Rite of Passage

This weekend James and J and I were having a discussion about where all of our calculators had gotten to. I started to say, "I bought two of them (to put in stockings at Christmas)..." and then I stopped before I got to the part in parentheses. J's eyes got wide and he said "You said you bought them. That means that Santa Claus isn't really real!!!!" I stood there like a deer in headlights with a look that gave it all away. There was no more denying it. So James and I came clean. I even told him I was 8 when I figured it out just like him. I asked if he would like to help me pick out something for MC's stocking and he said yes, with his face lit up. I told him I trusted him with this information - not to spoil it for his sister or anyone else who still believes. I also told him what my mother told me. If you say you don't believe in Santa anymore, he will stop coming to bring you presents. Honestly, I'm kind of relieved. He has been asking questions for a while now and I've been wondering how I would answer them. I'm uploading a picture of him from his 8th birthday party. Can't believe how the time flies! This picture was taken at the point of the Happy Birthday song that goes "dear J..." (but you could probably figure that out yourself!)