Poll: What will you tell your kids about Santa?

[TheDrunkNinja]

EDIT: READ THIS FIRST!!!

Dammit... the poll fucked up.

Option 4 is "No, it's wrong to lie to children"

Option 6 is "I don't celebrate Christmas"

Try to keep that in mind as you vote.

The Christmas season is upon us, and I've been curious about the collective perspective on this decades old issue.

Even if you don't plan to ever have kids, let's talk hypothetical. There are both sides to this kind of debate where one might decide that it's cruel to straight up lie to you children about an all-seeing fat guy that doesn't, while another might believe that Santa's presence in your child's life reinforces ideals of goodwill and cherished childhood-innocence that comes with the Christmas spirit.

Personally, I think Saint Nicholas has a place in the nostalgia that Christmas tends to bring and would probably let it go on for they're toddler years up until around 5 or so, you know before elementary school. At that point, they would be at an age where understanding the differences between the real and the fantastic is important. What about you guys?

Oh and before you start typing, no religion jokes about telling kids about a "benevolent imaginary man", please. It isn't funny if it's predictable.

 

[Rose and Thorn]

If I did have a child, I would not pretend Santa is a real person. I do not feel it benefited me as a child, and it depressed me when I found out the truth. Instead I would engage my child in activities and traditions that they can hold on to for the rest of their life. Something that is fun, but real. Now there is nothing wrong with pretending and using ones imagination, but blatantly lying about something you know your kid will believe and hold on to seems wrong.

I couldn't just one day tell them that Saint Nicholas doesn't exist and tell them magic was never real you idiot, I just lied to you. It doesn't seem right and I certaintly didn't understand as a kid why it was so important for my mother for me to believe in this.

 

[SckizoBoy]

I'd just show them that episode of Futurama with the Robot Santa... that'd be interesting... -_-

 

[Goofguy]

I don't celebrate Christmas however, I'm sure I'll go back to observing it once I have a family. That being said, I would let them believe in Santa until they figured it out. It worked well enough for me and it was fun believing in him. I wasn't crushed when I found out he doesn't exist, it was more of a "yeah, I thought so" moment.

 

[JoJo]

Sure, I'll play along with whole Father Christmas (alternate name for Santa much of England uses) game, it's fun for the kids and when they learn the truth, it'll teach them that adults don't always tell the whole truth. A valuable lesson indeed, I was proud of myself when I worked it out.

 

[Amakusa]

This may sound cruel but if i had kids and they asked, I would give them two options, do you want the truth or the fairy tail?

When they were older i would show them bad santa and futurama's robot santa. Man i love anti santa stuff. It's funny. I dunno i dread shopping malls in december. Christmas carols and crap put on infinite loop music drives me insane. I guess it's a pet peev/kink i have.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

Personally, I think Saint Nicholas has a place in the nostalgia that Christmas tends to bring and would probably let it go on for they're toddler years up until around 5 or so, you know before elementary school. At that point, they would be at an age where understanding the differences between the real and the fantastic is important. What about you guys?

Prior to reading your post, my stance would have been to be honest from the get go that there's no Santa Claus. But really... I think you have a far more reasonable way of looking at the situation.

Kids aren't really well known for subtlety. If I tell my children that there's no Santa Claus, there's a pretty good chance they'll parrot my words to their friends. I don't want to ruin Christmas for the families who take joy in letting their children believe in Santa.

So yeah... I think I'd do what you said. I think I'd wait until my hypothetical child is old enough to understand reality vs. fantasy, and old enough to understand the importance of not ruining the fantasies of others.

To elaborate on why I'd personally want to be honest... I just don't like the idea of intentionally lying to people. I don't think Santa Claus is mandatory to learning and being a part of the holiday spirit. He's a good mascot, sure... but I don't think believing in a fantasy is the only way to pick up on the essence of the season.

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

Even if you don't plan to ever have kids, let's talk hypothetical.

See, attempting to educate children in a way that won't damage them mentally but also allows them to have an enjoyable childhood is one of the many issues I aim to avoid by not having children. There is no "What if I did have children?", I'm just not having children ; that's all there is to it.

 

[Moderated]

I'll celebrate Christmas as the commercial holiday instead of the Christian one, but I still will not lie to my children about the existence of an all knowing being that will punish them for being bad.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

I prefer to go with the whole honesty route with it. I think that showing kids from an early age that things are not magically provided for is a good lesson. That way they can see the effort their parents go to, in order to provide for them. Plus I'm the one buying the presents and all that, why should an imagery fat bearded man get all the credit.

I'd just show them that episode of Futurama with the Robot Santa... that'd be interesting... -_-

It'll be fine, it is a parent's job to in some way mentally scar their kids after all. Better to tell them that Santa is a murderous robot than for them to see the embarrassing dad dance

 

[capper42]

I voted yes until they figured it out for themselves. Obviously if I end up with some moron of a child who hasn't got it by a reasonable age, I may help them along.

