Ho Ho Hoax
- Posted at: 11:33 am
- Filed in: Life
Since I recently became a father, and with the Christmas holiday looming I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I will eventually handle the whole Santa Claus ruse. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense to explain to my daughter that Santa Claus is simply a mascot for the holiday, and no more. It makes sense to me to just avoid the whole routine of pretending some magical man travels the globe delivering toys. Why bother with this elaborate lie, when we know it eventually ends in disappointment? Why not explain that Santa is a just a holiday character, and the real holiday is about being together and sharing with the ones you love? I would much rather my child understand and appreciate the gifts that were given to her were bought by loved ones. I think as a child I would have appreciated my holiday gifts more if I knew that my family were actually the ones running around and fighting crowded malls to get those gifts.
I just question if this would be taking away some magical part of childhood? Would it be possible to transfer all that excitement from Santa to loved ones?
You’re not alone in your ambivalence. My wife and I ultimately decided to let our kids in on the Santa secret, though not without some hand-wringing first.
Our kids (now 6 and 4 years old) know that Santa Claus is not real, and I really don’t think they’ve lost any child-like wonder because of that knowledge. Every once in a while our six-year-old will ask us if Santa Claus is real, even though we’ve told him repeatedly that he isn’t. Usually I tell him something like this: “No, Ben, he’s not really real. But it is fun to pretend that he is sometimes, isn’t it?”
Kids seem to understand the concept of pretending at a pretty early age. I don’t see any harm in telling kids that Santa isn’t real, but also letting them pretend sometimes that he is. I’d be interested to hear what you think of that sort of compromise.
I can remember when I was 3 asking who Santa was. To my parents’ annoyance my show-off big brother who was 8 instantly told me the truth. No, it wasn’t a great disaster but I have always been sorry that I never had the chance to enjoy the belief that he was truly magical.
When my children were young we did pretend Santa was real and it gave us all a great deal of fun and pleasure. As they grew older of course they sussed it out, but it didn’t cause great heart-rending.
Children grow up so fast – I think you should allow them to retain a bit of magic in their childhood.
My kids are grown, but I recall the thought of abandoning Santa.
It’s so darn much fun when a funny old fellow brings gifts on a rooftop! The bright eyes, giggles, oohs and aahs, vast good worldwide love and fuzzy warmth within the arms of family…
Yes, we know it eventually ends, but does it end in disappointment?
What esteemed British poet warned us how important nonsense is for our brain? He wrote nonsensical rhymes along the lines of ‘ta villie boo dertwindled afong the winmey specigly that only nitely so fery fery vappilly ta drildren rosed’…
There is a part of us so deeply and potently affected by our fantasy, and so easily shared in family. It’s healthy.
Santa can survive for awhile without harm. Plus you can craft these dreams to make Santa even better! You will shift these young dreams toward reality too, to make reality a better thing.
Besides, Santa will find his place in among life’s million dreams. You have so many new creatures to invent, such as the spoony worm that propels starry peas and fishy beans and schoolbus carrots and carob crumbs and yoghurt yuicks and little electric nuts and bolts of greeny things and jelly finger sausages. Didn’t you know about the spoony worm? I got mine from Santa…
Best!!
I think it’s extremely important to keep the idea of “Santa” going. Just think of how many years they’ll have to face the blunt truth of everything… a child needs that magical amusement – it’s what makes kids, kids.
Nonsense. No child needs parent-prescribed magical amusement. They can make up plenty of it on their own. What makes kids,kids, is their propensity for creating their own magical amusement.
Since when does allowing them to “retain a bit of magic in their childhood” require making them believe in Santa Claus? Is there really no other way for them to have magic in their childhood?
My kids spend a lot of time involved in imaginative play, daydreaming, and fantasizing on their own. They don’t need me to make up elaborate lies for them that I’ll have to explain away when they get older.
Frankly, I don’t think it’ll do most kids any harm to tell them that Santa is real — or to tell them that he isn’t.
I think I’m one of the few children who never believed in Santa. If I had a child, I’d probably tell him/her the truth. No use in lying to them about it. Thats just my thoughts about the issue.
Karl sounds a little too protective over his method of telling his children the truth about Santa, as if the support from other parents to let them believe in Santa makes him look like a bad parent for not letting his children believe.
Which is silly, not need to be so defensive. The interesting thing that you missed in your defensive tirade is: Santa is a shared secret amongst children.
Personally, I like the idea of saying Santa is the real mascot of Christmas, and the stories about him are real stories, but he isn’t real. But let them have one Christmas where they are waiting up with the sincere belief that some magical jolly reindeer towed fat man is going to break in and enter their house, and leave lots of wrapped presents under their tree.
It’ll help them deal with the disappointments in later life
If you want to tell the ‘truth’ about Santa, why not do away with all the other mysticisms of Christmas, call it Festivus, and have an aluminum pole instead of a tree.
@Jack — Sorry about the “too protective” tone of my previous comments. I really didn’t intend for them to be tirades at all, and certainly not defensive. Instead, I thought I was simply contributing my 2 cents to a fun, spirited debate.
Reading the comments again, though, I can see how the second one might have come off a little too strong. But I did end it with, “Frankly, I don’t think it’ll do most kids any harm to tell them that Santa is real — or to tell them that he isn’t,” which I still think is pretty even-handed. Don’t you?
Anyway, I hadn’t thought about the “Santa is a shared secret amongst children” angle. That makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks for giving me something new to consider. And, again, sorry about the overly forceful tone.
Without Magic as a child, how as adults can we imagin a better world.
Love always
Santa
I can tell you by my own experience that you should tell her whatever you want. The second she turns into a teen she will hate you anyway, Santa or no Santa!
I can almost hear it: Dad, you #$%#! How could you rob me from the magic of Christmas!!! or else it will be (same kid): Dad, you #$%#! How could you make up that stupid lie about Santa and rob me from the truth about Christmas!!!
I agree with you man, it is all a big hoax and it is not even the point of Christmas anyway.