Santa Claus (1 Viewer)

[Optimus Prime]

I have a co-worker who has 2 kids aged 5 and 7.

The other day I say something about Christmas and something along the lines of "Are your kids excited about Santa coming?"

She says that her kids don't believe in Santa and goes off on this rant about it's a stupid fairy tale and how she never subjected her kids to it and how can people lie to their kids like that, and on and on.

She also says that when her kids have friends over in the winter she tries to "tell them them truth about Santa Claus" (which I'm sure makes her very popular with the other parents)

Why do this?????

She seems to think that when kids finally realize the "truth" they'll be emotionally scarred and have trust issues forever.

I don't want to tell anyone how to raise their kids but this just seems evil to me.

I LOVE the Christmas season (semi-related side note - for me the Christmas season begins the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That's when it's officially okay to start decorating, watching christmas movies/specials, listening to music, etc. Anything earlier is too soon for me)

In many ways I love and enjoy Christmas much more now than I did when I was a kid.

That said, absolutely nothing can compare to those early Christmas' when I truly believed that a fat man in a red suit magically slid down the chimney and left presents in the middle of the night. Nothing.

To me that's one of the purest, most magical things about being a kid.

Why would you want to deliberately deny your children that? (and why would you take it upon yourself to take that away from other people's children?)

Seems wrong to me.

I heard something long ago that really stuck with me:

If you are 25 years old and still believe in Santa Claus you have a problem.

If you are 25 years old and can't pretend to believe in Santa Claus for the sake of a 5 year old you have a bigger problem.

That's something I've always taken to heart. It bothers me that some people can't.



PS- This is not the same co-worker as the Harry Potter one but it's eerely similar


https://saintsreport.com/threads/evil-harry-potter.162640/

 

[boutrous]

I LOVE Christmas and I LOVE the idea of Santa Claus and for children to feel that maybe there is some magic in this world. I remember that I figured it out pretty quick and stopped believing, but I knew my older sister (by 1 1/2 years) still did so I always pretended to anyway because I did not want to spoil it. My two kids have recently stopped believing and I have to say that Christmas is not as fun in the house as it used to be. I don't know of any children who are scarred by learning that Santa is not real and I think they all realize that parents must truly love them to help them to believe in magic. I mean if the whole world can pull off a fantasy as big as Santa Claus, there is hope for some sort of world unity. If a parent was selfish, they would just take all the credit for giving presents instead of letting the Big Guy get the praise.

 

[efil4stnias]

Mine are 9 and 4....both girls and both still believe. ( u dont believe u dont receive- lol )

Anyway, had this discussion with a friend of mine whose daughter is 12 and we spoke about this very subject. She learned at 10 in school, someone said Santa is not real. She came home, cried, said "you lied to me". As they explained to her its about the "spirit" of Christmas. That EVERY parent does it. And one day, when she has children, she will do the exact same thing.

Guess what? 4 hrs later, it was forgotten about and life went on.

imagine that.

So we will keep that going in out home until that day comes as well. I have every intention of explaining the spirit of Christmas in the same manner as he did with his girl.

Cant help but feel as tho that child of your co-worker is truly missing out on something magical, however, if they never experienced it to start, they really arent missing what they dont know. So be it.

 

[Blk&Gold4Life]

If some other child's parent told my 2 and 5 yr old there was no Santa I'd be ****** to say the least. Everyone has the right to believe what they want but the problem is when they try to push it off on others.

 

[mulletslinger]

agree with all of the above. i really like the "25" quote from optimus, and it sums it up for me.

i will add an anecdote. when i was around 8yrs old i woke up one christmas eve and busted my mom loading (not really. it wasnt much but it wasnt about that) up the tree. she smoothly expained that those were her presents, and santa hadnt come yet. for a few weeks after that i really started analyzing the whole santa thing. you know, billions of kids, one guy, that sort of thing. when i figured it out, i didnt feel slighted at all and appreciated what my parents were doing for me as it was never "be good or santa wont come". when i discussed it with my parents they used it as a lesson in skepticism. now that im older i can really appreciate that and the effect it has had on my life. i did the same thing with my children.

letting your kids believe in santa isnt evil or ignorant when handled properly. and what is better in life than seeing that joy in your childrens faces?

