The Santa Myth

[Jason A]

What do you think?

[Psalms18_28]

It's that time of the year, isn't it

(we get this question every year)

[Bakershalfdozen]

Hmm; my view isn't up there. Our kids know St. Nicholas was a real person who gave gifts to poor people. They also know his story has grown and changed over the years to the fairy tales we have now.

We don't make a big deal out of Santa. We tell our kids that Santa is a fairy tale just like Cinderella. They watch the TV Christmas specials when they come on and know it is just make-believe stories, no different than Clifford, Curious George or Wishbone.

[Jason A]

I suppose it would be a bit of a perennial question!

I mentioned it because a kid I know of about 10 said to her Mom the other day:

"Whay did you LIE to me about Santa? You lied to me, Mom!"

[Bakershalfdozen]

My daughter just reminded me that they also watch Frosty the Snowman and enjoy it but know it is just a made up story.

[kevinmiller]

I would never lie to my child about Santa and I think it can be very harmful for the relationship.

[Bakershalfdozen]

Well, parents shouldn't lie about Santa. There's nothing wrong with knowing the history behind the character and traditions though.

[amblivion]

Growing up my parents allowed me to believe in Santa Clause, and they saw it as harmless. Now that I am older I am not so sure about that. My biggest fuss with Santa Clause is that he distracts from the real meaning of Christmas. Instead of people celebrating the birth of Jesus the Christ, a lot of people put Santa Clause and the presents he supposedly gives at the center instead. Some people already want to take Christ out of Christmas as it is. I want my kids to know that Christmas is all about Christ and no one else. They will know that Santa Clause is made up. I also want my kids to know that I am not feeding them fables. I want them to be able to trust my words and not to ever give them a reason not to.

[amblivion]

I suppose it would be a bit of a perennial question!

I mentioned it because a kid I know of about 10 said to her Mom the other day:

"Whay did you LIE to me about Santa? You lied to me, Mom!"

I have a friend who told me they were so mad at their parents when they found out Santa Clause wasn't real. They went and cried on their bed; they said it took them awhile to forgive their parents.

[Invicta]

We never thought about it but never taught our daughters about Santa/Father Christmas. A friend once said to me "If we lie to them about this, how do they know when we tell them the truth?" As a child, I was quite upset when my sister told me there was no father christmas, and she was two years younger than me.

[Psalms18_28]

My husband felt he was lied to as well. But His parent went to extreme like when he started questioning if he is real, they made up lies so he'll keep believing. most parents, like my mother, do not focus too much on it. my mother never told us Santa was real, but she never told us he wasn't real. She'll occasionally tell us we would not get any presents from Santa if we were up and such. But that's just about all she'll do.

She knew that we knew she was Santa. But she let us keep pretending.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;" Col 3:9

[1Timothy115]

What do you think?

It's a lie.

[Kayla]

I personally would never teach my kids to believe in Santa however, like Bakers6 said, I will teach them the truth of where the myth came from.

[JerryNumbers]

If we would lie to our children about Santa, them they find out, them because of that think Jesus is a myth, what have you done.

Like the 2 boys walking home from Sunday school. One ask the other, "What do you think about this Satan our Sunday school teacher taught us about?"

The other boy replied, "It will prOBably run out to be our dad just as Santa did."

I grew up thinking there was a Santa, it did not bother me, but I know many who were raised as I, plus in church, who once they left home, left church, Jesus, and God forever.

Any lie is never right.