We were very poor and my mom exlpained our small (or no) presents by saying that Santa didn't GIVE the toys , he just delivered them. The idea being you could only have what your parents could afford. I guess that took alot of the glamour off him for me. I taught my kids that Santa was a fun character like Pooh Bear but certainly not a real person. I also cautioned them not to interfere with their friends beliefs.
Giving Kids "the talk" (Warning - Holiday Spoilers)
- Thread starter Picky Chicky
- Start date
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what
what
I think that Santa and the Easter Bunny are a fun way to teach kids about the joy of giving annonymously. They have fun believing when they are little, and when they are old enough to figure out the truth they can participate in the annonymous giving to others. The only problem is that a few parents go overboard and teach their kids only the commercialism aspect of holidays. It's not the TV or the retailers that are responsible for commercializing Santa and the Easter Bunny. It's the parents.
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Ditto here. I usually called it "pretend Santa"...I still remember the moment I found out that Santa was not real and then I wondered if the Other One Who," sees you when your sleeping, knows when your awake, knows if you been good or bad" was real too. I was so worried that the Lord was not real. When we had our kids, we decided that we would make a distinction between the made up imaginary Santa and the real God. I did not want to foster a big belief and essentially lie to my child. So, we didnt make a big deal about Santa and the kids still had a blast every Christmas. I did tell them to respect other people's thoughts , as that was between them and their children, and to keep their mouths closed on the subject.
Ditto here. I usually called it "pretend Santa"...I still remember the moment I found out that Santa was not real and then I wondered if the Other One Who," sees you when your sleeping, knows when your awake, knows if you been good or bad" was real too. I was so worried that the Lord was not real. When we had our kids, we decided that we would make a distinction between the made up imaginary Santa and the real God. I did not want to foster a big belief and essentially lie to my child. So, we didnt make a big deal about Santa and the kids still had a blast every Christmas. I did tell them to respect other people's thoughts , as that was between them and their children, and to keep their mouths closed on the subject.
It was awkward, but I always remind her that it's better to ask me... if she doesn't know and that I will tell her the truth.
If you tell her that you will tell her the truth, shouldn't you do it? I'm not judging, because you have the right to tell your children whatever you want. I just don't understand this statement.
If you tell her that you will tell her the truth, shouldn't you do it? I'm not judging, because you have the right to tell your children whatever you want. I just don't understand this statement.
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Ditto here. I usually called it "pretend Santa"...I still remember the moment I found out that Santa was not real and then I wondered if the Other One Who," sees you when your sleeping, knows when your awake, knows if you been good or bad" was real too. I was so worried that the Lord was not real. When we had our kids, we decided that we would make a distinction between the made up imaginary Santa and the real God. I did not want to foster a big belief and essentially lie to my child. So, we didnt make a big deal about Santa and the kids still had a blast every Christmas. I did tell them to respect other people's thoughts , as that was between them and their children, and to keep their mouths closed on the subject.
I am a Christian too but i was still tought about santa
Ditto here. I usually called it "pretend Santa"...I still remember the moment I found out that Santa was not real and then I wondered if the Other One Who," sees you when your sleeping, knows when your awake, knows if you been good or bad" was real too. I was so worried that the Lord was not real. When we had our kids, we decided that we would make a distinction between the made up imaginary Santa and the real God. I did not want to foster a big belief and essentially lie to my child. So, we didnt make a big deal about Santa and the kids still had a blast every Christmas. I did tell them to respect other people's thoughts , as that was between them and their children, and to keep their mouths closed on the subject.
I am a Christian too but i was still tought about santa
- Mar 25, 2007
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My family did the Santa thing. One family member would dress up like Santa and give everyone a gift, except Santa curiously always smelled like Camels and Genesee Cream Ale, just like Uncle Ren...so it didn't take long to figure out. Then when everyone yelled, "Uncle Ren is Santa!" the adults sort of played it like, ooooh, you kids are sooo smart to figure that out...can't fool you...guess we won't have to give you presents anymore 'cause you're too smart for Santa. Suddenly the crisis of faith was averted through greed, which turned out to be a wonderful lesson about religion when it came to televangelists and suchlike...
When I was not a whole lot older, I got a book about holiday myths and where they come from, which covered the Easter Bunny and Santa and all that. That was quite nice, I thought--it's a lot of fun to celebrate the holidays, especially when you learn the more, uh, adult meanings of the symbols. There IS an Easter Bunny, technically, although pre-Christian fertility magic isn't exactly something to tell the kiddies about. Weeeelllll, not unless you want them to grow up to be economists, sort of thing.
