Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. You have the holiday stuffing, the delicious mouth watering Christmas ham, tin cans of sugar cookies and popcorn and of course the smooth and cream egg nog with a spice! There’s always that question that lingers in the air, that leaves a sour taste in my mouth as if I downed a pack of lemon heads (pick some up and you’ll thank me later!). When I am around my children I look after and even my younger nieces and nephews, it’s the most important question that every adult either skillfully avoids or gives a short and sweet answer: is Santa real? Do you believe in Santa?” BOOM!
Do you believe in having your child believe in not just Santa Claus but his reindeers, working Elfs and flying sleigh ride? Here is my truth for all of this and I will be completely blunt and honest with all of my parents, Nannies, Sitters and Dolls.
A child’s imagination is one of the most powerful things that is introduced to them through reading. We have these story books full of witches, ghosts, fairies, princesses and princes slaying dragons that stimulates the minds to think beyond the norm. Do I tell my children I believe in Santa? Not at ALL. Do I tell them he’s not real? Not at ALL. I can only speak for myself and respect the families who provide this imaginary picture for their children and keep it honest with myself. I always get different facial expressions, loud gasping and even received a “shhh! He’s watching you and hearing you say that!” Hilarious. I have never been a fan of Santa Claus and the whole North Pole circus. Seeing a child’s spirit crushed is what really gets to me because everyone has had the news broken to them about something or someone not being at all what they thought it out to be. Let me not forget to tell you that my mother came from Trinidad to the US at the age of 15 years old and was totally heartbroken to see a million Santas walking around the city. In her heart, from since a little girl; Santa was real and that was it.
As parents, I believe that you have a responsibilty to have your child understand what’s make believe and what’s reality. You also have the freedom to bite into cookies, write a pretend note from Santa and ask for a glass of milk to be waiting out for a guy that is nonexistant because, it brings that certain light into your child’s eyes. It gives them this warm feeling of joy, love and excitement for the time when being “Nice” is fully paid off and they are rewarded with the one special thing they’ve been waiting for the entire year. So you might say to yourself “let’em live a little, let their imagination run free” or you just might make it a tradition of family and loved ones sharing special gifts between one another. Whatever the case may be, keep the Christmas spirit alive and enjoy these precious moments while your children or child is young. You will never get those moments back.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
(Photo from: history.com)
Hellodollfacenyc 
