A Letter To Santa

Note: This post is for adults and parents ONLY. No kids allowed beyond this point.

It may not surprise those who know our family to know that we aren’t big “Santa tradition” pushers. Mostly because Ryan doesn’t care and I tend to down play that kind of thing. A huge pet peeve I have is parents who say “behave or Santa won’t bring you a present!” I hate that kind of parental manipulation, for manipulation is what it is. My parents always downplayed Santa, and I honestly never remember “believing,” although I loved the tradition of going to bed early and waiting for Santa to come. (Although, apparently, my unbelief did spoil it for my sister. Sorry, Jen.)

Nevertheless, I’ve been excited for Paul to enjoy the traditions of Christmas this year. He’s finally at an age to imagine and anticipate.

So it came as a surprise that, starting a few weeks ago, Paul would say “I don’t like Santa Claus” every once in a while. Apparently, he thinks Santa is “grumpy.” I bought some Santa wrapping paper, and this might be to blame. I don’t think he’s grumpy looking, but I’m not three years old.

His preschool class and his friends must have been talking about Santa, and his impending visit. Anyway, today at the store we bought presents for his cousins. I explained that we’d have to wait for Christmas day to give the presents. He became visibly upset.

“I don’t want Christmas, Mommy. I don’t want Santa to come.”

“!!! Why?!”

“Because Santa is grumpy. I don’t like Santa.”

“Okay…you don’t want Santa to come at all?”

“No. I don’t want Christmas.”

I thought for a little bit.

“What if we tell Santa not to come? What if we write him a letter?”

He immediately brightened. In the car on the way home, I explained that there were some kids without any toys, and that’s why they look forward to Santa coming. He was adamant: he didn’t want more toys from Santa. He wrote a letter aloud in the car on the way home.

I should note that he’s not going to change his mind on Santa. I was humming and then singing “You’d Better Watch Out” a little later and he said, “He’s not coming to my house! I wrote him a letter!”

Here’s the finished product:

If you can’t read the picture, it says this:

“Dear Santa,

You can’t come to my house. Go to the house of some other kids instead.

Thank you!

I have enough toys.

From

Paul”

I had to prompt him to add the “From” line, as he just wanted to end it. “That’s it!” he had said.

I wish I knew this before I bought his presents. Not that I bought a lot, but…

In the end, I think I’m going to give some money to the ward Secret Santa in “Santa’s” behalf for Paul. And then write Paul a letter form Mrs. Claus saying what a special thing he did giving his Christmas to someone else. But no, SANTA himself can’t come to our house this year. Paul has uninvited him!

P.S. Could this be a backlash of the “stranger danger” books we’ve been reading and discussing lately? Personally, it is a bit odd that we tell kids not to talk to strangers and then we let a strange old man come down our chimney each year!

Related posts:

1. Why We Teach Our Children of Santa Claus
2. Early Christmas Festivities