Will you raise (or have you raised) your kids to believe in Santa?

[smart-e]

I was about 12 when I discovered Santa wasn't real and I was completely devestated. To find out that my parents had been lying to me for so long and I completely trusted everything they said. Yeah I was nieve kid and I will tell my kids the truth about Santa.

 

[keystroke]

God = Santa = Easter Bunny = Tooth Fairy.


all are not real, but make people believe in something and give hope that there is something to look forward to.

 

[Kadorite]

I found out Santa wasn't real when I saw my Mum packing toys away Xmas Eve, which I received in wrapping the next morning.

 

[Strawberry_lovemuffin]

I was about 12 when I discovered Santa wasn't real and I was completely devestated. To find out that my parents had been lying to me for so long and I completely trusted everything they said.

But they gave you heaps of PRESENTS!!! Why were you devestated? Was it just because you didn't understand the motive behind it at that time?

If you go by the theory that everything should be set out truthfully and straight to kids, why do we tell them their dog's gone to puppy heaven, or grandma's visiting granpa in heaven or that nothing bad will happen to them at night, or that terrorists won't hurt them, or that yes - they'll probably grow up to be a rock star/supermodel/astronaut??

Kids need dreams. I really think some "lies" are forgivable and should be seen that way in context.

 

[MazDan]

WHOA there............DoofQueen, I think u are looking at this entirely from one side of things.

Stop for a moment and have a look from a different angle.


You havent lied to your son about Santa..........Santa IS real.........Now it might not be that the guy thats dressed up as Santa and sits down at Kmart is the same guy that came down your chimney...............but thats ok........Everyone knows that he is just another one of Santas helpers............just as you are one of Santas helpers............you see, you never lied to him............Santa is real........its you.


As for not agreeing with what Santa stands for???

Well there are different ways of looking at that to.........Im guessing u mean the commercialisation of christmas???

Well, yes i guess it is and if a person chose to, then they could simply decide to ignore christmas and santa and everything else all together..............but who loses from that decision???.......only the person who made it and there immediate family.

To me, Santa represents a special time, it represents smiling children and family and more importantly for me.........friends.

To others it may represent more religious stuff.

Its up to the individual..

Should u be pushing your ideals onto your son yet???.....I cant answer that, only u can.


Personally, I started getting suspicious at about age 10-11 or so and made all these plans about how I was gunna stay up and see if he came down the chimney or not........lol.

I fell asleep..........lol.

My parents told me all about it the next year........how my Dad.........in your case it would be u, was one of Santas many helpers and how he was in fact Santa and my Mum was in fact the tooth fairy.............this bit always shocked me cos I struggled to understand that my Mum could sneak into anywhere let alone my room and get a tooth from under my pillow and replace it with a 5 cent peice.......lol.....

There is nothing wrong with perpetuating a myth or enjoying a fairy tale...........pity more people didnt as Im sure the world would be a better place.


Hope that helps and that I have explained it properly.

Cheers.

 

[smart-e]

why do we tell them their dog's gone to puppy heaven, or grandma's visiting granpa in heaven or that nothing bad will happen to them at night, or that terrorists won't hurt them, or that yes - they'll probably grow up to be a rock star/supermodel/astronaut??

We tell kids these things so that they don't get upset or so they dont worry. There is no need to lie to kids about Santa tell them the truth about Saint Nickolaus.Theres no need to lie.

Its funny cause I dont have a problem with the easter bunny or the tooth fairy. I think they are fun things for kids to believe in but the Santa thing Grrr

 

[Zaineaol]

Well... thats probably the best explanation on there, apart from the fact its all jumbled, but if u puzzle it together, it makes sense - IMO at 12, if u do not know that santa is a load of shit, theres something wrong (sorry to be rude) most kids actually in general find out on their own accord and don't tend to care... they're just like hey... now i can nag at my parents, and they HAVE to buy it for me, but for the mushroom children, it tends to be a bit scary... u know the mushroom kids.

I know this one FUCKED up family, they don't do anything heinously wrong, excpet blatantly lie to their child. the mother is a lesbian, and the father stays in another room, whilst the mum shares a room with her lesbo friend, which the child calls the lesbo friend by her first name, not as mum, or mum2 or dad - lol. they tell him nothing, he knows nothing... and he's like 13!!! he's uber intellegent, just brought up in the dark, and will believe anything he's told, but wont believe anything you tell him that could mean something he "knows" is wrong. These parents should be scolded and shot! and left for dead. i think thats when it gets really wrong. Also, u will notice these kids have amazing social problems, coz they don't know how to speak up for themselves, they are always "spoken for".

But no, Santa claus and a 9 year are about on parting terms... but it's all fun, and it doesn't hurt the kid, unless he's intent on telling everyone that santa is real, when the kids in the know tell him he's not.

