Hellobee Boards

We are not religious and kind of half do secular Christmas due to family influence (neither family is religious either). I frame the presents discussion the same as you, that parents and family members give presents because we/they love the LOs and it’s a time of year when people show appreciation and generosity. Santa is not real and just a fun character at school and the mall (and my LOs know not to ruin it for kids who believe). We also donate gifts through school, so my LOs help pick presents for our sponsored children, and I reiterate how we have so much and some children have nothing (we live in a developing country, so the wealth disparity is very stark). Ultimately, I think you can make the holiday season about what you value, whether it be in terms of religion, or just a time to show appreciation/generosity in the form of gift-giving and time shared together.

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I think you explained it just fine for your kid and incorporated your religious views. He accepted it and seemed satisfied and he’s still little.

My kids haven’t asked much about Christmas and they don’t question why they get presents, they just like them. Haha. We’re not religious at all and we do incorporate Santa, but just for little stocking presents as that’s how I grew up. All the other presents come from parents and family and we told our oldest last year that Christmas is a time to celebrate with your family and be together so that’s mainly what we’re focusing on as the reason for the holiday/ gifts/ special dinners.

I did grow up going to Catholic schools even though my family isn’t at all, just the way it worked out for where we live, so I learned about the religious aspect of the major holidays in school.

We are Jesus people (sounds weird but I don't like saying religious), but my 4 year old this past Christmas was definitely WAY more into Santa and the whole shebang than I'd like her to be, but can't really help it since she's in pre-k and knows all the things

No idea if I am doing it right, but besides reading books and make sure we talk about what Christmas means to us, I don't go out of my way to encourage OR disprove Santa. So I go along with her Santa stuff to a degree as we would any make believe. I put my focus on creating traditions and memories around celebrating Jesus' birth.

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: haha! He’s just very inquisitive. Even about the good stuff. I find a lot of questions revolve around negative things and often good things aren’t questioned so it’s interesting to hear this conversation from your little guy.

My kid has been asking and talking a lot about death and illness recently.