I have lots of great holiday-related teaching memories. Like many of you, December is a favorite month of mine. One memory I’ll forever keep is the first time a student asked me the Santa Claus question. My kiddos were at their desks eating lunch, and I was grading papers. I remember thinking, “Uh-oh, Toby is going to spill the beans about Santa.” In what seemed like a nanosecond, Melissa, a dear of a child, was standing before me with damp, saucer-size eyes. “Ms. Badden, Toby says there’s no Santa Claus! Why would he say that?”
I can’t recall my exact response. I clearly remember feeling an increased heartbeat and sweaty palms. I think my answer was something like “I can’t say for sure, Melissa, because I’ve only seen Santa’s helpers. But I certainly believe in the spirit of love, and that’s what Santa means to me.” I can’t even remember how Melissa responded. Perhaps I momentarily blacked out.
Do you have a Santa story to share?
Diane
Will never forget the year my daughter figured it out – but I remember telling her – Santa may not bring all the gifts but I believe in Santa – he makes gifts that wouldn’t normally be possible possible. And then asker her the question – “Do you really think Daddy would let me buy you a hamster?” And she then smiled and said “No – I get it mom!” Santa brings joy and smiles and love! she said then – and that is how I explained it to the rest of my kids – Santa brings magic, love and joy not necessarily physical gifts – although I am still waiting for him to actually come to my house someday – I know he will I know he will!!!! I teach 4 year olds so not too much of an issue for me at school – thank goodness!!! I get enough other crazy questions to answer! Like how are baby bears born!
Teaching 3 and 4 year olds makes it easy they always believe.
But as a coop teacher I usually teach all the children in the family. Its not a Santa story but Here is my funny.
For St Patricks Day I make a huge deal out of the leprechaun and how we are going to catch him and so forth. I had the youngest child in a family of 3 and Kelsey was so excited about catching the leprechaun that she kept talking about it at home. Apparently her older brother had heard enough and as reported to me the next day by Mom he stood up and yelled that Mrs. Taig is such a liar Mom why do you let her fill our heads with all these stories.
I roared the next day when Mom told me.
As for me I will always beleive in the magic of the holidays.
Christmas at my house was always great, I spoiled my kids. When my son was in kindergaren he came home the first day after Christmas break crying. I asked him what was wrong, he said one of his friends didn’t get anything for Christmas and he’s not a bad boy, why didn’t Santa give him anything. So I had to explain the truth to him and he packed up several of his new toys and took them to school the next day to give to this little boy and told him that santa left them at his house by mistake. I was very proud of him on that day and still very proud 16 years later. God blessed me with wonderful kiddos.
I teach 1st and 2nd graders, and that’s often a dividing line for the “Is Santa Real?” discussion… and the 2nd graders are all too happy to disabuse the younger kids of their heartfelt beliefs. And that always breaks my heart, because I think the longer you can believe in Mr. Claus, the better off we all are! When I get the inevitable question, I hedge a bit, but try to give encouragement to the believers. I usually say something about, “Well I still believe” (I don’t say in what!), or something mushy like “Santa Claus is about love, and I think that’s a good thing!” or something very non-committal. I’m probably not fooling anybody….