 

[smart-e]

Well thats it im a very trusting person especially when it comes to my parents. When I was a kid I would believe anything they told me.

No im not messed up in anyway about this its just I feel stupid cause I was the only one who believed in Santa at 12.

I also believe in god maybe theres a connection or Im just stupid

 

[ez_555]

I started getting a bit suspicious about Santa when my mum suggested that we leave red wine and cashew nuts out for a snack instead of carrots...

When I found out Santa wasn't real I think my main concern was whether or not I'd still get any presents. But nothing changed so it was fine with me.

 

[Zaineaol]

lol.. this has turned out to be an interesting thread

 

[keystroke]

MazDan, I like you - as I got older decided I'd catch the bugger in the act and take his sack of presents.

so one christmas eve, I setup "trip-wires" and other things to trap santa as soon as he entered my house...

but I always fell asleep waiting for the traps to go off... and then I never did catch him!

 

[Shnouzerpuff]

Parents lie to kids about these myths like Santa, or the Easter Bunny because they claim it's sweet and cute... that children love it!

Children don't need Santa. They have their own stories and games.
Really it is the adults who need Santa. They need Santa because they desperately want to believe there is still good and innocence in this world.

I felt very betrayed when I discovered the truth about Santa as a kid. Then to rub salt in the wound when I made it very clear to my parents that I knew I was told by my mum:

"If you don't believe in Santa then you don't get any presents"

What the fuck?

So then as a kid I remember I had to fake excitement and feign amazement at the missing cookies and milk in the morning, all because I thought that if I didnt - I would not get a Christmas.


Frankly I would have liked to have been told the truth from the start. Like John Marsden recommends - letting the kids know the "Myth" of Santa so you can all play along together on Xmas, but know it is a game.

Kids have enough fantasy as is. Christmas will be a special day no matter what. Why complicate it?

 

[keystroke]

but why shatter your own childs dreams of waking up and opening presents santa has given him, or waiting up trying to see santa in the skies on christmas eve, or waiting to hear footsteps of reigndeers on the roof?


everyone else at school will be doing Santa-orientated things, talking about how they can't wait til christmas eve when they might see him - there's so much stuff Santa-related that makes being a kid FUN and that is what it's all about.... being a kid


I think Santa is a big part of someones childhood, and it shouldn't be ruined by anyone (if you tell your kids, then they goto school and tell their friends, then they tell their friends, etc, etc)


let the children have their fun, don't take it away from them.

 

[Zaineaol]

It happens regardless... everyone tells them.. some kids are dumb and choose not to believe it, i think as soon as the kid shows enough smarts as to ask his mum "Does santa exist? the kids at school say it's bullshit" or something along those lines - but as a kid would say them, the parent should tell the child, and not ruin it by saying "If you don't believe, u don't get presents". LMAO... if my parents said that to me i woulda slapped them lol

 

[Strawberry_lovemuffin]

I felt very betrayed when I discovered the truth about Santa as a kid. Then to rub salt in the wound when I made it very clear to my parents that I knew I was told by my mum:

"If you don't believe in Santa then you don't get any presents"

What the fuck?

That's fucked up that she said that to you My mum will probably still be giving me Santa presents when I'm 60... regardless of whether I believe it or not.

I totally agree with you that Santa is for the parents; my mum is a prime example. But the kids get so much out of it. I don't agree that kids have enough fantasy these days.... fantasy (except the manufactured Playstation kind) is stripped from them everywhere they turn. Kids get so much homework they don't even have time to play anymore. When was the last time you saw a kid play cubbie houses instead of on his computer?

And most of all I don't understand this "Betrayal" feeling... I just don't get it. When I found out Santa wasn't real, my disillusionment didn't manifest in ANGER towards my PARENTS.... after all, they were just following tradition, doing what they thought was best. Why the anger ? That's the part I don't get.

I guess I didn't see it as "lies", it's not like not being told you're adopted or something... it's just a bit of harmless make-believe!

 

[preacha]

i thought i heard santa's bells one night, but it was just the ice jiggling around in my mum's wine

let's give a shoutout to alcohol filled xmases. keeping the fantasy alive!

 

[silvia saint]

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town


santa apparently works for the thought police. a nice little way to coerce children into organized religion whilst making a few dollars on the side.

 

[guest]

Ours is probably the only culture in the history of the world that condones the practice of parents lying to children. In other cultures, when adults told children about spirits, trlls and leprechauns, the adults themselves were believers. That's not the case in Western society in the 21st century.

This is simply untrue. Virtually all cultures have myths which the adults do not believe but which are told to children.

 

[Shnouzerpuff]

^^ any examples handy?

I am not being adversarial, I am just genuinely curious and interested,

 

[Strawberry_lovemuffin]

me too

It started my mind churning... celtic myths, italian myths, american indian myths... I even did a google search. But no joy :D