Friday, December 07, 2012
Children
Christmas
Kids
Santa Claus
Tips
10 Tips to Make Children Believe in Santa Claus
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Do your children still believe in Santa Claus? My 9 year old son still does and my youngest who is aged 2 now recognizes who Santa Claus is. Christmas is almost synonymous to Santa Claus and is definitely our children's season.
Looking back, I stopped believing in Santa as early as five years old when I caught my mom hiding Santa's gift for me in her closet. Christmases after that was not too exciting as it was when I was still waiting for Santa's gift at midnight or staying up late to try to catch him walk through our door. But that feeling was sparked once again when I had my first child. It's now my turn to do the conspiracy-secret-mission with the rest of the household members to keep the magic alive.
As parents, we become more creative and more resourceful in coming up with stories about Santa Claus and doing all tricks we could think of to convince them that he is real as long as we can. So how do I keep my eldest child still believing in Santa Claus?
- Introduce Santa Claus. As early as 2 years old, when they are at their most curious stage and are sponges for learning new things, you may introduce Santa Claus already through pictures, decors and story books.
- Hang Christmas Stockings, Fill it up. When December 1 arrives, stockings with the children's names are already hung on our door. You may do the same and put treats every night when the kids are soundly asleep. Keep them excited every morning when they wake up by finding what treats Santa Claus left them! Never get caught! That's 24 nights in a row before Christmas day!
- Ask children to write Santa Claus a letter. Ask the children to think of what they really really want to receive from Santa Claus for Christmas. I usually ask them to put three wishes or options so that if any in that list is not available or is too expensive, you know what else you could buy.
- Plan with household members. Yes you've planned it all perfectly but forgot to tell the other members to keep a hush hush! That's a no-no! Conspire with the rest and ask not to spoil the secret about Santa Claus' identity.
- Shop alone for Santa's gift a few days before Christmas. Never bring the kids with you when shopping for their gifts - form Santa Claus - you don't want them to find out easily that it was you all along! Set another schedule for shopping for your children's gifts and make sure you call home to keep the kids busy with something else, before coming home.
- Hide loot in a very secured place. This is very tricky. This was also the reason why I found out early on that Santa Claus was my parents. After shopping and arriving home while kids are away or busy (because you called and conspired with yaya or lolo to keep them away so they won't see you) first thing to do is to hide their gift in a place you know they wouldn't snoop. Somewhere not reachable or dark.
- Specially wrap Santa's gift. I don't use same gift wrapper as I did with the other gifts. I use a pattern paper or a simple brown paper with ribbon so they won't suspect that the wrapper is the same as those you bought from the department or book store.
- Change the handwriting. If you're right-handed, use your left hand in writing Santa Claus' message on their gifts. Make sure it's very different from your handwriting. When they get older, it's harder to trick them, so do this perfectly or imperfectly.
- Be ready with a bunch of creative stories. In case you are close to getting caught or you are actually caught, make sure you create cute stories about Santa that would bring back your children's belief in him. I was almost caught bringing in the gifts myself from where I hid them outside. When I saw my eldest. I said "I almost caught Santa! I just saw his back and because he's afraid I'll see him, he immediately left the gifts here outside!" That story worked out so fine that my son tells his classmates about me, almost catching Santa Claus.
- Be excited as your children. As parents, nothing brings us so much joy than seeing our children happy! When they are excited, feel excited, be a kid and be as crazy as you can get! When your children see you giddy excited, they wouldn't have a hint at all that it was you all along!
As parents it's our duty to make the the season one of the most memorable events in their lives. Let's establish a Christmas tradition so that when they become parents themselves, they will do the same for their children and share how happy their memories of Santa Claus were when they were still younger.
What are your crazy tricks in making Santa Claus alive in your children's world?
*Photo Credit: AlmightyDad.com
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22 comments
Wow! This is a whole production! I salute you for your effort... this is one way of showing real love to the kids!
