Totally agree. I did not lie to my kids. I told them, “Santa is for fun; Jesus is for real.” Then I always wrapped “Santa” gifts for them, and they were “in” on the joke from the beginning. There was never a crisis of belief, we joked about “Believe” and hearing the silver bell (Polar Express), etc. The Tooth Fairy was the Tooth Troll (who always had the cash—their dad). Easter Bunny was never mentioned since that is a genuinely sacred day for Christianity, but they always got a basket with nice things. They are grown now and I have no regrets.
My dad always said that if he said something 3 times, it was not a joke. Well, he said Santa was real 3 times and I never trusted him fully after that. That was my own experience that guided my decision as a parent.
Totally agree. I did not lie to my kids. I told them, “Santa is for fun; Jesus is for real.” Then I always wrapped “Santa” gifts for them, and they were “in” on the joke from the beginning. There was never a crisis of belief, we joked about “Believe” and hearing the silver bell (Polar Express), etc. The Tooth Fairy was the Tooth Troll (who always had the cash—their dad). Easter Bunny was never mentioned since that is a genuinely sacred day for Christianity, but they always got a basket with nice things. They are grown now and I have no regrets.
My dad always said that if he said something 3 times, it was not a joke. Well, he said Santa was real 3 times and I never trusted him fully after that. That was my own experience that guided my decision as a parent.
Great ideas! Love the “tooth troll”!