12.03.2015

say it isn't so

December 3: When/how did you learn that Santa wasn't real.

This is kind of a sad story, but after my mother died when I was six, my father was overwhelmed with his grief--and there were no means of support or counseling for kids where I live (and it was the 70s). My father sat me down and told me that there was no Santa, no Easter Bunny, and no Tooth Fairy. He explained that Mum had taken care of it all. I distinctly remember him telling me but he has no memory of it. I think we all were grief-stricken and reeling with it.

That's partly why I love the holiday season as much as I do. I want to keep the magic alive. Plus, there really aren't many sad Christmas songs.


2 comments:

Paula said...

We found out the same way. Only it was my witch of a grandma who told us. It was 1959. My dad had died in January. I was 8. She said: "you don't need to be thinking about Santa this year because Santa was your mom and dad and now that your dad is dead there is not money for that foolishness". A sad way to break it to 5 kids!

The Gal Herself said...

This is so sad. For you and for your poor, overwhelmed dad. And I love the compassion the adult you has for the two you were so many years ago.