My son is also almost 2 and we do NOT do Santa. I had an older sibling and cousins so I always knew Sanata was fake. I still loved Christmas. We love to bake and decorate cookies, eat a meal as a family and still do gift exchanges. Mainly, people use Santa as a threat for kids to behave lol he’s just not necessary in my opinion
I don’t do Santa because I want my kids to know the REAL meaning of CHRISTmas. They know who is is but when it comes to gift the are from me and dad.
Ok, so you’ve definitely got some grace this year to make up your mind on the subject.
We do alot of backing, and family activities with each other or extended family and friends. I know this year will be different.
We also will go for a drive to see the Christmas lights.
My older ones obviously don’t believe, but they darnt tell my youngest hes isnt real, it would break his heart, I dont do a massive Xmas but I certainly couldn’t take the magic away from them… he doesnt being everything just a few bits thats hes asked for in a letter, mam and dad have bought the rest…
To see their faces on Xmas day when they believe is priceless, memories ill always have…
My parents didnt do Santa, we did Saint Nicholas.
We knew the origin of Santa and when the time came and our friends were upset by “santa not being real” we weren’t, because we knew he was real.
In our house, Santa brings you something you need i.e. clothes, socks, a new tooth brush, small toy and a book
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Dont let your child miss out on Santa magic.Its the best time to be a child.
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My older brother told me “the truth” when I was very young. I don’t remember ever believing in Santa. I always felt as though I was robbed of a childhood
All the presents come from mom and dad who work really hard to give them to our kids. Santa brings stocking and something small like new earrings and lipglosses and cheap bracelets and a new beanie or something like 30$ TOPS.
Why not? It’s the principle as waiter, waitress. You ask him for stuff and he brings it to you.
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Santa is great until your kid asks why his poor friend didn’t get anything for Christmas. Kinda makes santa look like a jerk.
He is 2…let him have Santa…it’s not about u and yr feelings. Santa is magical and special and only for a short time to children
I was raised without Santa and I feel like I missed out. We also opened presents Christmas Eve to focus on the religious meaning of Christmas on Christmas Day.
With my son (3 yo) we do Santa, but it is a couple lower priced toys, and we open presents Christmas morning.
Finally someone else no I do not include Santa they know receive gifts from Mommy and daddy nothing against just not our tradition to each their own and love
Why not, it is the best part of Christmas, my 5 year old talks about Santa all year through.
I still believe in the magic of Santa. It’s not the man himself its the magic behind it. I wrap the gifts for all my teenagers even tho they know. Santa will always be in my home
Santa was never part of my life as a child. I always looked forward to the whanaungatanga time and off course the food and drinks.
Research Santa. Like REALLY do the research. Then make your decision. You may find more drawn to keeping that tradition
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I never taught my kids to believe in Santa
We do santa gifts. They are only little once and seeing their eyes light up Christmas morning is the best! We do Christmas pajamas and hot cocoa and popcorn gift and read twas the night before Christmas on Christmas Eve. Then gifts on Christmas day.
We have several traditions: christmas Eve pajamas, get in the pajamas, and go Chridtmas light looking w hot chocolate or candy cane; do a fun act each day of December (smores, new Chridtmas mug, read a Christmas book, make a craft, etc.). Just pick what works for you!
I never taught my kids about Santa. They came out fine lol.
My brother and his wife do 1 gift from Santa and all the rest from them.
Why make your children grow up? Let them believe in the magic of season.
Santa is not 1 person … Santa is the spirit of giving and kindness and magic and when they reach an age they understand then they too take on the “santa” role to spread christmas cheer and happiness to those younger than themselves. My girls know we buy their gifts but their stockings come from Santa-lots of other children do believe and I wouldn’t want mine missing out or feeling left out,its all about the magic and personally I think kids grow up too quickly and to see their little faces on xmas day is just amazing. Obviously each to their own and you do what works for you as a family x x
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- I also don’t bring big gifts from Santa, those are from us.
Santa fills your stocking, gets you a medium gift, or a few small ones, and SOCKS🤣 * family tradition, one everyone appreciates honestly🤣
I think traditions are important to grow up with, something to count on.
