I don't tell my kids about Santa Claus, I don't want to lie to them. I think that since we try to teach them everyday not to lie to us, why should I lie to them about something as silly as Santa Claus. I've heard many, many people tell me that I'm crazy and it's a speacial part of childhood to believe in Santa but why lie to them? I would never want them to question me about anything. I tell them the absolute truth about everything.

Wow, what a buzzkill. Anyway, we've ordered letters directly from Santa in Rovaniemi, Finland. He writes in several different languages and the envelope is post marked from the Arctic Circle/North Pole. It was really cool and the kids loved it. :santa:

we have a town in indiana called santa claus and they get letters every christmas to get the special postmark from there.

Eek! I hope you don't plan on spoiling it for everybody else's kids, like some people who love the brutal honesty are wont to do.

Sounds like great ideas, Lil and Twink!

I love this idea!!

Cute. My daughter being older would not fall for it; my son however, hook, line & sinker!

emailsanta.com is also a good site for kids. You get a letter back immediately and it's personalized. It has lots of games on the site too.

This is cute. I know Canada Post answers the letters to Santa and even personalizes them. Last year my niece sent Santa a picture and who ever answered it made sure to thank her for it.

we did this a few years ago and my younger 2 loved it! since my oldest is severely autistic the younger 2 have had more than enough brutal honesty. childhood should be a time when children are able to be carefree and imagine anything.

as far as being totally honest with little children that's absurd. when you serve dinner do you announce how the cows were killed? who picked the fruit?

it's not appropriate to burden children with everything. are you going to tell them that fat girls are brutalized throughout life and that if they aren't pretty that's a strike against them everywhere they go? that the rich control the world? how about our our oil got under their sand then next time you fill up at the pump?

ohh I sent letters to Santa when I was young. But my parents didn't have to pay extra or anything because it was a normal stamped letter addressed to Santa whose address was given by Canada Post! And it said it was from north pole. Even today, I remember that the postal code was HOH OHO lol

I loved believing in santa!!! It was so fun and I have so many good childhood memories.

IF THEY ASK A QUESTION, I ANSWER IT WITH THE THRUTH! If they ask about their dinner, I'll tell them, (which I already have). If they ask about where a baby comes from, I'm going to tell them, not tell them some stupid lie about storks and any of that nonsense. Santa is a LIE, plain and simple. It's not about being carefree as a kid, it's about my kids trusting in me and everything I say to them. They know that other parents tell their kids about Santa and not to say anything to them.

This is a cute service. My son is 5 and still believs in Santa. It may be a lie but to our family celebrating the holidays and writing letters to Santa, leaving cookies and carrots out on Christmas Eve are fun and time honored traditions. I would never want to take the fun out of it for my children (or Myself). Blair Bear you may not lie to your kids but don't you think your taking the fun out of it for them. It's nice to have a little mystery very now and then.

What mystery? They open their presents on Christmas day just like every one else. They don't know what their gifts are until they open them. The only difference is, they know why really gave it to them.

Eh, I guess to each his own. But to parents who are considering whether or not to bring the magic of Santa into their children's lives, here's a story...

When we were little, my uncle used to climb up on the roof and shake bells so we knew Santa was coming. We had no idea it was him, of course, and I still remember running off to bed absolutely giddy with excitement over the magic of it all. When I found out about Santa, one of the first things I asked was - well, what about the bells? Finding out that my uncle had thought to climb up on the roof every Christmas, made me feel so special and so loved. It in no way shook my trust in him. To think I thought he was lying just seems absurd. To this day it's one of my fondest memories of him and how much he loved us.

So, never fear future parents. At about age 4, kids start to learn the difference between pretend and lies. And, it's an important distinction for them to learn. They will not doubt everything you say just because they learn Santa is just pretend. At least they won't until their teenagers, when they'll start to doubt and disagree with everything you say just on principle.

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Since my neices were little, we've done this with my dad playing Santa...we mailed letters to "Santa" (suprizingly the kids usually wanted to ask questions about what flying reindeer eat and how long it takes to eat 10 cookies than questions about presents) - and "Santa" would reply. They LOVED it...and I can't wait to do it with my daughter, she's two this year and she's already working on coloring a picture to mail to Santa. It's lots of fun, and grandpa really gets into it! He loves to be such a sentimental part of the holidays - and I can't imagine Christmas without his letters now!

i would think a child would feel kind of left out having to answer the questions from their friends about what they got from santa with "nothing".

my mom died this year, so for the first time i guess i won't have a gift under the tree from "santa". she always wrote the cards from different givers, pets, a favorite doll, etc. i do that with my girls too and they enjoy it. they also get gifts from their severely disabled sister. obviously the sister didn't shop for it or buy it, but it's kind of the ceremony and the wish that she could.

nope, can't alwys go with the cold hard facts. i need a little sugar coating

I still remember sending letters to Santa and receiving personalized letters in return. Love Canada Post! They do it for free!
Santa Claus
North Pole
H0H 0H0