I think this is AJ's last year of believing. He's asking too many questions and I don't like lying. But right now it seems like he still really wants to believe there's a Santa, and so I'll affirm his suspicions.
Last year, when "Santa" showed up at a family gathering, AJ recognized the relative underneath the beard and costume. When he asked me about it, I told him that - since it wasn't on Christmas - that Santa was busy at the North Pole and so he sent a helper instead.
A few days later, we saw another "Santa" at the mall. AJ asked if that was a helper too, or the real one. I responded with that perfect parent non-answer of "What do you think?"
"I think it's probably just a helper," he said.
"You're probably right."
So now we're to this year. The kids had a chance to see Santa at the Children's Museum last weekend. As we were preparing to go there, AJ hurried over to me and in a whisper that seemed part concerned, part conspiratorial, he reminded me of what he'd figured out last year about Santa's helpers. He then asked if the Santa he'd be seeing that day would be a helper too.
"Probably," I agreed.
"But I won't tell Sydney," he promised.
One of these weekends, we'll probably take a trip to Bentleyville. If AJ questions that Santa, it might finally be time to 'fess up.
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