think we will shop for stocking together like I did with my Mom. Mostly I'll let her guide us- we have a few years. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2397028 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 12:41:48 +0000 Ms. RV 2397028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Undecided. I want to keep Christmas religious but OH insists on Santa. We are trying to figure out a good combination between Saint Nicholas and Santa. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396972 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 12:08:57 +0000 Anagram 2396972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs.shinerbock: yeah, it was always so interesting in my old school where more than half the student population came from Mexico and Central America, where Los Tres Reyes Magos bring the gifts in January, haha. And then the other half have Santa Dec. 25th, and you definitely have kids asking why they aren't getting gifts on the other day! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396932 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 11:46:14 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2396932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: In Colombia, Baby Jesus brings the gifts.</p> <p>We will do Santa, but not in a "he's watching your every move" kind of way. I grew up believing in Santa, but not religious at all. DH grew up very Catholic and in a culture that doesn't have Santa, but where Baby Jesus brought gifts to the kids. I think we have settled on Santa is Baby Jesus's helper in the US and one of them brings kids a present during the night. (We need to have explanations for both cultures since we alternate years in the US and Colombia.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396827 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:54:20 +0000 Anagram 2396827@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband isn't American or Christian, and my family was super super super rightwing religious growing up (focusing on baby Jesus at Christmas), so neither of us believed in Santa growing up. So we'll probably just continue that--we take LO for Santa pics, because it's adorable, but she thinks of Santa as anything else--Mickey Mouse or Elsa or any character. We haven't explicitly told her he's real or not--I think she's too young to get it anyway, </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396789 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:35:14 +0000 artsyfartsy 2396789@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: I think the idea is so cute! I debated on doing it because I know finding him would be fun for LO every morning, but ultimately it's just not my thing. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396782 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:31:36 +0000 regberadaisy 2396782@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artsyfartsy: yes, his face is creepy to us too!</p> <p>@Finfan: songs &amp; daycare! They've been singing a lot of holiday songs at school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396774 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:27:21 +0000 Finfan 2396774@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My oldest is the same age. I'm not sure exactly where she even heard of Santa (TV? kids at preschool? My inlaws?) but she loved talking to him at the mall and points him out in Christmas decorations we pass. We have been following her lead and she really hasn't asked any questions about how he gets to so many houses or anything. Next year we will probably get that though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396773 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:26:41 +0000 twodoghouse 2396773@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We haven't decided exactly how we will handle it, since they are only 1.5. We see Santa and talk about Santa, but I think it will be a very non-literal version. He will not be sneaking into our house or watching the kids while they sleep. I think we'll do more of "Santa is the spirit of giving!" Which is what my ILs did for DH and his brother. That's likely to change, but we will choose what feels right for us when our kids are older! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396768 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:25:28 +0000 Bao 2396768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artsyfartsy: I think our elf is adorable, actually! My girls LOVE him, first thing they do when they wake up is look for him :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396763 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:22:39 +0000 regberadaisy 2396763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artsyfartsy: haah yes, the little snitch! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396761 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:22:06 +0000 artsyfartsy 2396761@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: I think the idea is cute and finding the Elf every morning looks fun for the kids...but the whole, "Elf is watching your every move and telling Santa on you" and all the work involved (my elf would end up in the same place for a week haha) turns me off.</p> <p>And he's got that weird, vintage, creepy face that I don't like. Haha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396755 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:20:52 +0000 regberadaisy 2396755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: awww :heart: if DD decided to believe of her own volition I will definitely play along!!</p> <p>@ineebee: haha I would have a heart attack! I'm not ready for that question yet. My daughter can be very literal at times and she would totally be the one (unintentionally) shattering a little kids dream about the existence of Santa. LOL</p> <p>@artsyfartsy: Elf on the shelf is legit creepy to us. That one is a definitive no! :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396724 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:14:33 +0000 ineebee 2396724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm totally with you!! As a kid, I knew about Santa and liked the idea, but I wasn't obsessed. I don't even remember "finding out" that Santa wasn't real, so it probably wasn't a big deal to me. I don't want to deprive DS (9mo) of Santa because it's fun! It's a part of childhood! But I don't want to make it a whole big thing, partly because I'm also not a huge fan of Christmas being so much about presents either. </p> <p>So I think we'll just go along with things and let him observe Santa traditions and try to evade his questions about Santa. But if he ever asks point-blank "Is Santa real?" I have no idea what we'll say! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396712 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:08:49 +0000 artsyfartsy 2396712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>He's not quite 2 yet so we haven't introduced him to Santa at all so far. We will probably do Santa, but I just don't want to push it. Like @mediagirl: said! No Elf on the Shelf or anything. I'm not even sure if Santa will bring ALL of his presents. Maybe just that one thing he wants most and can ask Santa for and Mom and Dad get everything else. And of course we'll make cookies and leave them out for Santa. That was my favorite part as a kid.</p> <p>I have another year to think about it. :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396707 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:04:42 +0000 BananaPancakes 2396707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband's family hard-core did Santa and I don't recall ever believing, so we have different ideas about Santa. I treat it like we're pretending, and he wants to take it a bit more seriously because kids are little for such a short time. But I grew up in a poor rural area and no one really believed because a lot of kids presents only came from people who adopted families or charities. So I just have a really different outlook on it all. It's sucks when a kid thinks that they're not good enough because their parents couldn't afford to have "Santa" bring them what they wanted. I think we've come to an understanding this year, where Santa just brings one present that he can specifically ask him for, and then he asks us for the rest. I think we're just going to let it play out however it does and not worry too much about it. I don't think it's a big deal in the whole scheme of things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396706 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:04:16 +0000 Adira 2396706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Yes! I agree! :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396705 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:03:21 +0000 mediagirl 2396705@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do Santa. Santa is not watching your ever move, though. Kids should be good because they want to please their mom and dad. Not because some creepy fat guy in a red suit is watching them. I want Santa to be fun! And he is. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396702 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 10:00:33 +0000 Adira 2396702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're doing Santa, but we don't do threats. My parents never really threatened me with being good or Santa wouldn't bring me presents, despite knowing all about his nice and naughty list. I was always under the impression you had to do something truly awful to end up on Santa's naughty list and run of the mill bad behavior wasn't it! But we'll be doing gifts from Santa and hyping up Santa magic, just because it's fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396687 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 09:52:45 +0000 lamariniere 2396687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't do Santa at home, but approach it more as a school thing since St. Nicholas comes to visit them at school. We've talked about how it's just a story, like dragons or fairies, but my son still wants to believe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-undecided-on-whether-theyre-doing-santa-yet#post-2396684 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 09:49:17 +0000 regberadaisy 2396684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I grew up in a Chinese immigrant family so we never really "did" Santa growing up. "Christmas" in general was very different for me as a child. DH grew up in a atypical American household. He believed in Santa as a kid, was told to be good or Santa wouldn't bring him presents, etc etc.</p> <p>DD1 is 3.5 and I/we are still undecided on how far we plan to take Santa. Obviously, she knows "who" he is. We've taken her to get Santa pictures. He comes to daycare to visit the kids. He's in holiday songs, her friends talk about him etc etc. When she talks about him, we respond but do not elaborate. He's not going to be completely absent from our holidays. But I'm not sure if I want to push the whole "be good or Santa won't bring you a present". I'm just not sure if I want to dive 110% into Santa with leaving cookies out etc. You better be a good girl or no presents from Santa!</p> <p>I'm just really not sure and will take it a year at a time and take cues from her. I think there are many ways the season can still be magical even if we don't dive head first into Santa! :)</p> <p>Anyone else in a similar boat? </p>