NationStates Jolt Archive

And do you think that encouraging children to believe in Santa Claus is healthy?

I do not remember ever believing in Santa Claus as a child. My husband believed in Santa Claus until he was almost 10, and only lost that belief when his older brother in a fit of nastiness told him it was all a lie. It was a loss of faith that he mourned for years.

We teach our five year old daughter that yes, Santa is real, but that Santa isn't a person like a fireman or a shop clerk is person. We tell her that Santa is a spirit of giving and receiving, of the joy of hospitality and generosity. It's very easy to emphasize those traits in all the various stories about Santa Claus, and in all the various holiday traditions we observe.

This approach lets me avoid feeling like a scummy liar for telling my kid something that isn't true, has let my husband heal from his childhood hurt over the matter and really love the holidays again, and we hope will let our daughter love the holidays without risking that same hurt in her future.

What do you do?

Elicere

I'd say that Santa is a robot from Neptune looking to blast your ass with a rocket launcher.

I think you have a very cool way of looking at the whole Santa deal:cool: :)

My children are too young for Santa right now. I believed until a first grade classmate told me there wasn't one. I was shocked but it also made sense to me. I told my younger brother and we actually agreed to keep our knowledge a secret from our parents knowing that the # of gifts would then decrease. When they finally decided to tell us - we let them know that we already knew.
I am grappling with the same very issue. On one hand it can open up a child's imagination and my memories of Christmas with Santa are magical and wonderful. On the other side of the coin, I can see that a child may resent the fact that they have been lied to for years. I can't really decide. I think my warm memories will win out in the end - I have 1 more year to decide.

I don't ever advocate lying to children. I remember when I found out santa wasn't real, I was shocked and hurt, and I didn't trust my mom for a long time.

I didn't want to do the whole santa thing with my kids, but my inlaws have screwed up my plan. I thought I would just let it go and let the kid figure it out on her own, and maybe just not promote it. It didn't take as long as I thought it would, the 4 year old yesterday said "Santa isn't like real right, he is like Elmo, fun to pretend but not really real right?" and I said "yep"

My children are too young for Santa right now. I believed until a first grade classmate told me there wasn't one. I was shocked but it also made sense to me. I told my younger brother and we actually agreed to keep our knowledge a secret from our parents knowing that the # of gifts would then decrease. When they finally decided to tell us - we let them know that we already knew.
I am grappling with the same very issue. On one hand it can open up a child's imagination and my memories of Christmas with Santa are magical and wonderful. On the other side of the coin, I can see that a child may resent the fact that they have been lied to for years. I can't really decide. I think my warm memories will win out in the end - I have 1 more year to decide.

You mean he's not real:confused: ?!?

OH EMM GEE!!!

Of course he's real. I went to see him at the mall this past weekend. I even sat on his lap and had my picture taken. Funny thing, though...the whole time I was sitting there, I felt something hard poking me in the ass...

Sounds like you've got it covered. I would do the same, if I had children.

I believe in Santa Claus, in the spirit as expressed in that letter to Virginia, written so long ago (1897 if I recall). I never had any problem with the divide between truth and story when I was a child, and finding out something was story would, rather than be tragic, make it more valuable. But that's just me.

Am I the only one who wasn't traumatised, but instead rather happy, that my parents let me believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth-Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and assorted other strange beings? In fact, my mom thought I knew the truth about Santa Claus before I actually did, and broke it to me...which actually made me sad because I wanted to keep believing. Oh well, I got to help sustain the myth for my brothers, and that was a lot of fun. Am I going to lie to my kids? HELL YES!

Am I the only one who wasn't traumatised, but instead rather happy, that my parents let me believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth-Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and assorted other strange beings? In fact, my mom thought I knew the truth about Santa Claus before I actually did, and broke it to me...which actually made me sad because I wanted to keep believing. Oh well, I got to help sustain the myth for my brothers, and that was a lot of fun. Am I going to lie to my kids? HELL YES!

No, not at all. It was a great thing to believe in and made christmas as a kid even better than the presents, food and general fun would have on their own. I just think that if you don't want to tell your children that he's real, then "santa=the spirit of giving and receiving, of the joy of hospitality and generosity", is an excellent non-christian approach to christmas. Although if I'd do the same with my children I don't know, because the prospect of me as a father scares the hell out of me.

...

Santacron.

I quite enjoy the idea of a fat man in a bright red suit climbing down the chimney in the middle of the night to leave me things, eat my food, drink my drinks, and watch me all year long.

To quote a certain philosopher: "Santa is dead and elves engage in slave morality. It's time for some überelves! Mwahahaha"

I believed in Santa up intil I was a kindygartner. During 1st grade I thought toys-r-us associates came into our house at night and dropped off my Hot Wheels and GI Joe's. In second grade when my mom asked me if I believed, I presented her proudly with my logic. She looked at me oddly and told me the truth, I thought nothing of it. I knew a kid who believed all the way up until 7th grade--more kid:(

It's common knowledge that Walmart kidnapped Santa and forces him to make toys and things (for free) that they can sell it at a profit

I have always taught my children that *people* are generous and giving and require no mythical creature to be so.

