Poll: Does Santa Claus exist? More importantly, what will you tell your children?

[TerraMGP]

And how does knowing santa is bunk ruin imagination? agian why do people think the two are dependent on each other. You want your kids to have imagination? Give them Legos, Let them watch the Hobbit, or better read it and lots of other books to them. Children have imagination on their own, you don't need to lie to them blatantly to give it to them. Letting them know Santa is bull does nothing to change that.

 

[perfectimo]

To answer title. No, he does not exist as a single person but as a collective idea. I do not want children so I do not have to think about this but if I were to have children I would only tell them he is a story like "Alice in Wonderland" and all that.

 

[jim_doki]

And how does knowing santa is bunk ruin imagination? agian why do people think the two are dependent on each other. You want your kids to have imagination? Give them Legos, Let them watch the Hobbit, or better read it and lots of other books to them. Children have imagination on their own, you don't need to lie to them blatantly to give it to them. Letting them know Santa is bull does nothing to change that.

yes and no.

building legos certainly encourages imagination, but you aren't actually questioning anything.

i would be as proud as hell if my kid came up to me with a question like "how does santa fly around the world in one day?" because that means that they are seeing the problems inherent in a lot of things in the world, and will logically lead them to understand that the only logical answer is that there IS NO santa

 

[TerraMGP]

So there are not enoguh mysteries and wonders in this world just from going outside? Or from other stories that they would know are false? Again just because kids know a story is not true does not mean they don't wonder how these things work. Just because they aren't being lied to intentionally does not mean they won't have things to question. Santa doesn't add anything to childhood its just a fairy tale like the tooth fairy that kids are told because their parents were told. Its not due to any beneficial reason but rather because of tradition.

 

[Canadianwookie]

Santa is fun for kids for a little while, but once they get seriously into elementary school, and other kids start talking...

Then I'll explain what xmas is really about.

 

[Lord Krunk]

You consider children who indulge in fantasy stupid? And those without it to be advantaged in some way? As before, i am genuinely interested in your response.

*takes deep breath* If you call somebody who thinks that a fat dude who lives in a tiny unkown hut in the north pole has short people make millions of toys that somehow fit into a single sack only to be shoved into the back of a sled to be flown around the world by flying deer in one single night giving presents to all the little good kids (with rich kids always being better then poor kids), not to mention the mall santas, the house's without chimenys, the countless homeless kids getting shitted out just because they live in some hole half-way around the world and have the misfortune to not even know about Santa, a red light being strong enough to cut through super-thick fog but not bright enough to blind the poor bastard who has it glued to his face, and deer eating meat pie (in some versions of storys, but none the less), if you would call these kids "smart", well, I would like to know who you think is "dumb".

That's not to say that any of this is bad to tell kids. Or that it's their fault. Kids are born without the know-how to figure these things out, and it's up to us to teach them. Maybe the Santa lie is good for that, in that it teaches kids to think about what they believe in. The problem is that this isn't about some kid reading a book and then pretending to slay a dragon, it's years of one big lie that has no end other then tears for the kid. I would think that teaching kids to be able to escape from the shitty-ness of real life in a healthy way (playing pretend, reading a book), is better then teaching them "guess what kids, that awesome, perfect thing you thought was real for so long? IT'S NOT! I'm no shrink, I have no idea if this is good or bad for their little heads. God knows I was a fan of that fat freak for quite a while.

That being said, the part of my post you quoted was made in jest (somewhat anyways. I live off the tears of children). And I would still like to see what you have to say for the kids whose family's don't teach them about Santa. What happen's when Timmy Green asks his parents why Timmy Smith worships a tree?

Not dumb, misinformed.

Seriously, as a kid, magical thinking is awesome. Don't deprive your kids of that joy.

EDIT: And as Jim_Doki has pointed out, the kids work it out for themselves. It gives them an independence that helps them in the long run. Tell me that's dumb.

 

[ckam]

I'm just going to say that if they believe in Santa, then he exists. If they they don't, then he doesn't either.

 

[Tattaglia]

I'll tell them Santa Claus is actually Satan and if you ever stay up to see Santa, he'll turn into a winged dragon-beast and eat you. That should put 'em to bed quite nicely.

