Now she "knows"

About Santa, that is. I thought that any day now Jules would come home and ask if Santa was real. Usually 3rd grade seems to be the turning point (if not before). But she hasn't mentioned anything. So tonight she and I went out to eat and in the car I asked her if any of the kids in her class were saying anything about Santa. I figured that I probably should tell her the truth because I didn't want her to be the only one still believing and then get made fun of. So anyway, here's how the conversation went:

Me: Are the kids saying anything about Santa at school?
Jules: Not really. Well, they say like who believes and who doesn't.
M3: What kinds of things are they saying?
Jules: Well, mostly it's the whole class doesn't believe and me who does.
Me: Oh, gotcha.
long pause
Me: You wanna know a secret, Jules?
Jules: Staring at me..."what?"
Me: Santa isn't real, Jules.
Jules: What? Then who is it?
Me: Mommy & Daddy
Jules: Really? YOU guys give the presents?
Me:Yep.
Jules: Oh my goodness! *Laughing* Well, thanks for the presents so far!

I was prepared for tears, or a long discussion about lying or something. You know how some people don't do Santa because they think that it's lying to their kids and teaching them to put false faith in something they don't see and then the kids equating it to Jesus. I've never been one of those people. I think that reasoning is just ridiculous, (We have a relationship with Jesus, not Santa for Pete's sake!) but I was prepared for a conversation along those lines if need be. Instead, it went very smoothly. About 10 minutes after our talk, she looks at me and says, "So, the Tooth Fairy isn't real either?" I told her no, and she laughed! 10 minutes after that she says, "And the Easter Bunny? You guys are the Easter Bunny too? And the Millards, Jim & Laura are Santa? And my cousins? Uncle Ron & Aunt Jen?" I told her that she was right and we had a great moment of connection over it. I think she is really going to enjoy this little secret that she and I share now.