The Santa Myth: Should we perpetuate the lie to children?

Originally posted by kykweer
Last I played santa for my lil niece and nephew. I put on the suit and got into character.

I swear the joy and looks on their faces were one of the most heart warming experiences I've ever had.

You know, I can understand that. It must feel great and is a lot of fun. To see their smiles and feel their joy. Precious. But, I'm practical. Maybe too practical at times. There are pro's and con's on both sides of the equation and it's the con's I have trouble with. Like seeing them cry when some kid on the play ground tells them the truth. Or seeing them throw a tantrum and blame Santa. Or not being able to to come clean when the time is right.

Originally posted by nawki
Rock On & Merry Christmas Ya Big Hairy Bast...ard.. .(avatar pic)

Haha, how sweet and cute you are! Here's hoping yule have a good holiday!

Love your sig too:

signature:
The truth is like fart in the bathtub.
It takes a while to get to the surface but once it does
it usually stinks.
-Nawki-

It really seems as though many people are making Santa a scape goat.

Santa isn't the one making stores decorate before Halloween.
Santa isn't the one telling your kids they NEED that cool video game.

Let's put the blame where it belongs and that's on the media and corporations who have abused Santa's image to push their own agenda.

Santa was never the one to bring ALL the presents. Santa didn't reward bad boys and girls, but corporations do. It's the frauds and greedy boys and girls who get bonuses and mansions.

The greedy ruined Santa and I wouldn't blame him if he retired the elves and himself because they've used him for their own gain.

Nobody ever mentions the story of poor Rudolph. His story taught acceptance of those who are different. So did the Land of Misfit Toys. Now, these stories have to die as well because everyone decides that Santa is evil.
So sad.

Hypnosis and mind control, in false beliefs, not only violate the trust, between child and parent, it teaches them, that it is acceptable to lie, and those who do so, since they are role models, are accepted, same as the ones, who grow up and accept the lies and abuses, etc. government imposes on the people, and those who think it is tolerable..imho

Originally posted by yinyang04011
reply to post by FlySolo

 

I do not have children either, but I sure can remember being one (i am 30 now). I remember the insane lengths my mom went to to make me believe in the tooth fairy, easter rabbit, santa, etc. So much, that when it finally dawned on me that it was a load of crap, I lost a little faith in my mom. yes, it was that bad. i cried for days and felt truly betrayed by her. so, i don't think i will be teaching my kids about all of that. if they choose to believe, so be it, but i wont be forcing them.

Thank you for your reply. While some kids a born with thicker skin, the same can't be said for everyone. For sensitive children, that trust betrayal can be rough I'm sure

Originally posted by kykweer
Last christmas I played santa for my lil niece and nephew. I put on the suit and got into character.

I swear the joy and looks on their faces were one of the most heart warming experiences I've ever had.

Santa is fun and good for the occasion, I mean I'd never take my kids to a mall and stand in line for 45 mins, you have to be insane.

But if it makes my child smile I don't mind.

I just get a feeling a lot of people just want to force into a little childs head that the government is out to get you... Go ahead, push the suicide rate up.

You're right. It seems to be a crime these days to want to see your children smile.

reply to post by FlySolo


Actually, when i did believe, it was truly magical waking up on Christmas Day with all the presents, or just missing the easter bunny hop into the forest or reading the letters about his new litter of baby bunnies or seeing the boot prints on the paper bag i left out in front of the door (my mom didn't even have boots, so i have no idea how she did this it was really great, but when it all crashed down, the magic was truly gone. but, i know the holidays are really about just being with family, whether you can afford gifts or not, just being thankful for what you do have and that you can share it together, because there are so many kids that do not have the luxury of returning the video game they don't want.

Originally posted by OhZone

Originally posted by DarknessMatters
The belief in a Santa Clause by children should be encouraged. They're children. Let them stay innocent as long as possible.
This whole "War on Christmas" thing is ridiculous at best.

Letting them be children is part of the problem with today's youth.
They should learn responsibility at an early age, which makes for a more responsible adult.
Telling them there is a santa claus is LYING to them.
Some children, myself included, can get quite upset over the fact that their most trusted parents have lied to them. After all they are taught that lying is unacceptable behavior.

Wouldn't it be better, if you want to play that game; tell them that we are going to Pretend there is a santa claus.
Children like playing games of pretend and the can quit playing anytime they feel like it. That way there is no big let down, no sense that they have been made a fool, no sense of betrayal.....

Yet the adults from days gone by seem to be morally superior to the adults of today and have greater personal values in regard to family and reponsibility. And they grew up with Santa.

The truth is that children have an imagination and are rightly ignorant to the worlds woes. I've suffered no ill effect from finding out he wasn't real. And I wasn't told I he was real and I wasn't told he wasn't. I was just exposed to the tradition and at some point figured it out. My daughter figured it out for herself as well and she is one of the most grounded level headed caring young adults I know.

