The French kids in my seven and five-year-old's classes keep telling them there's no Santa.
I can't believe it. It's our third year here now; the first year it was fine as they were only starting to understand French. Last year we just told them that because there are so many various religions in their school that some of the children don't celebrate Christmas.
This year it's relentless.
It's the hottest topic on the school yard. In fact, an Irish friend of mine who is married to a French man told me that some children as young as three are talking about Santa's non-existence. She thinks it's because French people in general aren't as sentimental as the Irish. They are much more matter-of-fact than we are so the magic of Christmas doesn't seem to last as long.
I've asked lots of French people about this and none of them really seem to have an answer. That's just the way it is. One French mother told me her daughter believed until she was nine and that was really old! Eventually the other kids began mocking her so much in school that her mum let her in on the secret.
The tooth fairy doesn't exist here either. Instead, French children get visited by a little mouse. Apparently the mouse doesn't actually take the tooth but instead checks inside the child’s mouth to see if there is a gap and leaves some coins if he finds one, usually between €2-€5.
We haven't worked out which one visits us here but we think perhaps the tooth fairy flies over as the teeth have all been taken! It's funny how the customs and traditions vary from country to country but that's the joy of living in a multicultural society nowadays.
A French friend told me that she thinks kids in France grow up a little earlier. This is true; a four-year-old friend of my son went off on holidays without his parents for eleven nights last summer... to a holiday camp in the west of France!
Back in our house and we've been using the line that Santa definitely exists in Ireland (and always has) but that he mightn't come if he thinks people are doubting him. This is working for the moment – and long may it last, but if any readers have a decent suggestion on how to keep this going I would be delighted with any advice!
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