Mum shares the sweetest way to tell your children the truth about Santa

A mum's Facebook post promises to solve the problem many parents face when it comes to revealing the truth about Santa.

It's always sad when this magical time of the year becomes a little less magical, as you watch the realisation on your little one's face that Santa may not be real.

The inevitable chat about who Santa actually is is a tricky one, as every parent tries to avoid scarring their child for life by smashing their festive dreams.

But one mum has discovered a way to tell your little ones the truth without breaking their little hearts, and it's completely genius.

Charity Hutchinson shared a post to her Facebook page with a brilliant theory she found online, that involves letting your kids into the secret that everyone can be a Santa.

She says to start introducing the theory when they're aged around six or seven years old, and probably at a relaxed time when you have time to talk.

'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 Santas 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.'

https://www.facebook.com/charity.hutch/posts/10157867632370010

The idea is to show your child how they share many of the generous and kind attributes recognised in Santa, to then reveal to them that anyone can be a Santa and can gift presents to an unsuspecting person, and what a wonderful thing that can be.

'Tell me the best things about Santa. What does Santa get for all of his trouble? [lead the kid from 'cookies' to the good feeling of having done something for someone else]. Well, now YOU are ready to do your first job as a Santa!'

From there you can get your child all excited about who they will pick to give a present to now that they have been let in on the secret of Santa. In the Facebook post the writer explains how her son chose a neighbour who needed new slippers, but that the key is to keep the whole thing a big secret, just as all the other Santas in the world do.

This is a lovely way to get your child thinking about how they can help others and be generous, as well as keeping them excited about Santa and the magic that the story can still hold.