You are NOT Santa!!

That is one of the responses I received from the Demon as I was trying to, carefully, explain that it's not really Santa that brings his gifts on Christmas.  Others included:  "You can't be Santa you don't know all of my friends last names!!!" ... "Then what?  Santa is DEAD!??"

He honestly thought I was claiming to BE Santa.  He thinks that I am claiming all  responsibility  for going house to house and leaving gifts for all the children of the world. 

He's 11.  

He completely still believes in Santa. 

At his age, I continued with the belief for my mom.  I remember, around his age going to my Momma and asking her what really goes on while we're away at Christmas Eve mass.  We would leave for mass, after mass eat dinner at Frisch's and come home to a house full of gifts left by Santa.  I never knew how she did it!  It was then that she explained that she gave my neighbor a key and while we were gone they would come over and put everything out.

I have a couple reasons for bringing it up now...at this point in time.

1- I just don't want him to be made fun of at school.  It's quite likely that he's going to be at school with other kids talking about it and it would not surprise me in the slightest that he speak up to defend his beliefs.  "What?!  Shut up!!  If you don't believe then you don't receive!!"  (that's what he's been told all these years)

2- Really, who can deny that Christmas is so much easier on me with no "Santa" gifts.  As it is now, we have to plan on getting the boys out of the house so that Santa can come!  Everyone knows he won't leave gifts if you're there.  So each Christmas Eve (yes we open our gifts Christmas Eve) we'd eat a small dinner - meat & cheese tray - and then load the boys in the car to drive around looking at Christmas lights.  We'd patiently wait while my brother would set up all the presents and he and my Grannie would get my mom downstairs Santa would come and go!  Once Santa left, my brother would call us and give us the all clear to come back!

Each year it was a little harder to keep up the Santa lie fun.  But, obviously, the Demon's belief has never faltered.  So...what do I do now!?

I guess this year is going to be another hurry up and eat, load Grannie and the boys up in the car with my sister in law to look at lights,  rush around to set up Santa gifts, then frantically try to get my Momma downstairs all with enough time left over to open presents and have some family time before the Demon leaves with his dad at 9:00 pm.... Christmas!