So I have an older brother, he has two kids under 10. The parents buy way more presents than is good for them, but then they get an extra special present or two, and put the label 'from santa' on it. I haven't talked to my niece/nephew about the topic, but I know their father is indifferent towards the concept, and its all in their mothers hands at that point. I haven't talked to her about her choice, but I think it's an interesting concept to try to tackle.
Personally, my parents never lead me along thinking he was real or anything. And I really have no intention of letting my eventual children think that some fat guy in a sleigh is visiting the houses of all the world in a single night. Let'em know who gets the gifts, and live with the result.
i'll do the same thing my parent did with me take them to pick up their presents days before christmas and buy them some other secret ones and neer tell them about santa or any other present giving entity
Tell the kids when they are old enough that I was their Santa, then talk about the gift of giving and then present them with a little gift or something to reiterate the point. Dunno if that's a good idea but that's what I would do.
You know, I'm not really sure. It seems like such a pivotal part of 'kid culture.' I'd hate to just ignore it outright, but I'm not a fan of lying about mythical bullshit.
Pretty much ignore the whole concept as I have never understood why kids need to believe in mythical beings giving presents.
Because it's fun and adds a sense of whimsy and magic? You don't need to crush a kid with the weight of the world right away and take away any sense of wonder.
Pretty much ignore the whole concept as I have never understood why kids need to believe in mythical beings giving presents.
Because it's fun and adds a sense of whimsy and magic? You don't need to crush a kid with the weight of the world right away and take away any sense of wonder.
That's exactly how I feel. I mean, its not like it hurts kids, and having your kid be the one in their group of friends that decides to ruin it for everyone when they're eight isn't exactly something I want either.
I'm not going to buy my kids presents cause this is reality dude. Life doesn't give you presents. Then they'll think its because they're on the naughty list, and they'll do everything in their power to behave, so that maybe just maybe they'll convince Santa they're as good as the other children. But they won't be. And then they'll know the most important lesson of all: life is a cruel bitch and nothing makes the pain go away. Knowledge is the best present you can pass onto your children after all. Merry Christmas.
It's about being in the spirit of Christmas (and no, I don't mean religiously). I'd probably do A, I'm pretty sure that's what my parents did. My parents still get us presents even though we're a little bit old for it, and whenever we say "thanks mom, thanks dad." My dad will (though not last year I believe) say something like, "It wasn't me, it was Santa." Jokingly. I think some people find it cruel in a way 'cause you're lying to your kids by telling them someone is real and this mystical person is giving them presents, but now that I think about it, it's just about the spirit of Christmas, and tradition. The funny thing is though, the kids don't really care about that stuff, they just get excited because of the presents even though they don't want to admit it.
I don't plan to raise kids who are so stupid they can't figure out what's up with Santa on their own, so I'm not afraid of damaging their psyches or whatever.
Keep the fantasy going as long as they are willing to believe, I don't see any reason not to. I can only imagine those that were told at an early age, or their parents didn't make the effort are the only ones willing to ignore it. It's a fun little tale to let the children be excited about. I know that growing up, believing in Santa (until I was around 8-9) was a very enjoyable experience. It made Christmas all the better thinking that the better I act throughout the year, the better gifts I'd get.
So, you give them enjoyment and teach them to act kindly - where's the wrong in that?
I was raised Jewish and all the "magic" wasn't lost. My parents decorated with blue Hanukkah candles and shit, and the sight of presents bundled up in the corner of the house is all the hype a kid needs. On the other hand, Christmas decorations always look gross and boring to me; and why anyone would want to fuck up their house with the trouble of a gigantic tree is beyond me. I also remember being really shocked that so many kids were stupid enough to believe in a magic fat man who gives them presents.
Also, from what I've gleaned from this thread:
"I figured it out on my own." Still believes in God.
Other- I'm not going to tell them there's a santa at all, it's a stupid and unnecessary tradition, why make up the flying fat man when you can just say you're rewarding them on their good behavior?
I was raised Jewish and all the "magic" wasn't lost. My parents decorated with blue Hanukkah candles and shit, and the sight of presents bundled up in the corner of the house is all the hype a kid needs. On the other hand, Christmas decorations always look gross and boring to me; and why anyone would want to fuck up their house with the trouble of a gigantic tree is beyond me. I also remember being really shocked that so many kids were stupid enough to believe in a magic fat man who gives them presents.
Also, from what I've gleaned from this thread:
"I figured it out on my own." Still believes in God.
You people are insane.
I bet there was someone like you that went and talked to Hitler...lot of good that did.
I was raised Jewish and all the "magic" wasn't lost. My parents decorated with blue Hanukkah candles and shit, and the sight of presents bundled up in the corner of the house is all the hype a kid needs. On the other hand, Christmas decorations always look gross and boring to me; and why anyone would want to fuck up their house with the trouble of a gigantic tree is beyond me. I also remember being really shocked that so many kids were stupid enough to believe in a magic fat man who gives them presents.