I have always taught my children that *people* are generous and giving and require no mythical creature to be so.
Good luck with that. We really aren't.

Good luck with that. We really aren't.

ZING!!!

But seriously, Melkor has a point

Good luck with that. We really aren't.

*pinches cheek* Oh yes you are. You kept the "Uber Bash Religion" thread alive even though you know what it will become. This shows a modicum of hope granted towards your fellow man.

Crusty exterior and raving cynic aside, you're a good man, Gunga Din.

Deal with it. :p

ZING!!!

Save your zing until I reply. :p

No!!!!

I'm 34 and I believe in Santa whole heartedly. Why? Because everything that he represents is more pure and true than any of those stinkin' religions out there. And that's without any consideration for the commercial and materialistic sides of Santa and Christmas.

Don't want to teach your kids about Santa or the spirit of? Might as well teach them that greed is right and that giving freely of themselves is the worst thing that they can ever do for another person.

Santa makes it to our house for cookies and milk every year. Go ahead, be jealous. Its what you get for not believing.

:cool:

Why? Because everything that he represents is more pure and true than any of those stinkin' religions out there.

Slave labor and home invasion? Oooh yeah. Rock on, Santa.

there is at least the theoretical possibility, that a real santaclaus exists using a timewarpfacillitator, a device capable of compressing the time over the year along the surface of a bubbleshaped timedistortionfield, which is then used in the 24h of christmasnight, which will last a whole year for the observer within the distortionfield. this would not only result in allowing santa more time to visit all children, but it is also an explanation, why he is so hard to detect, as the timecompression/-dilation similarly phaseshifts the shielded space out of our dimension.

http://www.barricksinsurance.com/virginia.html

;) That's all I have to say.

I'd say that Santa is a robot from Neptune looking to blast your ass with a rocket launcher.
Futurama anyone?

I'd say that Santa is a robot from Neptune looking to blast your ass with a rocket launcher.

The Chanukkah Zombie hates you.

Slave labor and home invasion? Oooh yeah. Rock on, Santa.
Now, now. You're getting this Santa http://www.phys.psu.edu/~scalise/misc/lobo/pcs.gif mixed up with the real Santa, fan boy.

:cool:

Now, now. You're getting this Santa http://www.phys.psu.edu/~scalise/misc/lobo/pcs.gif mixed up with the real Santa, fan boy.

:cool:

Rofl ... if I had any idea what that was, I might agree with ya. I haven't read a comic since 4 years before Superman died. Though it is a fun picture.

If you didn't know already the "modern" version of santa claus originated from a coca-cola advertisment program, santas colours being red and white, coke's signature colours. among many children xmas is a time of greed, where they can get anything they want if they have parents that spoil them, however other kids get the "Santa can't come this year" becuase there parents got laid off. due to the lack of social responsibility in many american toy companies they try to squese every penny out of parents, while usually delevering a sub-satisfactory toy/product. maximizing economic profit while minimizing the joy of xmas for alot of people

I'm 53 and a believer. When you quit believing he quits showing up. I haven't missed one Christmas morning in 53 years. He always comes. Don't know of a believer he's ever missed or a nonbeliever that he's shown up for. He has a better record than God.

I'm 53 and a believer. When you quit believing he quits showing up. I haven't missed one Christmas morning in 53 years. He always comes. Don't know of a believer he's ever missed or a nonbeliever that he's shown up for. He has a better record than God.

I *strongly* recommend that you do not look for the Wal-Mart receipts in the trash can. Strongly.

Santa was invented by Coca-Cola as an advertising gimmick. Based on Saint Nicholas, who never actually went to the north pole.

Santa was invented by Coca-Cola as an advertising gimmick. Based on Saint Nicholas, who never actually went to the north pole.

Actually, he was only made fat by Coca Cola, I'm pretty sure.

fat, and red and white, didn't the old st nick where brown and white?

http://images.ucomics.com/comics/bo/2005/bo051214.gif

This current storyline for the Boondocks is hilarious.

Santa was invented by Coca-Cola as an advertising gimmick. Based on Saint Nicholas, who never actually went to the north pole.

they wouldn't be so keen to use him in an advertising campaign if they knew the truth...

http://members.lycos.nl/sweezzzie/hpbimg/evil%20santa!!.jpg

Man you're taking the whole teaching your kids the truth way too seriously.

When I was little, I always tried to sneak down and catch Santa Clause just to prove to my parent that I knew he didn't exist. It was a fun game, but by the time I was 4 I knew that there was no way for me to be convinced in him anymore.

Really, just cut the Christmas Spirit substitution nonsense and enjoy it. Kids only cry when they don't get enough attention for a problem (or if they're doctrined in getting too much), and they won't fall apart on that "climatic day". So, rather than make a huge issue outta nothing, just play in the snow, put the presents under the tree after you go to bed, and sing carols and drink egg nog. You're supposed to relax during the holiday's not fret all over'em.