[Broxie]

So a bit of a recurrent theme in the Christmas thread is children asking about why charitable giving is necessary if Santa brings the presents. DS is too young to ask about this but I was thinking of an explanation along the lines of; Santa still brings presents to them but his options are limited. For example, he may not be able to bring an iTunes voucher because the family can't afford an iPod, and can't bring the iPod because they can't afford iTunes, or may not have electricity to recharge the iPod.
Santa might not be able to bring a bike because they may not have a mum and dad to take them to the bike park.

Anyone have any other ideas?

To the anti-santa brigade- I am aware that some people choose not to do Santa. I have decided I will and am happy with this decision. There are impoverished people in the world. Sad but true. My son doesn't need to miss out on Santa because of that. We do what we can to help. There are starving children too but I don't feel the need to deprive my son of food.

[Natttmumm]

My DD asked whether Santa comes to everyone. I said that I think so, but its nice to give the charitable presents just in case.

She was happy with that answer. I am all for Santa but I am also careful to say that I "think" he is real and "i Hope" he will come. When they get the presents I say "maybe it was santa".

My DD is already questioning if we made up santa so I dot want to be too concrete about it as sure enough she will find out soon.

[casime]

Depending on his age, could you say that while he gets presents from Santa and mummy and daddy and grandma, etc that some families don't have very much money and it makes them sad that they can't buy a present for their child at christmas, so by donating we get to help mummies and daddies feel better so that they can give a gift to their child too. Take the focus off Santa and put it on to the family side of things.

[futureself]

I have to admit that I always thought that once my child was astute enough to be pointing out those flaws in the Santa system, then it would be time to come clean.

[FluffyOscar]

If my children asked that, I'd probably leave Santa out of it altogether. I'd say that charity giving is to help poor parents give something to their children, that Santa doesn't discriminate. But this won't work in a household where Santa lavishes lots of gifts, ours only get 1 small present from Santa, like a DVD or something, irrespective of our financial position.

[Razman]

Depending on his age, could you say that while he gets presents from Santa and mummy and daddy and grandma, etc that some families don't have very much money and it makes them sad that they can't buy a present for their child at christmas, so by donating we get to help mummies and daddies feel better so that they can give a gift to their child too. Take the focus off Santa and put it on to the family side of things.

Nice explanation

[howdo]

Because Santa might come but they won't have presents from mummy and daddy and manna nanna like you do. It's to help mummies and daddies and bananas nannas.

ETA: damn you auto correct!

This post has been edited by howdo: 30/11/2012, 06:13 PM

[cesca]

I've always been a bit vague about Santa when it comes to the kids' questions (at the ages of 9 and 10 I think they're only now just figuring it all out) but I've always maintained that I (and DH) buy the presents. We then pass them on to Santa, and he will only deliver them if the kids are good.

i.e. so in the case of poor kids, it's easily explained why their parents couldn't pass on as many things to Santa.

This post has been edited by cesca: 30/11/2012, 07:14 AM

[GoneWithTheWhing...]

Nothing to do with Santa, he only does small gifts here. Anything significant (size or $$ wise rather than some colouring pencils/hair ties/bubble bath) comes from us so its explained that some families don't have spare money to buy the children a present so we help them out so their children can be as excited about getting a present at Christmas as what you are.

[meggs1]

That's a really big question to do with the problem of evil. Same as "if god is all-powerful and all-knowing why do bad things happen?" I think if the child has got to the point of asking searching questions like that, they deserve a true answer.

Otherwise why doesn't Santa get the electricity sorted out or make their mum come home?

I plan to go with what my parents said once I asked which was that maybe once apon a time Santa was true, and we wish he was still true, so we pretend that he is, and did I want to keep pretending for a while?

Do you believe in God in your family OP. Maybe you could say that Santa can only do little things like toys, but the big things like poverty and war God wants people to sort out for themselves by being kind and loving.