The big, fat Santa lie
Somehow I haven't brainwashed Lily about Santa Claus to the extent that I brainwashed her brother (who now knows Santa is a weird urban legend).
I'm not into it anymore. I spend a lot of time trying to explain our religion, Christianity, and the meaning of the Christmas holiday to Lily. Do I also have to spin tales about a fatso who flies on a sled with an impossible task under impossible conditions and is ALSO all-knowing and watching for good behavior?
It seems like she'd be confused wondering whether to be loyal to God, or to Santa. And then
when she finds out later the Santa part was a stinking lie, what then?
And if Christmas is a religious holiday, what does Santa Claus have to do with it, besides requiring me to buy her extra presents?
Meanwhile, at school she's learning all about Hanukkah. I had to further confuse her by saying we don't celebrate that holiday.
We haven't talked about Santa much this year. So I have no idea what she thinks Santa is bringing her. And she apparently keeps adding things. She handed me a list last week and said, "this is what I'm getting for Christmas.'' That's after I've done all my shopping.
And I keep hearing her say, "I'm getting that for Christmas'' when she sees a toy on a TV commercial.
She must think she has a telephathic communication line to Santa. That presents a real problem for me.
I am going to have to elaborate on the Santa fiction.
"Santa thought you were a good girl, but he brought you this instead of what you asked for, because he knew you'd like it better. He sure does love you!''
We haven't visited a mall Santa yet. I'm not in the mood to stand in line that long when I could make up a lie that Santa now prefers to communicate by email.
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