I'd argue that some of the most history changing inventions have come from people who were aloud to hang on to their imagination. And most of those people imagined the things they developed in adult life while they were still children.

I can remember the day I found out Santa wasn't real. I think I was in second grade. It may have been third, but whatever. The teacher left the room (yes, this was a time when the teacher could leave and the kids could still be trusted to behave) and one of the boys announced to the class that Santa wasn't real. Some of the kids accused him of lying, but he insisted. I can't speak for the rest of the class, but I was pretty shocked and a bit sad.

What was I most worried about? Hurting my parents' feelings. I can remember trying to decide if I should fake it or just admit to them that it wasn't true. I can't remember how I handled this. I probably faked it opening presents, then mentioned it to my mom later on that day, but regardless. I knew it was fun for my parents, too, and my telling them that I didn't believe anymore would also ruin it for them. I knew how bad I felt at finding out, so just imagine how crushed they'd be.

One person mentioned how they lost faith in their mom who busted her butt to make Santa and the Easter Bunny real. Any parent that goes to great lengths to make their kids happy deserves praise and nothing less.

reply to post by Afterthought


Yes, i definitely get it now how much my mom enjoyed writing the letters and eating all the cookies and carrots. i can even remember a time when i wanted to leave extra out because the easter bunny had all the babies to feed back home and he could take a doggie bag. at the time my mom was like "are you sure we should leave all that?" i now know she actually ate every bit of what we left out every single time to make it more real my mom is slightly mentally challenged and to be completely honest i think she even still believes.

wow, this thread is making me remember all the good times

and i don't want it to seem like i am still bitter over all this, cause i am not.

I understand your point, but seriously... kids are forced to grow up so damn fast nowadays, let them have a little bit of fantasy and myth.If only for 1 month of the year, they love the santa myth as much as we peddle it.

I would say grow up, but that is the opposite of what I'm trying to say

Merry Christmas to all!

x

I guess yes. Santa is a symbol of Christmas, he give gifts to children and so that makes him a source of joy of excitement of every child during Christmas. Let them enjoy this day. Anyway, they'll know someday that he's true. Just like most of us.

reply to post by yinyang04011

making me remember all the good times

And that's what it's all about.

This thread is scaring me into believing that the world is going to be a pretty boring place in the next decade or so. What happens if parents who allow their kids to believe in Santa are locked up. The thought police seem to be getting stronger. It may happen that anyone who believes in anything fantasy driven is considered mentally ill.

If anything has made me more disappointed in life is the stupid Disney movies telling little girls that they're going to meet their prince charming. I'm still waiting!!!

reply to post by yinyang04011


The even sader thing is my friend, that noone else believes your post either.... and they are adults.
Star for you, because you speak the truth and not many people on ATS like to hear it anymore.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

x

Originally posted by FlySolo

Originally posted by kykweer
Last I played santa for my lil niece and nephew. I put on the suit and got into character.

I swear the joy and looks on their faces were one of the most heart warming experiences I've ever had.

You know, I can understand that. It must feel great and is a lot of fun. To see their smiles and feel their joy. Precious. But, I'm practical. Maybe too practical at times. There are pro's and con's on both sides of the equation and it's the con's I have trouble with. Like seeing them cry when some kid on the play ground tells them the truth. Or seeing them throw a tantrum and blame Santa. Or not being able to to come clean when the time is right.

Those aren't cons - they're life lessons. Actually, most kids don't find out about the "truth" in that fashion anyway. I think almost all kids just eventually figure it out themselves.

I have a 4 month old baby and will be perpetuate the Santa story for as long as I possibly can. It has done absolutely no harm to generations of kids.

reply to post by Curio


Okay, but how is learning that santa isn't real a life lesson? when I think of life lessons, I think of standing up for what i believe in or helping those less fortunate. not whether or not a lady with wings will leave me a quarter for my tooth.

And maybe my situation wasn't the norm, but for a while it really did hurt after i found out.

I feel sorry for those of you who have a problem with Santa. This editorial was linked to earlier in the thread, but I thought I would print it out. You can find it lots of places. It's probably the most fanmous editorial ever written:

The following editorial appeared in The New York Sun in 1897:

We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

Dear Editor:

I am 8 years old.

Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun it's so." Please tell me the truth: Is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon

115 West Ninety-Fifth Street

New York


Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.

There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal life with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Well, my parents told me That santa was real and i believed so until i was 11. The only reason they wanted me to believe in santa is because Children grow up too fast, and they wanted me to "stay cute and cuddly" for as long as possible haha. But seriously, Is Santa really affecting a kid THAT bad? Oh, Cause believing in santa gave me numerous Mental disorders.

Tell your kids the truth. Christmas was intended as an invitation for us to graduate out of spiritual puberty and open our third eye. Not really what you read in a Hallmark card these days.

the magical truth about christmas

I told my daughter that I'm Santa. I also told her there's no god and to not trust the government. Keeping people in the dark is mean.