Santa Claus: Yea or Nay?

On my various travels around the internet, I've learned that some folks remember feeling deceived and lied to when they learned that Santa isn't real, and have no intention of continuing the cycle of betrayal with their own children.

I must confess, this was a side to the Santa controversy I had never before considered, and it set me to wondering, is it a common problem? Does anyone think it's simply wrong to lie to children about the existence of such a mythical being? Does the same apply to the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny, and Batman?

I don't remember ever believing in Santa so maybe I'm not a good bet here but the idea that a common, fun cultural tradition like this constitutes "deception" is very, very weird to me. I don't know, maybe some kids take it really hard, but maybe this is just another example of the internet encouraging nuttiness.

Anyway, I'm too busy resenting my parents for not doing a lotus birth to care about Santa.

It IS difficult to lose your placenta prematurely, no doubt about it. I'm sure your parents do love you, Exy, they just didn't know better. When you know better, you do better.

I am completely in favor of it.

I loved it.

I loved being Santa for my children.

Boo to the Grinches:Shake:.

Jali, I have a friend whose kids are adults now, and she still makes them pretend to believe in Santa. Otherwise...no gifts. :)

I am 100% pro Santa. Kids hear bigger lies all the time. And while we filter reality from out children, waiting for the right time to let them know that life and the world isn't always so sweet, what harm is there in them believing in an absolute good?

I do think that "Santa the threat" kind of sucks. "Ha! You misbehaved, so you get squat!"

I love Santa. :-(

I'm pro-Santa. Some of my fondest memories from childhood involve my mother "tricking" and "deceiving" me by embellishing the Santa and fairy stories. Letters thanking me for the cookies with sooty fingerprints on them, building little fairy houses and putting treats in them for fairies to come and visit...who also left teeny, teeny tiny notes. :D

It was awesome. I want my kids to have fun with that, too.

I'm all for Santa.

But then I like getting kids to believe all sorts of ridiculous things. My neighbour has told his children to not believe anything I say.

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Originally posted by Muffin

I'm all for Santa.

But then I like getting kids to believe all sorts of ridiculous things. My neighbour has told his children to not believe anything I say.

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Oh, making up things to tell your kids is grand sport.

I think my making up crap has made my daughter
a more careful--and slightly cynical--listener.

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Originally posted by Oliveloaf

Oh, making up things to tell your kids is grand sport.

I think my making up crap has made my daughter
a more careful--and slightly cynical--listener.

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I agree. It is fun and the kids enjoy it.

When I first started working at the school I convinced a group of 6th grade girls not to color on themselves with dry erase markers, because I once knew a kid who drew a smiley face on his hand in the 2nd grade and by the time he was in high school his entire arm was blue.

So I am pro-Santa and pro whiteboard marker stories.

Ah ha ha! See, sometimes lies are necessary. I have a friend who told her kids McDonald's wasn't open on Sundays, so she could have one day a week that they wouldn't pester her for it.

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Originally posted by Sarahfeena

Ah ha ha! See, sometimes lies are necessary. I have a friend who told her kids McDonald's wasn't open on Sundays, so she could have one day a week that they wouldn't pester her for it.

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I told my daughter that it isn't normal to eat every day.

This really cuts down on food costs and meal-prep time.

I planted a chicken egg in a bird's nest, and convinced the neighbour's kids that the Easter Bunny had laid it. One of them carried it about for the entire day without breaking it.

I wish the two people who had voted no would post and talk about it. I promise, I, at least, will be nice. I'm really curious to hear about their experiences.

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Originally posted by jali

I loved it.

I loved being Santa for my children.

Boo to the Grinches:Shake:.

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Pretty much this

Santa Claus being fictional is probably the one thing my mother didn't lie to me about. She did the whole 'parenting' thing backwards, you see...

Anyway, I used to be superly, ultra-militantly against this xmas deception. But I've seen the happiness it brings other people, and many seem to grow up OK despite all the SANTA LIES. So, I'm still not entirely comfortable with it, I'm much more accepting of it.

I want to feel like it's lying, but it seems like one of those lies that kids are better off with. At least while they're really young and don't need to be cynical. Like "mom and dad know what's best, always" or "everything will be okay". They'll find out soon enough, so let them believe in something while they can.

It's a moot point now (Jewish), but even before I converted, I never told my son Santa was real. It was always a fun pretend. I just don't lie to him. He may, as someone mentioned, hear bigger lies, but they won't be from me. It's just one of my standard operating principles. Hope that helps, Exy :)