We have several.
Everyone gets a new special ornament as a reflection of the year.
Last year my son was into sports, he got a few sports themed. This year science and stem. It’s a bit of a time capsule of memories.
I also think there are good things to celebrate. Hey we all made it thru 2020 so far!
No, we don’t attend church etc
My guy and me collect coins, so we exchange those, but we are adults, if we want something, we buy it.
However watching my sons face light up Christmas morning is a bit magical. He already has a couple things put up, I’m in no way rich, but it’s important to me he has these fond memories as I did.
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Christmas is a big thing in my house always was, now I’m a mother i go all out for my daughter, i tell her mammy and daddy pay santa for her presents but to see the excitement on her face when she sees her gifts is a look ill never forget and that makes me so happy ill cherish it forever 
do whatever makes you feel better, but Christmas is our favourite season the bigger the better
This world is so screwed up…
Don’t deny your kids a little bit of a fairy tale…
And no it’s not a lie… There’s some truth to it… Research it.
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Talk to a child they will tell you of his magic inspiration.
What do people do who don’t “do” Santa?! I can’t imagine not being able to say “You better straighten up or I’m gonna call Santa!” 
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So here’s what we do, but every family should do what works best for them.
My kids know “about” Santa. They know he’s in stores, coloring books, etc around Christmas time. I’ve never once told them that there isn’t a Santa, because they see him for themselves. I let them do Santa activities if they choose. However, when we open presents, there are only presents from family (not Santa). I want my babies to know that I worked hard to get them these things and that me and their daddy chose these gifts special for them. It made more sense for my family and our beliefs to do this. So far, it’s been great.
My son is 4, daughter is 2.5, and baby is 6 months.
Some people just go overboard, maybe just do a stocking from santa
No Santa, no tree, no cookies, no christmas Carol’s, no christmas cards, no family parties, no church.
My kids did just fine w the truth…
Can’t even imagine Christmas without Santa.
Nope. Did Santa with my kids. N my parents did santa for me. Had nothing to do with religion I n our house. The kids just knew some fat guy from the North Pole named Santa brought them presents every Xmas lol that’s the fun part of Christmas for kids!
Don’t lie to your children then expect them to be honest people
Oh, what a world we live in! 
I grew up with Santa at my Moms (where I lived mostly) and then at my Dads every other weekend no Santa. I always loved that magic cookies and milk even though I knew he didnt exist. I’ll let my now 2 year old make her own decision. Movies and songs. If she asks me does Santa Claus exist I will ask her what do you think and if she says yes I will do the whole Santa thing. Life needs a little magic! But as a devout Christian Jesus will always be the main focal point of all of our Christmases 
I believed until I was 15 yrs old and I regret NOTHING!
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Absolutely no one but you can make that decision. But if you do decide to tell your child there is no Santa, please also let them know not to go blabbing that to other kids.
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My son is 4 and we have never done santa as a real person.
Santa is christmas Spirit and how some people celebrate christmas.
We personally dont make alot od money to buy gifts like crazy and when we do i want our children to be thankful to us and understnadwe worked hard to give then gifts,
not a made up guy.
My son is also considerate of other children when they talk about Santa he says cool but he has never told someone santas not real because anyone can believe anything they want.
Ive been realistic with him since 3 when he looked at me strange when i said he comes in when were sleeping, he asked how i said the door ,he said thats break and entering 
We celebrate with big dinner, cookies and carols at the elder home, we make baskets for the homeless, decorate our house, ginger bread etc.
Christmas is so much more then santa
I’m back and forth about it even though my parents did Santa with us. We have a 16 month old so she won’t understand right now but my husband really wants to do it and it doesn’t harm anyone either way so we’re probably gonna end up going with Santa.
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When my child was younger I did the Santa thing. Santa only brings one gift and stuffs the stocking with goodies. All the other gifts were from me and family. I taught her the true meaning of Christmas which is Jesus’ birth.
So, I guess no one can really tell you what to do. It’s based on your beliefs.
