How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

DH is a kinda atheist and I am Jewish. We don't really celebrate Christmas and my husband doesn't want to do the Santa thing if we did celebrate. DS is learning about Santa in school and is really sad Santa doesn't come to his house. I told him Santa only visits him at school (they have a santa that comes to his daycare) and that mommy and daddy will buy him presents and he celebrates chanukah but he doesn't really get the whole chanukah jewish thing. Has anyone had to explain this to your child? And How did you?

Re: How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

I am right there with you, however, we are both Jewish. DS is 4 and this is the first year he is really asking about Santa and Christmas. I explained to him that we have Hanukkah where he will receive 8 nights of presents. I purchased a great book, The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming - a Christmas Story. It is *really* a Hanukkah story. It attempts to help the latke find it's place in the world, when it seems that the rest of the world celebrates Christmas.

What I said to him about Santa was that he is a man who helps Christian parents celebrate Christmas. He is nice to see in stores and you can wish your Christian friends Merry Christmas, but we don't believe in Santa Clause in that he is anything other than a man. At this point in time I don't want DS or DD to inadvertently ruin Christmas/Santa for children who do believe in his magic. When he is a little older I will explain that it is their parents, but that it is nice to give presents to those we love. That is the spirit of all of the holidays, which should be treasured.

Re: How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

Re: How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

Re: How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

My husband is Jewish and I am Catholic. Santa does come to our house, but not to some of my son's cousins. We simply explained that Santa only goes to the houses of people who invite him to help them celebrate Christmas. And his Dad is Jewish and never invited Santa and never got any gifts from him...just like my son's cousins.

Re: How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

Re: How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

Re: How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

We are a jewish family. Until this year, it hadn't been an issue as DS had gone to a Jewish preschool. We have always explained that although we celebrate Chanukah, other people celebrate Christmas (like the mailman, his baby sitter, etc). He, and now his little brother too, know that Santa is a part of Christmas. He doesn't know that Santa ISN'T real so it isn't an issue of him telling his friends that.

Re: How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

DC have known since as soon as they were aware of things that Santa isn't real, so they never had a problem with other kids thinking that Santa brought them presents. Right around Thanksgiving every year, we tell both DC that different people believe different things, and to not tell other kids our "belief" in Santa, or lack thereof. Hasn't been a problem on that front.
By them knowing the truth about where the presents come from, they don't have to be upset about where other kids think their gifts come from.
Our DC aren't even that into presents anyway. I've been trying for weeks to pull out ideas from 8.5yo DS about what he wants, but he keeps saying "Nothing. I have everything I want"... He's definitely not getting caught up in the commercialism of the season....

Re: How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

Both DH and I are Jewish. Right now my boys are too young to understand. Like others we plan on explaining that we celebrate Hanukkah and Christians celebrate Christmas. By no means ever telling them that Santa isn't real. I like the spirit of the holidays... giving, charities, being together with the family, etc. That's what I want to incorporate in our home. Not just about gifts. Although I know they'll be spoiled with gifts as well from us and our family.
What's nice is on DH's side the whole family gets together for a big party and all the kids get gifts. It's a nice tradition that started even b4 DH was born and we're glad it's continueing and growing.

Also have to add my 2 year old LOVES Xmas lights so we enjoy driving around and looking at the homes

Re: How do you explain to your Jewish child Santa doesn't come to your house?

My aunt and Uncle are jewish and I just wanted to say when they explained to my cousins that they celebrate Hanukkah and Christians celebrate Christmas they were understanding of it but they wanted to know why the dont have Xmas lights. So they explained the menorah.They tried explaining it and they were still bummed because they loved the look of lights on other peoples houses. Well my Aunt and uncle decided to put up lights. They do Blue and white and they are their Hanukkah lights. I think its cute! And they have a blow-up Menorah and dreidel..(not sure how to spell it.) My Cousins now a little older still love putting up there lights.