This post is sponsored by Scholastic. However, personal experience and enthusiasm about the Love, Santa book are all my own.
When my little girl came to live with me at the age seven, when I first became her legal guardian, she believed in Santa Claus. Since then, I take full responsibility for keeping her in the dark about who Santa really is. Last holiday season when some of her classmates told her that Santa wasn’t real, I pacified her by saying they were just being mean. I didn’t feel great about lying to her, but I also didn’t want to take from her all the magic that Santa brings to Christmas. Telling kids the truth about Santa Claus is tricky business. Now that she’s in the fourth grade, she is bound to start believing what the kids at school have to say about Santa Claus, so I’ve gotten ahead of it by reading the book Love, Santa by Martha Brockenbrough with her.
Explaining the truth about Santa without destroying the magic of the season is harder than you might realize. Love, Santa is a wonderful tool to help parents explain the truth about Santa Claus when the time comes for that conversation with your children.
The book follows a little girl named Lucy throughout early childhood, as she forms a heartwarming relationship with Santa by exchanging letters with him each Christmas. The letters start out as what you would expect from a child. Lucy tells Santa what gifts she desires. She also asks about the North Pole and Mrs. Claus, and inquires about Santa’s favorite cookies. Kids will love that they can actually hold and read Lucy’s and Santa’s letters.
The book’s beautiful artwork, Illustrated by Lee White, includes interactive letters that you can take out and read. The letters are tucked into envelopes that are adhered to pages of the book.
One year, when Lucy is a little older, she writes a letter to her mother instead: Mom, are you Santa?
The response that her mother gives is perfect, and in all honesty much better than what I could have come up with myself. Her mother responds to say that no, she is not Santa. Because Santa is bigger than any one person — we bring him out through kindness to one another and the power of imagination. She further explains that parents help Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible.
Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness.
If I had just told my little girl that there is no Santa, I know without a doubt that she would be devastated. This explanation that Santa is the spirit of Christmas, and that parents are the ones who wrap the gifts to put under the tree was just enough of a truth for her to handle.
If it’s nearing time for you to have that conversation with your child to explain the truth about Santa Claus, I highly recommend reading this book together first.
Love, Santa is beautifully written and illustrated, but more than that it contains beautiful message and gentle way of getting through the turning point of how a child celebrates Christmas.
You can find Love, Santa in stores now. Recommended for parents and kids ages 6-11 (for telling the truth about Santa).
How do you explain Santa to your children?
My son was 5 when he figured out Santa wasn’t real. However he knew how much I loved Christmas so to this day at age 17 he still pretends to believe.
I hope I have a few years until I have to deal with this but I love the idea of a book. It’s so much better than letting the kids on the school bus ruin happy memories
I like the idea of this book. In answer to your question to us readers – I never taught my kids about Santa Claus. We had little money and I couldn’t afford a gift from me and Santa most years during their “Santa” age, so I just didn’t do it. Neither I nor they feel like they missed out on the magic.
I love the idea of this book! It sounds so lovely and perfect for explaining the season to the kids.
We are still in the believe stage with my boys. I am dreading the day that I need this book, but I am glad to know this is out there!
My son told me knew U was Santa when he was 10. Now he is a father of a 7 year old boy. He has been wondering how to deal with the big “Is there really a Santa?” question from his own son. This book will be perfect. Thank you so much for sharing!.
Right now I’ve got 4 older kids and two who still believe in Santa. I wish this book was around when my older kids were at that age where they questioned me about Santa. Will definitely recommend to friends who have kids of that age.
I’m so glad you found such a wonderful book to help break the news to your daughter while still keeping the magic of the holiday alive. Though we don’t celebrate Christmas, I can imagine how important it is to be gentle while presenting the truth about Santa to your children. Hope this holiday season is full of joy and warmth!
I am never going to reveal to my jids5this truth. My husband teaches the kids about Santa and saint Nicholas
This is brilliant! I’m going to have to remember this book for whenever I have kids (in the very distant future).