I see no reason that reinforcing the myth of Father Christmas (his true name) is a bad thing, what harm could it possibly do.

 

[Little Woodsman]

I told my kid that Santa is there for the children who don't have mommies or daddies.
She's always been aware that some kids have both a daddy & a mommy, (she only has me)
but she got really depressed when she realized that some kids don't have either.
I have the best kid in the whole freakin' world.
(I may be slightly prejudiced about that.)

 

[RipRoaringWaterfowl]

If I were to continue celebrating Christmas by that point, I'll tell the truth to them: the real story of the real Saint Nicholas. The wonderworker who left little coins for everyone in their shoes during his lifetime and was a big beliver in charity and goodwill. And then explain, very simply, how he thus became legendary and led to the idea of a fat guy in a red suit with reindeer and elves and all that jazz as a result of the Dutch.

See? The truth is FUN!

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

Prior to reading your post, my stance would have been to be honest from the get go that there's no Santa Claus. But really... I think you have a far more reasonable way of looking at the situation.

Kids aren't really well known for subtlety. If I tell my children that there's no Santa Claus, there's a pretty good chance they'll parrot my words to their friends. I don't want to ruin Christmas for the families who take joy in letting their children believe in Santa.

So yeah... I think I'd do what you said. I think I'd wait until my hypothetical child is old enough to understand reality vs. fantasy, and old enough to understand the importance of not ruining the fantasies of others.

To elaborate on why I'd personally want to be honest... I just don't like the idea of intentionally lying to people. I don't think Santa Claus is mandatory to learning and being a part of the holiday spirit. He's a good mascot, sure... but I don't think believing in a fantasy is the only way to pick up on the essence of the season.

That's interesting, I never even thought of that. But you're right, kids always say the darndest things after all.

Also, you make a good point that the holiday spirit isn't only about Santa. It may be a good point to limit that kind of mindset considering children tend to associate Santa Claus with just the presents he brings instead of the goodwill and generous spirit the red-clad crusader boasts, thus he might unintentionally enforce a materialistic mindset.

It's actually kind of weird. My parents never bullshitted around, they made sure I knew Santa didn't exist. I made that mention of Christmas nostalgia simply because I never was given the chance to know it. I always felt cheated since I wanted to know what it was to have a mystical being of legend and myth become a reality in your life. Whether it was a true or not, I always wanted to know what it felt like for those other kids, because to them Santa was real and a part of their lives. I know it sounds silly to actually wish that my parents lied to me, but I just wanted to know what it was like for something that fantastic and magical to be a reality. That's why I decided a while ago that I wouldn't deny my child that experience, even if it's only for their early years.

You mean to tell me SANTA ISN'T REAL??!!

ARHGHGHGH!!!!!

Santa is real, he was in a parade just a few days ago, what is the OP talking about?

OH GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?

Eh, can't cry over spilled milk. You'll will get over it. Time you grew up anyway!

I told my kid that Santa is there for the children who don't have mommies or daddies.
She's always been aware that some kids have both a daddy & a mommy, (she only has me)
but she got really depressed when she realized that some kids don't have either.
I have the best kid in the whole freakin' world.
(I may be slightly prejudiced about that.)

Aww... That's actually rather touching... I like that.

No prejudice there, you're just a loving father.

See, attempting to educate children in a way that won't damage them mentally but also allows them to have an enjoyable childhood is one of the many issues I aim to avoid by not having children. There is no "What if I did have children?", I'm just not having children ; that's all there is to it.

Well, all the power to you then. I guess this thread doesn't really have anything to offer you.

 

[The_Echo]

I'm not going to tell my (hypothetical) children that Santa is real.

If they wind up believing in him, I won't tell them otherwise. But I'm not going to be the instigator.

 

[el_kabong]

I would play it coy. I wouldn't say Santa is real or not. Then, have a bunch of gifts show up out of nowhere and be like, "where did these come from?"

If they're intelligent kids, they'll figure out it was their parents, then they'll get happiness from outsmarting their parents. If they're dumb kids, they'll be happy with the idea of magic.

 

[JagermanXcell]

When my parents told me Santa didn't exist I got mad at them, mostly because the idea of them spending money on things I probably didn't deserve broke me. Yeah the truth on a child could be a pretty scarring.

I told my kid that Santa is there for the children who don't have mommies or daddies.
She's always been aware that some kids have both a daddy & a mommy, (she only has me)
but she got really depressed when she realized that some kids don't have either.
I have the best kid in the whole freakin' world.
(I may be slightly prejudiced about that.)

Oh My God this. You are an awesome father bro.

I might go with this, or if they ever question me wether he exists or not i'll just tell them: "Whatever makes you happy, either way you're getting your presents if you behave" And then wink at my son/daughter...

...And then i'll show him or her the robot santa episode of Futurama!!! When they're old enough of course.