Easter -- should I break the news to my 12-year-old?

[Duer 157099]

I mean, I doubt he actually believes in the Easter Bunny anymore, but boy did I find out what a mistake I made last Christmas by telling him that now that he's 12, Santa doesn't come anymore (he was pissed! and never let me live it down)!! So now I'm wondering about Easter.

Should I just do the usual, make a basket and hide it for him, and let it just go unspoken whether there's anything magical behind it?

[Beaverhausen]

1. You know whats funny? Some people here think 12 is old enough to have sex

and here your son is 12 and still believes in the easter bunny.

[Duer 157099]

2. lol, I know it sounds funny huh

and we live in California, *Northern* California at that, you'd think we lived in small town USA

lol

[Deja Q]

19. On the plus side, he's not old enough to have sex WITH the Easter Bunny

:hide:

[Ava]

3. he's pulling your leg!

he can't possibly believe in santa or the easter bunny anymore, he is just playing along with the act because of the presents.

i was 6 when i stopped believing in all of that, but i played along with it until I was 8.

[Duer 157099]

10. No, I don't think so

He's more like the "I *want* to believe" sort; he probably knows in his intellect, but he also probably wants to hold onto the magic of childhood, so he's ambivalent. That's why he got mad at me about Christmas I think, because I tipped the balance for him, away from innocence and childhood. He still got as many presents at Christmas, so it wasn't that.

Oh, and let's not even *talk* about the Tooth Fairy!!

:-)

[JohnKleeb]

4. He probably already knows

I found out when I was 10.

[seemunkee]

5. Just show him this and you won't have to buy candy

[johnnie]

6. .

:spray:

[Duer 157099]

12. LOL, he'd love that photo

He's got a twisted side to him, too (my sense of humor)

(but, he loves animals too, and is against cruelty to animals and all that, as am I. We just have some weird senses of humor and can laugh at some really dark stuff)

[LostinVA]

7. I'm 41, and my Mom still makes a basket for me, and we still dye eggs

She makes a basket for my Dad and SO, too... it's STILL magical... the meaning of the magic just shifted,that's all...

[Shine]

9. Exactly.

WE believe in MAGIC, don't we? :pals: :hug:

[LostinVA]

21. That's right!

[Duer 157099]

13. I know, my mom still does that too

I got baskets my whole adult life -- I just didn't have to hunt for them anymore lol

[lakemonster11]

18. Yeah, my brother and I are in our twenties,

and when we're home for Christmas we still set out cookies for Santa. He fills all of our stockings with grown-up stuff like chocolate, gift cards, warm gloves, and the occasional guitar pick or lens filter. He also usually brings a big box of oranges to eat under the Christmas tree while we open our presents.

There's no reason to not participate in fun traditions just because there aren't any small children in the house anymore.

[LostinVA]

22. We still set out cookies and a drink, and our stockings, too

My sister is 36. We get adult gifts, too, including toiletries... and some change in the toe!

I agree -- fun family traditions are ageless -- that sounds cheesy, but it's true.

[Shine]

8. LOL. My kids are 9 and 12, so I can relate to your dilemma.

our 12 yr old son definitely "gets" the game. He basically called us on it last winter, so we decided to tell him the truth. We discussed the whole Santa thing with him at the holidays and enrolled his support in maintaining the story for his younger sister, who still, amazingly, seems to believe it all.

She's the creative artist type and really into all that magical stuff. It's very sweet.

She actually came out a few years ago, in the middle of the night, as I was setting up the Easter baskets one year and caught me red-handed. I remember so clearly her expression, as I watched her connect the dots in her brain. I told her I was "helping" the Easter Bunny, we had an arrangement, or something stupid like that. lol.

I'm sure she also "gets" it, in her own way, but she's happy to maintain the illusion a bit longer, so I say, "Why not let her?" She's still very innocent and they grow up, fast enough, as it is.

Besides, I believe in Magic, too! :D

:hi:

[Midlodemocrat]

11. Tell him if you don't believe, you don't receive.

That's what I told my 15yo and 13 yo. The 9yo still really does believe.

[The empressof all]

14. Yesterday my 15 year old informed me...

She will be visiting my home even when she is 30 to find the hidden eggs. I just need to suck it up and accept this as a consequence of my behavior of channeling the Easter Bunny. Apparently, it's a life long commitment.

She's getting socks, toothbrush, hair ties, school supplies and some DVD's in her basket. It's stuff I probably would have bought anyway. I've cut back on the sweets.

[Duer 157099]

15. I know what you mean

I hate impersonating anyone, let alone all these mystical creatures, and it is a lifelong committment.

I think I may have gotten rid of Santa though. Easter seems to be different though.

[Sequoia]

20. My child is 10 and I was thinking

about some healthy snacks, just a few candy, and since she likes to knit, some new thicker needles, knitting book and funky yarn. Those already made baskets have the worst junk for the most part and is for smaller kids. I'm not too keen on egg coloring anymore.

[LostinVA]

24. My mom doesn't give me much candy anymore, because I eat

very little sugar... but, last year she had a basket, but some Irish oatmeal in it, two bottles of Guinness, and gardening stuff (I had just bought a house), plus some Hershey's kisses, etc. I guarantee she'll like the basket! It's a cool kid-growing up hybrid...

[Evergreen Emerald]

16. I still get an easter basket and presents from SAnta and I am

in my 30's. I have never told my teenager--and she still gets a basket and a stocking.

[Duer 157099]

17. Here's what I had told him about Santa:

I don't know where I came up with this idea, but it just came out and I went with it. It was improvisational because, I had thought he already didn't believe and so would appreciate being treated as a young adult -- so I started by saying Santa wasn't coming this year (last year) and when I saw his reaction, I had to quickly cover as fast as I could. (oh what a tangled web we weave...)

I told him that every parent, before their child is born, makes an agreement with Santa about how long to bring toys. I told him that Santa needs to focus on the younger kids, and that as kids get older, they sort of have to relinquish their place on the list. I told him that the agreement also said that I would pick up Santa's slack.

So, I told him that the age that I had decided upon, before he was born, was 12.

That was my story, and he's sticking to it.

When the first tooth fairy incident came up after that point, he intuited that the same deal applied, and he asked me to confirm it, which I did.

He just hasn't yet asked about Easter. I think I'll just keep going along this storyline....

[Rabrrrrrr]

23. Keep going with the storyline until he tells you he knows.

Because the truth is, as long as you are leaving a basket with candy and hiding eggs, etc., the Easter Bunny DOES exist. Same with Santa.

[LostinVA]

25. Excellent, wonderful point!