I've always found the cultural and moral implications of the Santa myth... well, interesting. Parents convince their children that their gifts came down the chimney with a magical fat man, and they do this with the most benign intentions, or at least with the understanding that it's a long-held tradition and they're imparting some essential part of childhood and the Christmas experience. And maybe that's true. But, at the same time, we'd be lying to ourselves if we called this anything but outright deception.
So... yeah, interesting. I can't say I have particularly strong convictions one way or the other, though if it came down to it, I don't think I'd bother with the Santa story. Surprisingly, I've heard some very strong opinions expressed on this matter, and I wanted to hear from the GB community.
So, the question: If or when you have children of your own (or if, say, you have one already) will you tell them that Santa Claus exists? Why or why not?
EDIT: Another question: if you were to decide, hypothetically, that you were not going to do the Santa thing with your kid(s), how would you handle it? (Carefully, I hope.)
Santa is something fun for children to believe in. Waking up on Christmas morning to see what Santa left always made me totally excited when I was a little kid, and I'd like to think that any children I have would feel the same way.
Yes, because it teaches them to question authority when they find out the authority figure made up person x just to keep them in line. Which is important. Its also important to get a dog around birth or a cat around 4 or 5 so they can learn about death in their teens.
I usually find these types of legends dumb, but Santa is a nice thing for kids to beleive in, it makes Christmas special when you are younger, and it brought me joy when I was younger, which I wish for any kid anywhere
It's the parents that buy them things, not some old guy from the North Pole.
Heck, why do parents only buy their kids stuff on December 25? Why not spread it over the whole year? Why have one day of love? Why not do it every day?
Sure, it's a fun little thing to believe in. Untill you turn 3 or 4 and realize that it's impossible and all that. But untill they reach that age then I'll humor them
Children should be allowed to believe in Santa. It's alot different when you run down the stairs/to the Christmas tree and see all the gifts the great and benevolent overlord Santa Claws gave to you then to know that it's just your parents.
My parents actually broke the secret to me when I was going into middle school because I believed for so long.
Speaking of which, I'd like to ask the others how they figured out the big secret?
My son turned 2 this year, We took him to see Santa, And he is SUPER excited about X-mas. And without Santa that excitement and joy he feels would be far less I'm sure. So while I dislike the idea of lying to him, The season just wouldn't be the same without Santa.
So I'm for Santa, He only has a few years before he finds out that Santa isn't real, But in that time he will get so much joy and excitement from the idea of it that the disappointment he will feel the year he finds out will be worth it. They only get to be young and naive once.
Depends. If I marry a Japanese woman, and I plan to, probably not. Although I enjoy the magic of Christmas, and how it always cheers me up, they don't celebrate Christmas to that extent in Japan.
" I wouldn't my kid to be the dick that runs around telling the other little kids that their parents have been lying to them. "
Christ... I never thought about that. That would be a dick move. But I'm... fairly sure any kid who inherited my genetic material wouldn't be such an asshole.
My kids will believe in Santa as long as they want to. Why spoil their fun?
@Willy105 said:
" I won't tell them he exists. It's the parents that buy them things, not some old guy from the North Pole. Heck, why do parents only buy their kids stuff on December 25? Why not spread it over the whole year? Why have one day of love? Why not do it every day? "
" I wouldn't my kid to be the dick that runs around telling the other little kids that their parents have been lying to them. "
Christ... I never thought about that. That would be a dick move. But I'm... fairly sure any kid who inherited my genetic material wouldn't be such an asshole. "
Yeah not only would I not want to ruin it for my kid, I wouldn't want to ruin it for everyone else's kids.
" I won't tell them he exists. It's the parents that buy them things, not some old guy from the North Pole. Heck, why do parents only buy their kids stuff on December 25? Why not spread it over the whole year? Why have one day of love? Why not do it every day? "
Because buying your kids shit all year long will turn them into spoiled brats. Christmas is blackmail and that's why it works so well. You just don't get it.
I think by the time most kids find out about Santa, they've already 'known', or at least suspected, for a while. Even if they haven't, try thinking about it as if Santa's kind of like training wheels for mental development. They're fun and there's nothing wrong with using them while you need them, and they help you get to a place you probably wouldn't have otherwise (That is, figuring out Santa isn't 'real' is a good start to becoming a critical thinker, etc.) That's probably over-thinking it, but I think it's safe to say that believing in the Santa story hasn't turned everyone into traumatized little wackos.
That's what shopping mall and stop-motion animation Santas are for.
But I'm... fairly sure any kid who inherited my genetic material wouldn't be such an asshole. "
Hm, I'm not sure it would be out of pure hatred or just to be a jerk, though. In my case, I think it was just because I didn't like the fact that they were all deluding themselves with some fictitious character (I'm not like that anymore, btw).
This is interesting because I just found out yesterday that my wife is pregnant. I will most definitely tell my children Santa exists because it makes Christmas so much better. Maybe its because thats the way my parents raised me, but it seems like it would take all the fun out not to have them believe that.
" My kids will believe in Santa as long as they want to. Why spoil their fun?
