"She'd recently turned 11, and in my heart, I knew she no longer believed in Santa. "Mom! Don't forget, I want Monopoly," she casually called back. I scrunched my eyelids together, holding back hot tears. Santa, the only arbiter of Christmas gifts in our household, was also the magic link to my Italian Catholic childhood for me and for my Jewish children, whom I'm raising in my husband's faith."
"it was important to me that they celebrate my Christmas traditions with my family, and Santa has always been an integral part of the holiday. But now, my worst fear was confirmed. Without having to ask her, my daughter communicated that she realized St. Nick didn't exist in her world any more. I was left to wonder how our family would keep the holiday sparkle, my Christmas tradition, alive if Santa's magic had been put to rest."
The youngest child stopped believing in Santa at age 11, ending the literal source of holiday magic in the household. Santa had served as a cultural bridge from an Italian Catholic upbringing to children being raised Jewish, and the parent felt a sudden, aching loss tied to memories and an approaching 50th birthday. The parent remembered childhood wonder and feared holidays becoming a meaningless pile of boxes. To recover sparkle and create shared joy, karaoke was introduced at the annual Christmas Eve party, and the new activity became a cherished family tradition that preserved celebration across religious lines.
Read at Business Insider
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