Had a friend, when her kids lost a tooth, they brought it to their Uncle and he gave them some money in exchange for the tooth. If you wanted to do something similar…
How you choose to celebrate the season is up to you and I respect that. But please be considerate of other families. My daughter came home from kindergarten heartbroken when one of the students in her class told all the other children that there was no Santa and all gifts came from their parents. Please allow the other families to celebrate as they wish. Explain this to your child.
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I do santa but not the traditional way. I have 2 sacks. One that we have to put our old toys we outgrow in so that santa can take them back and make new again to give to someone else next year and one that he drops the presents off in. The present sack is for the whole family so santa can only bring what fits in the bag. If they get any toys in the bag it’s usually something small/cheap. Santa does bring everyone a special Christmas Day outfit and mommy and daddy are the ones who buy all the toys/presents/big expensive gifts. I just explain it that santa knows mommy and daddy can afford the toys they want so santa save the toys for others whose parents can’t afford to get them toys. My best friend does the opposite and she doesn’t get her kids any gifts, they all come from santa. I also tend the fill the stocking with socks (cause they always need socks).
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My bff never pushed Santa. She decorated and used him in some decorations but never as the bearer of gifts. Her kids turned out fine mad more grateful than some I’ve seen. My daughter never really cared either way. She has Autism and Santa wasn’t something she acknowledged anyway. She turned out just fine.
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I think parents need to realize that children figure it out much younger than they used to. I’d say trying to perpetrate the fantasy past the age of 4 is really fruitless because most 5 year olds know the truth but are confused about why their parents keep lying to them.
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It’s the lesson learned in it. That giving to others is special and what we should have in our hearts to do. St Nicolas was a real man who went around giving gifts to the less fortunate who if not would never receive a gift. So go off what the life of St Nick was trying to teach the world.
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I never allowed Santa to use my hard earned $$ to support his reindeer food or the Easter bunny to come hop hopping along, I gave them the truth coming out the door so they could never be hurt when some older children tole them the truth, tooth fairy never visited my home either and they are 30 year old well adjusted young men.
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My children are 20 and 11 so they’re too old for Santa now but we did both when they were little. They were both taught the real reason we celebrate Christmas and we did Santa bringing them things like clothes and socks. It’s all about what you want to do. We do things that I did as a child but we added other things too.
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I do the same. It always seemed weird to me. My parents tried with it but i remember knowing and feeling like it was weird from a young age. To each their own for sure but just here to say we personally just kinda skipped it. No fault on anyone who doesn’t it just isnt me
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We celebrate all the holidays with all the fun! Santa comes and stockings are from Santa and each child has a canvas bag (I sewed it myself and embellished with their names) and Santa bring it and puts their gifts inside. There is always one shared gift usually a bigger one. The wrapping paper is simple, and Santa only writes their names on the paper 
sometimes he “accidentally” leaves footprints! (Flour and glitter) I live the joy and magic it gives. My oldest is 12 and she doesn’t believe anymore but she loves being in on the secret and helping! What’s so wrong with letting children use their imagination
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You do what you think is best. Don’t think or care about what others do for their own kids. Christmas can still be fun without Santa. Make your own traditions. Hope everything works out with whatever you choose❤
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I do a half santa half me method I tell my son to think about what he would hope santa bring him. The Santa items are the things I make sure to get and then i get the practical gifts
Santa only gets them 1 present the rest are from us in my house, i don’t want the more/less fortunate making my girls feel bad coz they got thousands from santa and mine didn’t or vise versa so each year they can send a letter to santa with 1 gift and that 1 will be from santa, like the film Arthur Christmas x
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My daughter gets presents from Santa at her grandpa’s (my dad’s) house only. I just simply can’t afford all the crazy gifts and my dad, step mom and siblings get a kick out of making christmas special for her. That is just me though. I’m not sure what we will do this year.
It all depends on how you feel. Everyone is raised differently and thats ok. Want to include gifta from Santa? Cool. Want to make the Santa gifts simple. Awesome. Don’t want santa part of your christmas. Awesome.
