I wonder, what purpose did the teacher serve by telling the class that Santa doesn’t exist?
In our family, I’ve never once lied to my children. I’ve always told them the truth: SANTA EXISTS.
Whenever they’ve asked, “Is Santa real?” I’ve answered, “You get presents under the tree, right? So, Santa is real.”
Whenever they’ve asked questions such as, “Well, how does he get around the world in one night?” I’ve answered, “Well, legend says...,” or, “The story goes...”
So, I’m not lying. ;-) I’m just telling the story. And I have a sixth grader who still believes (though he has his doubts).
When my older son finally cornered me once and said, “So, you’ve been tricking us all this time.” I answered, “It’s not a trick. It’s true. It’s just like receiving a gift from someone anonymous. Only, instead of signing it ‘Anonymous’, the person signs it ‘Santa’. So, Santa does exist. A person is playing Santa.”
If my child told me his teacher told him Santa doesn’t exist, I’d probably handle it with the same circular logic: “Well, sure he does. You get presents under the tree, don’t you? The story goes...” ;-)
(Before someone flames me, YES, I always remind my children the true meaning of Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ.)
You could also tell them that Santa Claus is a modern version of St Nicholas, who as a Bishop was imbued with the Holy Spirit, and that those acting in the personna of Santa today are carrying forth that same Spirit.
(Hey - it worked for my kids - right after they found out that the “Santa” they saw every year at the American Legion, the Fire Station, the VA Hospital and several other venues was *me*.)