ReplyDeleteThank you @google-7f5e636c2793f6a73f30f8c1b9e7e1b6:disqus ! It's indeed hard work to keep Santa alive in my 9yo son's heart! :)
ReplyDeleteMy daughter who was around ten found a receipt of their Christmas gifts. She was like "duh, Santa shops at SM Baguio?" so, dont make kalat your resibos!
ReplyDeleteLouise, what should you do pala if your child finds out through the internet that Santa is not real (hehe)?When my daughter found out the resibo pala, I made a creative excuse e, kaya she still believed, but two years ago, when she was fourteen and I told her to tell her little brother who was around 5 that time to tell him Sanita is real, she was like "Sabi na nga ba Santa is not real e". Dami disappointment ng adolescents ano? She also found out she won't get her letter from Hogwarts when she turned 12 even if she waited for her owl.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips. My son knows Santa but I don't tell him who really is he. Hehe.
ReplyDeleteMommy Maye
www.momaye.com
Hahaha! Cute naman ng daughter mo @disqus_irdOYPBa4b:disqus . But there was an instance, just recently, when my son told me that they discussed Santa Claus. His classmates were convincing him that Santa is not real. He told them that HE IS! My mommy saw his back one time that's why he left his gifts outside! Naku, I'm very careful talaga wag mabuko. :)
ReplyDeleteLouise, I mentioned your Santa post in my blog cuz it is very helpful talaga. You know what, I found an interactive video which will make your son firmly believe in Santa. Eto yung link-PortableNorthPole.com - Homepage
ReplyDeleteI think I should be playing Santa soon. I remember my days when my brother and I believed in Santa Claus and very happy to see chocolate coins inside our Christmas stockings. :)
ReplyDeleteMe and my brother received gifts from Santa Claus when we were kids. ^^ I don't know how my parents made me believe in Santa Claus. I guess school and the mass media had a lot to do with it.
ReplyDeleteWow!!! Thanks so much @disqus_irdOYPBa4b:disqus for sharing my post in your blog. I will check that site. The other day, I put an apple in his Christmas stocking. When he got it and smelled it (because the apple was ripe and red) he said, this is different from any other apples! Santa gave me an original apple! This is special! He didn't want to eat it sana. Maybe he was planning to preserve it pa! hahaha! :)
ReplyDeleteThat maybe true @twitter-6451042:disqus ! Influenced by mass media and school! :)
ReplyDeleteHurray for Christmas stockings! I never had those when I was younger. That's why I'm doing it now for my kids. Thanks for visiting @disqus_U34QIx4U2a:disqus ! :)
ReplyDeleteWith all the information about having a Santa or no Santa, those are great tips on making them believe. My kids actually believe in Santa because I found a site that gave video messages from Santa. (portablenorthpole.com). I made videos for them through that site and let them watch it.
ReplyDeleteI currently don't have any children but I do have nieces and nephews that still believe in Santa. We try and make sure that we make a big deal about Santa Claus, even up to him sending "naughty letters" if the children are misbehaved
ReplyDeleteI cant remember how long I believed in Santa as a kid but I want to make sure my daughter will believe in Santa. I am gladyou made ths list!
ReplyDeleteHi @disqus_tWJrg3bYZd:disqus hahaha! Unfortunately I didn't. It was fun though. hahaha!
ReplyDeleteThanks too that you appreciate this list. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's great @disqus_3fm2lvurva:disqus ! Keep Santa alive in the hearts of the children. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, I can't remember my kids ever believing Santa as somebody else aside from a parent or a relative playing santa. LOL Still they are excited about Santa Claus. Your suggestions are very good, too. :) Merry Christmas to all of you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Meikah! :) Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family too! :)
ReplyDeleteSo my decor just sat in my living room for days. Lifeless.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.christmaslightsandmore.com/
This is just perfect share about "Santa" ,.i really like your share about "Santa" ,..
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog and leaving your wonderful comment!