My son is 8 and still believes in Santa Claus. A quick online search from a few years ago tells me that the average age that kids stop believing is 7 ½, but it varies widely so I certainly don’t sweat that the believes. It’s endearing. It’s also slightly unnerving because his top two requests are things that he will not receive.
He wants a Lego Death Star, which he will not receive because Santa is not in the mood for paying $500 for Lego Anything. His other request (which actually is the first thing he asks for) is a ride on Santa’s sleigh. We’ve told him that he won’t be getting the Lego Death Star and he’s accepted that, but because he believes so fiercely in Santa, he still has an amazing hope. Mom and dad won’t deliver, but maybe Someone else will.
I’m a bit at a loss. We’ve talked about alternatives (a sleigh ride, perhaps? or a carriage ride?), but I have a feeling that unless we spill the beans about Santa, he’s going to be a little disappointed on Christmas morning.
That’s the thing about hope! How do we foster it when we encounter instances when we feel betrayed? It’s one of the constant challenges we have as leaders of a congregation filled with people who want hope and peace that boils over. When they don’t encounter it, they just assume that it’s cold or turned off and they turn away. We need to teach simmering hope.