Should a child be told that Santa is real?

[Frustratedlady]

71. Answer honestly, but lovingly when they ask.

As a great-grandmother, I have gone through many "awakenings" over the past 50 years. It has been fun and quite an experience to watch the children go from anticipation to awareness in too few years.

Each Christmas Eve, the children have waited for Santa's stomping and "Ho, Ho, Ho'g" as he dropped his bag of toys on our deck. To see their eyes widen, watch them cling to each other in excitement (and, probably a touch of group-induced fear) has been an experience for not only the little ones, but their parents and grandparents.

Last year was the end of that tradition, but although I had announced I would no longer be able to have Christmas Eve since the family had grown in leaps and bounds, some of my grandchildren came forth and asked if I'd make an exception for them since Christmas Eve at Grandma's was the only one they'd ever known. Of course, all are welcome if that's the reason.

This year, at least two of my great-grandchildren are at the threshold, but clinging to the belief there is a Santa. I made the "mistake" of telling them a few years back when they stopped in for a visit that they had just missed Santa...he'd stopped by for breakfast and a report on how my great-grandchildren were doing this year. The eldest, a girl, was quiet about that bit of information, but her brother's eyes grew huge and I could tell he must have just gotten in trouble about something...nothing new with him as he was a Tom Sawyer and proud of it. From then on, he'd send his sister in my back door to check to see if Santa was here before he'd enter.

Last summer, his family was heading down the highway when he saw a vanity license plate with "Santa" on the car ahead. He went ballistic and urged his mother to pass the car so he could see what Santa looked like. She finally did so and there was an elderly man with a full white beard chugging along the highway. He's now 10 and you couldn't convince him there is no Santa if you tried. His sister is now 12 and she privately believes in Santa and doesn't get involved in conversations about Santa with her peers. She just believes and thinks believing is beautiful...not to mention that you get more gifts as long as you believe.

So, we let the kids believe as long as they want. If they ask, we say that we believe since he's such a jolly old soul and fun to believe in, but it's also OK if you don't believe. Just not as much fun. They gradually go from pressing their noses to the window to see Rudolph's red nose in the sky (planes) to encouraging the younger ones to do the same. It has become a natural transition from childhood to teenage and every darned one of the kids have turned out to be sensitive, loving and generous in helping others.

Santa and I are awfully proud of each and every child...young or grown.