 

[Twilight_guy]

I think this topic has become a question of cold logic and truth verses romantic imaginings and ideals. Both have merits and flaws but you can't say that one is "better" or "worst" they just are. They're two theories that exist.

 

[PatientGrasshopper]

Why not tell your child about Santa?
It reinforces that little part inside of people that says, it can.
People who lack that part are often very cold-hearted and imbittered.

Well think about once they figure out he isn't real they will lose trust in you as a parent. My Parents didn't lie to me I won't lie to my kids.

 

[TerraMGP]

I don't see the logic as even remotely 'cold'. Just because your honest with your child does not mean you are doing them some massive disservice in showing them that life is not all bubble gum and sparkles. Children have had inner warmth and innocence for a LONG time, well before the notion of fat men jamming goodies in socks to make them taste like feet. The way I see it you are only telling them tat a mass lie that is widely perpetuated to children is infact a lie, and let them go on about creating their own imaginative things rather than intentionally feeding them some false Canon about Santa. your letting your child build his or her view of reality without binding them to some outmoded tradition turned marketing ploy.

 

[Jaythulhu]

I think this topic has become a question of cold logic and truth verses romantic imaginings and ideals. Both have merits and flaws but you can't say that one is "better" or "worst" they just are. They're two theories that exist.

Not really. Saying that he's not real is the truth, saying he is real is a lie. There's a very, very big difference between them.

 

[jim_doki]

i suppose the crux of my argument comes from there being so little in the world that can be good. the more things that my child can look at and smile at the better i'll feel. yes it's a lie, but so is karma, justice, equality, truth, all that stuff

the difference is that when you figure out Santa is a lie, you get over it pretty quickly

see earlier hogfather quote

 

[Twilight_guy]

I think this topic has become a question of cold logic and truth verses romantic imaginings and ideals. Both have merits and flaws but you can't say that one is "better" or "worst" they just are. They're two theories that exist.

Not really. Saying that he's not real is the truth, saying he is real is a lie. There's a very, very big difference between them.

I wasn't saying that they are the same. I was pointing out that they are different systems of belief and thinking. They are very different. That's why they might be incompatible to compare.

 

[TerraMGP]

i suppose the crux of my argument comes from there being so little in the world that can be good. the more things that my child can look at and smile at the better i'll feel. yes it's a lie, but so is karma, justice, equality, truth, all that stuff

the difference is that when you figure out Santa is a lie, you get over it pretty quickly

see earlier hogfather quote

Those are not lies, those are goals. Those are the things that children should learn are worth fighting and, if needed, dying for. The small things that we grasp to make our lives better and that we struggle to attain because it is indeed the right thing to do. I fully agree that children should have nothing but joy in their lives, but not everything that brings a smile to their face is good. You can tell a child they will grow up and be a millionaire guaranteed. They will smile, they will be happy, but it will be bad later. Instead simply let them find wonder in their own lives, and help them learn to smile at the things that are, and dream of the nearly limitless things that could one day be.

 

[Lukeje]

I think this topic has become a question of cold logic and truth verses romantic imaginings and ideals. Both have merits and flaws but you can't say that one is "better" or "worst" they just are. They're two theories that exist.

Not really. Saying that he's not real is the truth, saying he is real is a lie. There's a very, very big difference between them.

I wasn't saying that they are the same. I was pointing out that they are different systems of belief and thinking. They are very different. That's why they might be incompatible to compare.

Then they are not theories. Choose your words more carefully please.

 

[SomeBritishDude]

Im a little undecided on this. Though I want to tell my children santa exists I remember how I felt when I found he didn't and want to click undecided.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

What happen's when Timmy Green asks his parents why Timmy Smith worships a tree?

The same thing when Timmy Green asks where babies come from at 4 years old.

Anyway, why all the hate on Santa Claus?

Personally I think it's hilarious that people who say Master Chief could kick Gordon Freeman's ass (or vice versa) want to tell children that Santa Claus doesn't exist.

"Daddy, where does Master Chief live?"