Also, from what I've gleaned from this thread:
"I figured it out on my own." Still believes in God.
You people are insane.
I bet there was someone like you that went and talked to Hitler...lot of good that did.
Dude, you are a fucken powerhouse when it comes to proving godwin's law.
I was raised Jewish and all the "magic" wasn't lost. My parents decorated with blue Hanukkah candles and shit, and the sight of presents bundled up in the corner of the house is all the hype a kid needs. On the other hand, Christmas decorations always look gross and boring to me; and why anyone would want to fuck up their house with the trouble of a gigantic tree is beyond me. I also remember being really shocked that so many kids were stupid enough to believe in a magic fat man who gives them presents.
Also, from what I've gleaned from this thread:
"I figured it out on my own." Still believes in God.
You people are insane.
I bet there was someone like you that went and talked to Hitler...lot of good that did.
Dude, you are a fucken powerhouse when it comes to proving godwin's law.
I know, must be because Hitler's always (sub)consciously on my mind...*whispers* Mein Führer!
In ginna execute a guy in a Santa suit at point blank range in a shopping mall with a sawn off shotgun just to prove a FUCKEN point Gonna be rad doe
I'm about to go Grammar Nazi on your ass.
Lol u think the character I'm attempting to create gives a shit about grammar that ain't trill
Oh.. right.
*Cracks knuckles*
Yo B, shit ain't gunna start poppin until you get to steppin in the finger dancing yo. You gotta blend in dawg, in order to survive because they be killin dumb mutha fuckers up in the Bomb. Spell yo shit correctly or you ain't gunna make it B. Peace out A town, Yolo, Gucci.
I don't actually remember when I learned that Santa wasn't real, all I know is that when I did figure it out, my parents didn't lead me on anymore, or maybe even ever.
No panic, no tears, no reality crumbling down around me. It worked for me, so I'll do the same with my kid and just let him go with the flow. I feel like mall Santa's are a pretty dead giveaway that it's just a guy in a suit, and if my kid can't put two and two together, they're going to have bigger issues than finding out Santa ain't real.
Keep the fantasy going as long as they are willing to believe, I don't see any reason not to. I can only imagine those that were told at an early age, or their parents didn't make the effort are the only ones willing to ignore it. It's a fun little tale to let the children be excited about. I know that growing up, believing in Santa (until I was around 8-9) was a very enjoyable experience. It made Christmas all the better thinking that the better I act throughout the year, the better gifts I'd get.
So, you give them enjoyment and teach them to act kindly - where's the wrong in that?
I voted this as well and I agree with you on giving them enjoyment and a lesson in good behaviour! But I wish I could change my vote because after voting I remembered seeing my friend (who was only about 8/9) being teased for still believing in Santa. It was heartbreaking. =[ I would definitely let my kids have the story of Santa in their lives but I'm hoping they'd just figure it out on their own. If not, maybe I'd start to hint about him not being real or something haha. Ah, who knows. It all depends on the kid in question in the end!
Seriously, you're all such dick heads and sound like you'll be terrible parents. Let's give the children a life without excitement and wonder. Let's see the girls agree with you in your views.
I'm going to like being a parent one day. I'm gonna make up a whole bunch of shit like my parents would do.
I'm going to tell them that Santa Claus is the nickname of a fabled secret agent of the United States government who went missing around the North Pole in an op gone wrong. The legend goes, every December 25th, he would send toys to children all around the world. Not just any toys, toys packaged with specific technology that can tell if you are a good guy or a bad guy, with hopes of locating who did him in. You don't want to learn what happens to the bad kids. So be good for goodness sake.
I'll let them have fun like my parents did with me. No reason to be an ass about it, kids need to have fun and it doesn't hurt them so they can believe whatever they want to believe. God? Sure, go on. Santa? yup. Unicorns.. Well, those are real at least so that's also fine.
Wait wha? Santa aint real D:!!! You , you party poopers
Im going D , I never figured it out and was tolds untill a very far age (14) you know what ... I got to enjoy a lot of cool stuff and fuckin huge load of presents :D and Ithe idea was real in my house , my dad was a bit fat and had a beard and he was the greatest dude on earth and gave me presents , so Santa was real in that sense :P , also Santa Claus and the trees are of the few nordic traditions that people use in this world and we need more of those.
I'm not going to buy my kids presents cause this is reality dude. Life doesn't give you presents. Then they'll think its because they're on the naughty list, and they'll do everything in their power to behave, so that maybe just maybe they'll convince Santa they're as good as the other children. But they won't be. And then they'll know the most important lesson of all: life is a cruel bitch and nothing makes the pain go away. Knowledge is the best present you can pass onto your children after all. Merry Christmas.