My kids get one (and probably the crappiest gift) from Santa. We don’t talk Santa up at all. I only do santa because I don’t want to ruin it for my other family members
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When my kids were about 4 I started explaining to them that Santa is an idea, the embodiment of the spirit of giving. Not a real person.
No Santa, no presents. Jesus doesnt bring presents. So no need for a tree either. Wont Christmas be so much fun!!
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We do Santa but he NEVER brings big stuff or much at all.
Santa at our house brings usually 1 small toy, new hat/gloves, couple books… nothing huge… maybe leaves a couple things for the whole family out and unwrapped… and candy canes on the tree…
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Santa is a lie and not biblical. Do your research.
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I always just put the stockings from santa.
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All ideas seem like fun.
Y take a little joy away seeing so much bad is going on do as u please
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Santa does it all in our house. I plan on keeping the magic alive for as long as possible and creating those magical memories with my daughter now 4. When she’s old enough to figure it out I’ll just tell her anyone can be Santa and let her choose someone to be Santa for. I just feel there’s a life lesson there about giving/helping people without needing credit for it. x
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Gee…y’all are some real fun people.
My kids make ornaments every year. I do at least 1 that includes hand prints & another that includes a picture. That way as we decorate the tree we can look back at how little they were.
I buy matching PJs after Christmas the year before for Christmas Eve. We take a picture.
I play Christmas music to signal that I’m awake & it’s time to come downstairs.
They get a “breakfast stocking”. It contains a piece of fruit, juice, cereal & a few small toys. I put it in their room. It gives me some time to get my senses together before the chaos of tearing paper begins.
We take our time opening gifts. We play & enjoy the blessings they’re lucky to receive.
When I’m able financially they pick & wrap gifts for kids who won’t get gifts & leave them on their door step or donate to charity. We also go through toys leading upto Christmas & donate them.
There’s so many things you can do with your kids that are fun. Santa is just a fake character that skews their sense of reality.
We did our last pagan holidays, which include all those that “we” believe are christian holidays, last year. I had been researching the start of all “our celebrations” and it didn’t start with the followers of Christ, it was all just adapted to please everyone and has a very dark past which still pays tribute to the one it was started for, even though it has been adapted over the years and some even renamed. So I need my kids to know the actual holy days and we now incorporate those into our lives and others need to respect that, as it is my choice for my family and that is what I stand by. No one is going to push me to do what I don’t feel is right for us. I have explained it all to my family and they understand. So do what is right in your eyes, not everyone elses, as you need to live with that choice!
We do Santa in our house, but he brings a stocking. The bigger presents are from us. We are very careful in what we say about Santa as my oldest daughter has Autism and the thought of Santa coming into our house shit scares her.
I have been unsure about Santa ever since I was 6yo. What can you say about a guy who works only 1 day a year, and wears red pants ? Go to Macy’s, Nordstoms, Brook Brothers, Mens Wearhouse - ever see any red pants ?
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I told my girls about Santa but presents from Santa were little stocking filler type presents.
Oh great oogly moogly. Let the kid have fun. I see it as something to look forward too. You dont have to get the most expensive gift from “santa” and you dont have to push the religious thing either. I grew up in a strict religious family and even when i knew santa wasnt real we still had fun with it.
Did you have a good experience believing in Santa? That’s the real question…Santa doesn’t have to be rich…it’s the magic that matters.
Tbh that’s entirely your choice and if that suits you then ok but you also run the risk of your children feeling left out when other kids talk about it or your children telling other kids and having their parents at your door. I see no harm in a little fun and happy joy of magic. My children are not taken to the santas that dress up and I tell them thats adults trying to make it fun and more happy for the kids and they accept that. I also tell them all kids get 1 gift so they know how hard we work for what they get and tbh most xmas movies say its one gift. My eldest now knows and never did he think I lied to him for bad reasons. He says every year when he sees his brother and sister he now understands why we do it and he plays along.
Look, once he is at kinda or primary school, goes to a shopping center etc the other kids will be looking forward to, and talking about Santa. Decide if you want your child to burst their bubble. Most kids like the idea of a little magic.
My opinion is this.
