I remember the day I told each of my girls that Santa wasn’t who he appeared to be.  My oldest, being the logical thinker, took it well, understanding the concept and moving on.  My youngest however, who carries everything in her heart, had a much harder time emotionally with all of it.  What if there was a way to make Santa a positive when it came  to revealing the truth?  Here’s a quick idea that we hope helps with the transition.

Take them from believing in Santa to being Santa.

One anonymous parent, whose idea went viral through an admiring Facebook post, came up with a brilliant idea that takes that last point to the extreme: Tell children that, while they don’t receive presents from Santa, they’re now old enough to become Santa. She explains:

“When they are 6 or 7 (mine were right around 4-5 grade), whenever you see that dawning suspicion that Santa may not be a material being, that means the child is ready. I take them out “for coffee” at the local wherever. We get a booth, order our drinks, and the following pronouncement is made: “You sure have grown an awful lot this year. Not only are you taller, but I can see that your heart has grown, too. [Point out 2–3 examples of empathetic behavior, consideration of people’s feelings, good deeds etc, the kid has done in the past year]. In fact, your heart has grown so much that I think you are ready to become a Santa Claus. You probably have noticed that most of the Santa’s you see are people dressed up like him. Some of your friends might have even told you that there is no Santa. A lot of children think that, because they aren’t ready to BE a Santa yet, but YOU ARE … We then have the child choose someone they know — a neighbor, usually. The child’s mission is to secretly, deviously, find out something that the person needs, and then provide it, wrap it, deliver it — and never reveal to the target where it came from. Being a Santa isn’t about getting credit, you see. It’s unselfish giving.”

While its exact origins are unclear, the little essay has circulated online forums for years.

Charity Hutchinson, the admirer who shared the story, told the Huffington Post that she doesn’t know where it came from, but “I wish I could say I had thought of it myself ― it’s pretty brilliant!” Since she has two sons, she wants to her children enjoy Santa at first but eventually learn that the holiday involves more than just presents.

“Christmas is about helping others, giving selflessly and being thankful for what you do have and not what you don’t,” she said. “Reading this parent’s story made me feel like I could, even as a Christian, encourage my children to believe in him so that one day they could become a Santa and give to others.” While that day may come faster than most parents like, it can be the beginning of a new holiday tradition for years to come.