 

[saintcool13]

When I was about 9 I knew there was no such thing as Santa Claus. I took it upon myself to tell some younger kids "the truth". I know, I was a little ****. They didn't believe me anyway and I did get in trouble. Christmas is no fun for kids without the magic of Santa Claus. Your co-worker is a grinch.

 

[You]

What a shallow person to tell kids not to believe in Santa.

One merely needs to look in the mirror to see him.

 

[primadox]

Wow, if one of the parents of my kids' friends did that, she'd get a whole lot of wrath from me...wow. If she wants to deny her kids the fun of Santa, that's her business, but other kids? THAT IS NONE OF HER BUSINESS, and frankly I hope you told her so. I would have at least said "well, I guess my kids won't be allowed to go to your house in the winter, then", and then given her an earful about pushing her beliefs off on other peoples' kids when it isn't her place, especially something like this that can't be undone.

My 14 year old has autism, and we finally had to tell him earlier this year...I kept waiting for him to figure it out, and whenever I'd start to tell him, he'd mention Santa and I just couldn't end the magic for him, and I didn't know how he'd react. But we finally did this year, and told him that he gets to help us "be Santa" for the younger kids. I wish we had told him earlier; he is SO excited to help us this year. My 11 year old knows, I'm sure, but he's not giving it up because he knows a good racket when he sees one. I know he'll be helping us next year.

And then my daughter...I love her blind trust in Santa. She lost a little toy off of her backpack at school, and the other day I asked what she wanted for Christmas, and she said "from you and dad, or Santa?" I said Santa, and she proceeded to tell me that she wanted Santa to find and bring back the Kinz Klip dog she lost. I said, "well, what if it's beat up or ruined? He can bring you a new one"...she said "no, Santa can use his magic to fix it up!"...now the pressure is on, haha. I'm thinking I'll be at the elementary school digging through that HUGE lost and found box, looking for that little toy...sure hope I can find it!! But her sweet belief in Santa...how can a parent NOT enjoy this brief but special time in the life of a child?

We've already decided that when all three kids are done with believing in Santa, we're going to let them work together to "be Santa" for mom and dad, and fill our stockings with whatever they decide on, together. We'll do the same for them. I think that will be a fun tradition to replace Santa when they stop believing.

And I'm still wanting to give your co-worker a piece of my mind...

 

[crosswatt]

It never ceases to amaze me the little things in life that some people will blow out of proportion and get so angry about.

 

[V Chip]

I have a coworker who is exactly like that -- she tells her kids that Santa doesn't exist, takes glee when her kids tell other kids that Santa doesn't exist, and has even told other kids that Santa doesn't exist. I don't get that kind of person... but in addition to that, they believe in God and are pretty religious.

 

[Goatman Saint]

My kids I'd believe and I was pretty good at it for a long time. We still do it as a thing to do even though we all know. Let the kids have fun.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

my only hesitation in having a child was tat i was pretty sure Santa wouldn't visit me anymore (and that means he would fill my stocking)

when the time comes i will tell my child that Santa is real and it's his influence (spirit whatever i'm going to say) that make parents do all the things they do
might have a skeptical kid but i will never admit there is not santa claus
becuase it's a lit - there IS santa claus

 

[FLIPPY]

She sounds like a cynical *****.

 

[Joe OKC]

I am 49.. and I still leave something out on Christmas eve for Santa... Hey. I know... But it's the right thing to do...



Joe

 

[superchuck500]

She says that her kids don't believe in Santa and goes off on this rant about it's a stupid fairy tale and how she never subjected her kids to it and how can people lie to their kids like that, and on and on.

This person clearly never understood the concept of Santa.

Fairy tales aren't literal you moran!