Keep your gifts from ‘Mum’ Dad etc.
When in a situation where you can’t avoid it all, say something like…
‘Yair, a lot of kids like Santa’. ‘That man has a fabulous costume’. It is important to find the sweet spot that might affirm whatever your child wants to believe, AND leaves the space for skepticism.
So we did Santa with our oldest but not the rest! Our kids LOVE Santa but know he is just a man in a costume that loves Christmas so much that he wants to spread joy! 
They know mommy and daddy but the presents. Honestly when we told out oldest the truth she started to appreciate gifts so much more!
I don’t think I’m going to do Santa, I think I’m going to show Christmas as a family time where we all share gifts with each other as a symbol of our love and commitment to each other
It’s rather difficult to explain Christmas without religion since it actually a celebration of Jesus Christ birth.
You really don’t have to remove Santa he was just a cleric who decided to give out gifts.
It’s your choice but I do think.iy will be hard a d confusing especially when your child goes to school and all the kids are talking about Santa
Tell him about Santa make some lovely memories for him x
When I was a child we did Santa, it was some of the best times. My mother is South African and they did pillow cases full of goodies. We weren’t rich, but we always had coloring books and candies and little toys. It was so sweet. It broke my heart to heart that my husband’s family didn’t do Santa, so I like to do Santa for him even though we’re grown now. He didn’t ever get to go trick or treating or do Santa. When my munchkin arrives in April, we’ll have a pillow case for them for when Santa comes at Christmas 
I’ve always made Santa out to be real for my daughter. For me it was about magic in childhood. When she was nine she told me she realized that Santa wasn’t real a couple of years before, but that she pretended for me. She liked that I enjoyed putting out cookies and milk with her and making out a list. It was magic even if it wasn’t truly real. I love her for that.
I believe you should do what you want. We all walk this journey differently as mothers. You’ll find the way that’s right for you. All that matters is love.
My son is nearly 4 and the way we’ve done it is the same as my parents did, parents buy the presents, send them to Santa and Santa decides whether they have been good enough for them, if not then they will go to other boys and girls who have been good who’s parents can’t buy much, only one small present comes off Santa saying it’s for been really good, I never wanted the whole upset of one kid at school been given a colouring book and another having all the latest tech off Santa and then the poorer kid wondering why they hadn’t been good enough, at least with the idea that we buy the gifts it’s more understandable, as he gets older it’ll be the same as us, that he was a real person long along and now that same spirit of giving lives on in side us, which sort of makes us all Santa, he really enjoyed picking something for me, my SO and his cousin last year (went shopping with my mum) and I wasn’t allowed to look as he picked my present, he then helped nannie wrap them to send to Santa for him, think he was more excited when he saw me and his dad had been “good enough” for Santa to bring our presents than he was for his own lol x everybody does things differently, do what feels right in your heart for you xx
Santa was sort of included in my kids Christmases, however “he” only gives them 1 gift. And that was honestly only to appease my parents and other family members who would shut up about it. Personally I never had any intention of including him.
My parents did santa but they said that they bought the presents and sent them off to Santa, and if we were good he’d bring them to us at Christmas. This is what I’ll be doing with my little girl, I think it makes the kids appreciate what the parents are buying them and why santa can’t get them everything and why some kids get less than others, not because santa hates them🤷♀️
Ive been a struggling single parent for years. And I dont like lying to my kids. All these years I have told them that there is no such thing as Santa and that I am the one who provides their gifts. And that Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus and its a time for family. However, I feel like I took the fun and spirit out of Christmas for my kids throughout these years. So this year, having a 1 yr old, Im going to try to make it special, and go along with the tale of Santa to give me one last chance to make things right. My other kids are going to go along with it. I hate having to lie about it though, cuz when kids find out the truth, they get heartbroken and upset that they were always lied to. So I have mixed emotions about it.
In Denmark we have something called nisser… in English the closest word are elves or gnomes … and it is teasing us all through December … turning the milk green (or any other food color you have) putting spaghettis in the shoes stuff like that … I will find a picture for you … and of course there’s a present from the nisse under the tree …