@Willy105 said:
" I won't tell them he exists. It's the parents that buy them things, not some old guy from the North Pole. Heck, why do parents only buy their kids stuff on December 25? Why not spread it over the whole year? Why have one day of love? Why not do it every day? "
You're forgetting birthdays. "
That too!
@ryanwho said:
" @Willy105 said:
" I won't tell them he exists. It's the parents that buy them things, not some old guy from the North Pole. Heck, why do parents only buy their kids stuff on December 25? Why not spread it over the whole year? Why have one day of love? Why not do it every day? "
Because buying your kids shit all year long will turn them into spoiled brats. Christmas is blackmail and that's why it works so well. You just don't get it. "
Buying them whenever you can instead of all in one day doesn't mean you have to spoil them. Just buy the thing they deservewhen it comes out instead of having them wait.
I am not telling you not to do it. I am just saying why I don't.
yes. Let them enjoy some child hood magic before growing up and being crushed by reality. On a personal note I'm 19 and my parents have never told me Santa is fake. They let me grow out of it myself, one year I did not write a letter and they knew why.
The story of Saint Nicholas is true. I'll tell my children that he exists, but when they come to me and question it, or when I feel the time is right, I'll tell them about the story, and that he was a man who existed at one point.
Of course I will tell my children that Santa exists. I need my kid's to believe in something fun for a while until they grow up and figure out the world isn't all that great. Little things like that make being a kid, well, more fun and it makes you think that there is some magic in the world. I don't want my kids to be a cynical asshole like I am for their entire life.
" My kids will believe in Santa as long as they want to. Why spoil their fun?
@Willy105 said:
" I won't tell them he exists. It's the parents that buy them things, not some old guy from the North Pole. Heck, why do parents only buy their kids stuff on December 25? Why not spread it over the whole year? Why have one day of love? Why not do it every day? "
You're forgetting birthdays. "
That too!
@ryanwho said:
" @Willy105 said:
" I won't tell them he exists. It's the parents that buy them things, not some old guy from the North Pole. Heck, why do parents only buy their kids stuff on December 25? Why not spread it over the whole year? Why have one day of love? Why not do it every day? "
Because buying your kids shit all year long will turn them into spoiled brats. Christmas is blackmail and that's why it works so well. You just don't get it. "
Buying them whenever you can instead of all in one day doesn't mean you have to spoil them. Just buy the thing they deservewhen it comes out instead of having them wait. I am not telling you not to do it. I am just saying why I don't. "
But then when they don't get something, its on you. If you just buy into the Santa system, its Santa's fault Billy didn't get a scooter for being a piece of shit at grandmas the other day.
Yeah, it's fun. And it teaches them to be more skeptical of things later in life. I had way more fun on Christmas when I believed in Santa than I do now.
Plus, if I didn't, he would probably be one of those kids who tries to ruin the fun for everyone else. That's how I first found out.
It was a magical feeling as a kid knowing that Santa exists, its sorta sad after you find out, and now that my younger sis has finally found out, christmas isn't really special anymore because the parents don't try as hard.
I'll tell my kids santa is real because it makes them think magic is real, and when magic exists you can do anything and want to be anything. Real life is way too depressing and mundane, I don't need my kids getting right into that.
@Dalai said:
" My kids will believe in Santa as long as they want to. Why spoil their fun?
@Willy105 said:
" I won't tell them he exists. It's the parents that buy them things, not some old guy from the North Pole. Heck, why do parents only buy their kids stuff on December 25? Why not spread it over the whole year? Why have one day of love? Why not do it every day? "
You're forgetting birthdays. "
If your parents buy you nothing all year round except for christmas (And not even on your birthday!) then your parents are total assholes. of course that would explain Willy105's scroogeness. Not directed at Dalai of course =P
They wll just get so angry when they find out later on.
I hope I will tell the truth about most normal things all the time. Telling them that Santa comes every christmas through the chimney and lives on the north pole would be as bad as teaching them about how there is an allmighty god watching over us. Silly.
I would let them experience the Santa thing. From my own personal experience, I figured it out on my own and wasn't traumatized by it, and I didn't feel like I was lied to when I found out. I just saw it for what it was, a fun little tradition that made christmas more special. In fact, even when I knew and my younger sisters didn't it was still just that much more fun than the time after they knew.
Besides, almost all the christmas related stuff that small kids do is related to Santa, and it seems like it would be a dick move on my part to have them be left out of the fun through an entire months worth of parades, class activities and trips, etc...
Not likely, no, unless the mother would give me a damn good reason why we should. I never found it traumatizing as a kid to find out the truth or anything, I just think that my kids would more likely have more fun going along with the tradition for the sake on anonymity. I mean, it's a blast to get someone a gift and just tag it "From Santa" and have them never find out it was you and I think spreading that joy of giving rather then receiving would not only benefit them more, but let them have more fun with it.
No, I'm gonna be an asshole and take away all the fun of being a child. As soon as they're old enough to walk I'm gonna tell them to stop being a lazy ass and get a job. Also, fuck your cartoons, we're only watching CSI and Sports Center!
If it's not apparent, I'm kidding. I hate it when people spoil Christmas for little kids. My brother tried doing it the other day to my 9 year old brother. I decked him.
Log in to comment