What lengths do you go to......??

[Maureen]

To keep Santa alive and well with your children?? I love Jeff's story as to what he and his family do (the faxes and the map on the wall and things) Annette with her magic reindeer food etc.

What do you do to go the extra mile??

One year we were staying with my mum for Christmas - I think my son must've been about 4 or 5. I waited until everyone was asleep, including my mother. I went downstairs and found the biggest pair of boots I could lay my hands on. I then went to the fireplace (the fire had been out for a while so it was safe) and placed the boots in the soot and then "walked" them from the fireplace to the tree (I made sure I used the old fireplace rug!) I strewed (is that a word?!) a few leaves and twigs around and put a torn patch of red material on the edge of the fireplace (where Santa had caught his pants)

It was completely worth the horrified look on my mother's face to see the wonder on my son's!!!!!! Even at 16, he still remembers that Christmas:merry:

[Maureen]

Just giving this a nudge!

[JanaBanana]

I really love it when children still believe.. they grow up so darn fast... mine right now are almost 15, 11, 8 and 4 yrs. So the two younger ones of course still have the magic.. when my two older ones were young, we were staying at my inlaws and after they went to bed, my mother inlaw and I went outside their bedroom window and rang some sleigh bells and then pushed an animated Santa button that said HO HO HO! They really believed that he had arrived....
I need to come up with something special again for the two younger ones this year :)

Great story Maureen!

[Jeff Westover]

I think this is a good question for SC.

I usually do two or three radio station interviews a year "defending Santa". I can't believe how many anti-Santa folks there are out there simply because they don't know who he really is.

[kelly ann]

I like what you did Jana I might try that with my daughter this year.

[JanaBanana]

Let me know what she thinks Kelly Ann :)

[kelly ann]

will do!!!:-D:???:

[Sunshine73]

How fun!!

[kidzrme]

I had a friend call the house and pretend to be Santa. We have also made footprints in the house and left a letter from santa to my daughter.

[Amanda Elf]

The kids get letters from Santa, we used to do it thru the post office but they were all the same, so now I do it for them. It's more personal and they love them. I believe I did 7 last year!
I've never thought of the dirty boots...we don't have a fire place but the tree is right next door to the livingroom door, too bad the snow would melt...maybe I'll use the patch of red material caught in the door.
We do the reindeer food, the cookies (they get a thank you note from Santa then too), thier elves leave them an ornament about a week before Christmas with a note, and then leave them new Christmas pj's on their bed on Christmas eve while we are out, we've never done the phone call or fax but that's an idea I could do too...

[Maebeary]

Awwwww.....I love when children believe! I hate it when children come in and ask me if I believe. I ALWAYS tell them, "Yes!" I have had some try to argue with me but I won't get into it. I tell them why I believe in Santa. Well, heck.....He had to be real...I don't think you could just make him up! ( I teach first graders--my son believed through 3rd grade. I think my daughter quit believing a little sooner....I think. )

[Annette1990]

Gosh everyone has some great ideas. :rudolph: