"Is Santa Real?"

This Christmas with the girls being older we have focused on teaching them about Jesus and his birth. They are really starting to understand, and can even explain Christmas to people when they are asked. They are so cute!

We have tried to instill a sense gratitude in them as well. And let them know truly how blessed we are as a family! Mike showed them pictures kids a lot less fortunate then us on the Internet. This helped them see how much we have to be grateful for. Mike had Jane Train sitting up on the desk by him when they were looking at the computer. He pulled her close and said, "would you like to share some of our presents with some kids that don't get any?" She shook her head no. Both me and Mike were a little shocked. She had been so in tune and was taking all of this in. She then said, "Dad, If they don't get any presents from Santa, that is because they have been bad." My little innocent girl didn't understand that "Santa" doesn't visit everyone. How do you explain that to a 5 year old? (Santa only comes to kids with money?)

It really got me thinking back to my childhood. My family didn't always have a lot in the worlds standards. But we were very excited and grateful for what we did have! But I remember as a little girl always comparing my Christmas to my friends. It REALLY played a big role in my low self esteem growing up. I remember thinking, "Why doesn't Santa Love me as much as them?" It really hurt me and I struggled with this for many years!

My most FAVORITE Christmas's growing up were those spent on the desert ALONE as a family. My dad is a sheep rancher. We would go and spend every other Christmas with him herding sheep. Christmas was so MAGICAL out there! All of us (6 kids) crammed in a SMALL little sheep camp. Waking up Christmas morning with it FILLED with presents (it didn't take much)! It was amazing. Then it was just me and my siblings playing together. There was no comparing gifts. I LOVED IT!


Before I had kids there was a lady I knew that never let her kids believe in Santa. I thought that was so mean and awful! But I am beginning to see why she did it. Madi came and asked me the other day if Santa was real. With all of this that just happened I really didn't know what to say. I just asked her, "what do you believe?"

Santa is such a fun part of Christmas. I would never take that away from my kids. I just don't always know how to handle the questions.