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Post by mllemass on Apr 30, 2017 5:46:30 GMT
I haven't seen this before! An old article with Wanda talking about three-year-old Benedict and Christmas - so cute!
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Post by queenzod on Apr 30, 2017 5:58:33 GMT
Such adorable concern for Father Christmas' well-being! Or maybe that if he hurt himself on the electric fireplace he'd be mad and not leave Baby Ben a light saber. 😂
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Post by MagdaFR on Apr 30, 2017 11:40:01 GMT
I like the part about the two different faces. If at 3 years old was puzzled about it I doubt he believed till he was 12 like his sister.
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Post by sgev1977 on Apr 30, 2017 13:14:18 GMT
I have a friend who said she believed until 15 and wanted the same for his kid. She also thought I tragically didn't have a real childhood because me and my sister directly asked to my father if he existed or not (it just didn't make sense!) at 6 and got the truth!
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Post by roverpup on Apr 30, 2017 13:29:22 GMT
When I was a teacher (Grades 1 and 2 in Canada are about 6 and 7 years of age) I was asked all the time by the children if I believed in Santa and I always replied "Yes, Santa is very real to me!" And I still believe it! He lives in my heart and in the goodness of people who make him real.
No one ever "told" me Santa wasn't real - I just had a gradual transition of believing in him in a different way as I got older.
:-))
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Post by sgev1977 on Apr 30, 2017 13:36:42 GMT
Well, we asked him and I'm glad my father was sincere. I knew he always would be sincere with me no matter what and that was great.
It should be very difficult for you as teacher because parents can be very passionate about it. I know that thanks to my friend!
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Post by roverpup on Apr 30, 2017 14:42:13 GMT
It was a sticky situation for sure sometimes. I also had a child ask me one time if I believed in God (which I don't) but I had to answer verrrry carefully and yet not compromise my personal integrity.
:-))
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Post by mllemass on Apr 30, 2017 16:56:26 GMT
My cousin, who's only two years younger than I am, believed in Santa Claus for much longer than he should have. Finally, one Christmas Eve, his older sisters (Santa's elves) wrote him a letter saying that Santa wouldn't be bringing him toys anymore because there were so many younger children that needed him. He was ok with that. His mother has a framed photo of him on Santa's lap that my cousin always swore was taken at the North Pole. I can understand why a three-year-old would think that: Santa was always in the toy department of a large department store, which was on the top floor of the building. Our parents never took us there, other than at Christmas to visit Santa, so we always saw it decorated as a winter wonderland - or the North Pole, according to my little cousin.
Our schools always encourage the belief in Santa. I see nothing wrong with children hanging on to a bit of childhood magic. Last Christmas, one of my co-workers mentioned that she never realized how many children's Christmas movies bring up the possibility of Santa Claus not existing. She said her own little girl was quite panicked the first time it came up. If the movie is about Santa Claus and it's intended for children, then his existence shouldn't be questioned in the movie.
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Post by igs on Apr 30, 2017 17:15:32 GMT
That's so cute that little Benedict was worried about Santa. When I was a kid I was dreadfully afraid of Santa Claus. I would just close my eyes and cry until he left, all the pictures we have of me receiving presents are red scream-y face and tears lol. I was about 4 when I got over my insane fear but my parents didn't bother getting a proper Santa that year cause Christmas really isn't the time to deliberately traumatize your child, so when I demanded Santa to be present my grandma had to dress up as him and I immediately recognized her. And that was that, I don't actually even remember ever believing in Santa haha.
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Post by ellie on Apr 30, 2017 17:20:32 GMT
I think it's a shame that children stop believing in Santa so young these days. There's something truly magical about those childhood Christmases when you believe. By the way on that general subject, I dont know if any of you have read "Letters from Father Christmas" by JRR Tolkein. It's a collection of the letters and illustrations Tolkein sent to his children as Santa over a number of years and contains one of the most endearing characters ever, "The North Polar Bear." It is everything that Christmas is - joyous, magical, and a little bit sad. I read it and "A Christmas Carol"every Christmas and have given copies to numerous friends over the years - who have all fallen equally in love with it. www.goodreads.com/book/show/7331.Letters_from_Father_Christmas
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