Apparently, there are two kinds of people in this world. There are those (such as my husband) who were devastated when they found out that Santa Claus wasn’t real and those (me) who wish they hadn’t figured it out so soon. I would like to carry on the tradition of Santa with Violet, but I am running into some resistance from Aaron. I don’t want to use Santa as a disciplinary tool and I will not be forcing my screaming child to have her picture taken with the smelly mall Santa. I just want to give her the magic. I want her to feel the unbearable anticipation of Christmas Eve. What is there to look forward to if you know that the presents are already hidden somewhere in the house? I want her to wonder how he got down our blocked off chimney and to imagine that she hears reindeer on the roof. The difference between a pro-Santa parent and an anti-Santa parent is simple; optimism vs. pessimism. I believe that Violet will grow up knowing that we didn’t LIE to her. We told her a wonderful story that lasted as long as the cruel world would let it.