Please tell me you aren't serious about this at all.
Anyway, I'm not sure if I would reinforce the belief or tell them right away. I don't want to be lying to them and have them crushed later, but then I also don't want to rob them of that childhood magic.
Personally, I woke up and went to use the bathroom and saw my parents wrapping up Christmas presents. They had lead me to believe that Santa was real - I was only seven or eight at the time - but the knowledge did not shock me. It didn't really faze me at all. I just went back to sleep and awoke the following morning and unwrapped presents - my new-found knowledge was of no concern to me at all.
The best part of last year for me was skipping christmas all together and taking a holiday away from my family. I intend to skip christmas from here on out. It won't be an issue with my kids then.
It will be a difficult line between telling my child to not believe in magical stupid bullshit, and then telling them not to be a troll to kids at his/her school.
"Santa doesn't exist, he's just those kids' parents giving them gifts. But if they want to believe that it's Santa doing that, whatever, it's not any of your business."
Hell, that's not gonna work. Either I have a dope who grows up believing in the supernatural being real, or I have an asshole atheist troll shitting on other kids for having different beliefs.
Seriously, you're all such dick heads and sound like you'll be terrible parents. Let's give the children a life without excitement and wonder. Let's see the girls agree with you in your views.
There is plenty of excitement and wonder in this world that doesn't require believing in ghosts and goblins and Santa Claus being real. We all play fantasy games but we don't actually believe there are fucking dragons on tall mountains.
I was planning to ignore it outright, and just never even tell them of the concept... But I don't really want to have the conversation "Why won't santa come to me?" when they go to kindergarten or something. And just telling them that he isn't real right there might spread to other kids with parents who DO care about the Santa story, that would just make me a dick for no reason. I guess I can lead them on until it's less of a big deal for kids.
Seriously, you're all such dick heads and sound like you'll be terrible parents. Let's give the children a life without excitement and wonder. Let's see the girls agree with you in your views.
There are plenty of excitement and wonder in the real world, there is no need to believe in nonsensical made up things like Santa Clause, Tooth Fairy or God. Imagination is a wonderful thing that everyone can enjoy, but just believing in something doesn't make it true. There are better lessons to pass on to your children at Christmas time like charity, generosity and general altruism. No, it isn't easy for parents to do this without seeming like dicks and most just go along because of laziness and fear. I don't have first hand experience with this so I don't really feel like I have the right to judge, but it doesn't make my point invalid.
@Douglas Adams said:
Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?
I've never been comfortable with the whole Santa Clause thing. The quasi-religious connotations, the set-up for dissapointment, the precedent for lies about good things... I understand that it makes kids happy at an early age, but I think it's also this strange artificial trauma we build in to our children.
When my wife and I have kids, I think we will be very clear: every year at christmas we make believe that Santa brings you presents. It's a fun game, but Santa isn't real.
That way they still have fun, but there are no lies and there is no dissapointment.
I'm an atheist, and dont believe in anything magical (aliens, ufos, bigfoot etc..). My daughter believes in Santa and seeing her excitement at Christmas at just seeing a mall Santa or watching Christmas shows makes the whole holiday magic for me. I would never want to take away her innocence of believing in that stuff, the world is filled with amazing things but if anyone thinks a small child can appreciate that when they are that young is crazy.
I'm intrested to how many of the people that say they wouldn't lie about Santa (or toothfairy, etc..) actually keep that promise when they have children. I may not be a spirtual person but I am not going to force that on my kid I will let her make her own mind up about the world as she grows older. Right now I want her to have real magic in her life.
Some of the responses on this thread... I see a bunch of unhappy kids in future Christmas... sorry Holidays.
" But dad, Jimmy said Santa is real...
...*slaps*
Shut up! that's because Jimmy's father is an idiot who still has joy in his heart so he makes his son believe that crap but you wont , this family only believes in what's real like money! , here is your present that's what you wanted right?... why are you crying?! "
It's just very clear most of you don't understand how a child's mind works. Imagination is a massive thing at a young age, you should encourage it. None of us in this thread believe in Santa, but I bet we all did at one point. Are we all fucked up now? No.
Gussy it up all you want. You are lying to your children because its a nice lie that makes them happy. When kids learn the truth, they also learn that their parents lie to them and I believe it creates a cynicism.
Here's the thing: kids would be happy even without the lie. Lots of things make kids happy. Kids all over the world are not trained to actually believe in a Santa-God, and they are just as happy.
Not to mention, this whole thing has a heavy Christian bias. My wife is Jewish, and was never really part of the whole "Santa is real" thing. She still likes the whole pagentry and imagery of Christmas.
Whatever though. I'm fine with whatever other people want to teach their kids. They want to make them believe in Santa, that's cool. I don't want to lie to my kids. That's our choice.
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