Dad Doesn’t Know How to ‘Keep the Magic’ of Santa Claus Alive After His Son, 3, Realizes He’s in Too Many Places at Once

A father is scrambling to keep the wonder of Christmas alive now that his young son has started noticing that Santa Claus doesn’t just live at the North Pole.

The original poster (OP) shared on Reddit that he’s been doing his best to “keep the magic alive” for his 3-year-old, who is at a very curious stage. Lately, though, OP feels like there are simply too many local events featuring someone dressed up as Santa.

His son has started asking questions that are hard to answer: if Santa is supposed to be busy at the North Pole getting ready for Christmas, why is he directing traffic in front of the library? Why is he at the coffee shop? Why is he reading stories at the library one minute and bagging groceries the next?

OP admitted he isn’t sure how much longer he can keep coming up with explanations for why Santa appears to be working regular jobs instead of preparing for his big night.

In the comments, other parents chimed in with what they tell their own kids, offering OP some creative solutions.

“We’ve typically gone with the narrative that those aren’t Santa but Santa’s helpers who relay any messages directly back to Santa,” one person wrote.

Another commenter agreed, saying their family uses a similar approach. “We also explain that sometimes people just like to dress up in the costume like Halloween. Works good for the random sightings around town,” they added.

Someone else said they tell their kids those Santas are simply part of the festive atmosphere. “Whole heartedly agree! Kids aren’t dumb. If ‘Santa’ is everywhere he stops being anywhere. It totally spoils the magic,” they wrote.

“I always just told my kids those weren’t the real Santa, just actors who were pretending, to help us get in the mood for Christmas just like putting trees and lights on everything for decoration,” another parent shared.