h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My sister came home from school demanding to know "honestly, the truth!" about Santa and the Easter Bilby because apparently she was the only one in her little class who still believed in them. She was told the truth and had a large crying fit, so now the truth is being desperately covered up in order to keep her happy.

I was very disappointed to hear that the truth was "actually it's Mummy and Daddy". Last year I wrapped all the presents and did her stocking and wrote the letter and drank the brandy and even chewed the carrot!

How old is your sister, I can't remember? I think my son still believes - even in the tooth fairy.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the Tooth Fairy. I think she's always been a bit suspicious of the Tooth Fairy, but she still believes in her too. It's great for your son. Don't people at school try and tell him the wrong thing?

She's only 7.
I don't think I did at that age, but I was very different to her then.

7? So young to hear the brutal truth.

People at school might well tell him different, but J is stubborn enough that he'll believe what the hell he likes!

When my niece asked that "is there really a Santa" question (I don't remember how old she was) I found that "Yes Virginia" bit and read it to her. At least it helped her understand why she was being told "stories"

The truth?

Sounds like she's been told the lies that Santa doesn't exist. Of course he does!

On the bright side Niwt, you got to drink the brandy.

I never had to ask whether Father Christmas was real - I knew from the start that he wasn't. The dead giveaway was that the Father Christmas at the biggest department store in town was in fact my grandfather wearing a silly wig. (No pillows up the jacket - he was shaped like that already.) So look at it this way - at least your sister has had a chance to believe all this stuff.

You mean there is no tooth fairy???!!!!



btw, what the is the "Easter Bilby"

Of course there is such a thing as the tooth fairy! How else does the money appear under your pillow and the tooth disappear?

Here's a bit of background on the Bilby: http://www.modnet.com.au/~firefrog/easterbilby.htm

It's a substitute for the rabbit, which is of course feral vermin in this part of the world.

I had this conversation with Andrew last year.

This year he's had two teeth removed, and dutifully put them under his pillow.

I thought, he knows there's no tooth fairy now, so I don't have to fork out.

Next morning, he was very at me "You forgot my 50p!"

"Bilbies are from the same family as Bandicoots"



Higgins wants one!

Santa Claus may well exist, but in this case it wasn't him who answered her letter and brought her a stupidly large toy horse. We explained how Santa generally helps out those whose parents can't manage, or who don't have parents.

Ivan - didn't you know that Santas in shops just work for Santa? Your grandfather must have been a special representative!

Rabbits are indeed feral introduced species and terribly bad. The Easter Bilby is cool - maybe I'll write a guide entry!

I'm afraid my parents were fundamentally honest - they explained about the bloke in the red suit very early in the piece. Oh well. I haven't grown up to be especially bitter or particularly twisted, so it probably doesn't matter.

On our bulletin board at w*rk, there's been an ongoing debate about the Easter delivery creature. On the vote that finished yesterday, the Easter Bilby was the clear winner, closely followed by the Easter Emu and the Easter Dragon. The Easter Bunny was eliminated in the early rounds, along with the Easter Amoeba and the Easter Ebola Virus. I think that I w*rk with a lot of people who need a very long holiday.

"especially bitter or particularly twisted"