No More Santa

 The last remnants of childhood are being left behind :-(

A few weeks ago, S point-blank asked me if I was Santa. I knew she suspected it for a while since she found some wrapping paper tucked away in the garage. Also, I sometimes would forget to move the Elf nightly last winter. My excuse was the Elf was likely tired - lol.

Anyway, last year she had asked if Santa was real. And I had said he is real if you believe in him. That satisfied her.

But when she point blank asked me this time, I had to admit it.  Then she burst into tears which made me feel wretched because I realized maybe she did not know?  So confusing. Later she told me she was crying because she was in a way sad. Probably the same way I was -- that we had crossed another childhood threshold.

She still got her Santa gift, which this year was a tablet (again!!) given she cracked a part of the screen her new tablet in March. But she has been very good dealing with it all year and deserved a new one. 

I will still do Santa gifts going forward, but they will be total surprises. Something I buy for her, not something she has asked for.  Sort of flipping the script since in the past Santa gifts was what she was asking/hoping for, and mine were the surprise items. 

After all she is still a kid, and she needs to wake up to a surprise on Christmas morning :-)

I am however glad I don't have to do the Elf anymore!