I thought it was good practice. You learn as a child to believe in little things like Easter Bunnies and Santa and Tooth Fairies. This exercises your brains in preparation for learning to believe in bigger lies, like justice, fairness, wisdom. Belief is a heck of a thing.
When I was not a whole lot older, I got a book about holiday myths and where they come from, which covered the Easter Bunny and Santa and all that. That was quite nice, I thought--it's a lot of fun to celebrate the holidays, especially when you learn the more, uh, adult meanings of the symbols. There IS an Easter Bunny, technically, although pre-Christian fertility magic isn't exactly something to tell the kiddies about. Weeeelllll, not unless you want them to grow up to be economists, sort of thing.
I thought it was good practice. You learn as a child to believe in little things like Easter Bunnies and Santa and Tooth Fairies. This exercises your brains in preparation for learning to believe in bigger lies, like justice, fairness, wisdom. Belief is a heck of a thing.
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We never did santa or any of the other mythical holiday entities. I did santa until I was about 5 and I was crushed that my parents lied to me. I was so angry with them and so embarrassed that I believed them all those years. Thats neither here nor there thought I suppose.
If a child needs a mythical entity to have a merry holiday then the point of the holiday is missing. The point should be the celebration, the family, the giving, and the joy of coming together. Not counting down days and moments until you get your loot, or waiting for some magical person to appear and make you feel all warm and fuzzy.
We never missed out on any of the holiday excitement. We also never ruined any holiday for any other child. If they want to believe in santa or the easter bunny or who ever else we didnt mind.
My son knows about santa, he knows he was a good man who gave his life to helping children and doing good for Christ, and he knows that we pretend that he still gives kids gifts. We also teach him that some people believe he's real, so we dont want to talk about it around other kids. We just dont need ignorance to have unbridled joy- he's a child and the simplicity of that is enough to create wonder and excitement over the holidays and stages of his development.
For me it has little to do with Christian values, just the point that I dont lie to my kids- even if it is in fun.
I absolutely do not agree with telling kids something is true and to believe it, and then later tell them its not so true as they may have believed. What about all the other things I teach them as children?
I absolutely do not agree with teaching your kids about those entities and sending them out into society to tell every other child the way things are and ruining their ignorant bliss. Thats not fair.
If a child needs a mythical entity to have a merry holiday then the point of the holiday is missing. The point should be the celebration, the family, the giving, and the joy of coming together. Not counting down days and moments until you get your loot, or waiting for some magical person to appear and make you feel all warm and fuzzy.
We never missed out on any of the holiday excitement. We also never ruined any holiday for any other child. If they want to believe in santa or the easter bunny or who ever else we didnt mind.
My son knows about santa, he knows he was a good man who gave his life to helping children and doing good for Christ, and he knows that we pretend that he still gives kids gifts. We also teach him that some people believe he's real, so we dont want to talk about it around other kids. We just dont need ignorance to have unbridled joy- he's a child and the simplicity of that is enough to create wonder and excitement over the holidays and stages of his development.
For me it has little to do with Christian values, just the point that I dont lie to my kids- even if it is in fun.
I absolutely do not agree with telling kids something is true and to believe it, and then later tell them its not so true as they may have believed. What about all the other things I teach them as children?
I absolutely do not agree with teaching your kids about those entities and sending them out into society to tell every other child the way things are and ruining their ignorant bliss. Thats not fair.
- Thread starter
- #50
Wow! The more I read the more I am surprised, and almost even a little bit scared to tell my daughter (when the time comes) that there is no such thing.
Do the number of non-believers out weigh the believers? Meaning, are there more people out there who will not encourage their children to believe in Santa?
Santa is in a round about way based on the real deal. Is it so terrible for our children to believe in the spirit of Christmas and to celebrate the idea of a good natured man that was passed on by others? Do we really have to spell it out for them? I feel like taking the fun nature out of pretending and make believe would turn me into a curmudgeon.
Hmm... I am trying to make the above sound more thought provoking than me just sounding like I'm fussing about it. I'm actually conflicted about this. I think it's why I'm also Agnostic... who am I to say what and who to believe in... maybe just tell my child about different beliefs and let her make her own decisions on what she wants to believe on her own.
Wow, I'm getting way too deep for just 1 cup of coffee. I'm off to lunch.
Do the number of non-believers out weigh the believers? Meaning, are there more people out there who will not encourage their children to believe in Santa?
Santa is in a round about way based on the real deal. Is it so terrible for our children to believe in the spirit of Christmas and to celebrate the idea of a good natured man that was passed on by others? Do we really have to spell it out for them? I feel like taking the fun nature out of pretending and make believe would turn me into a curmudgeon.
Hmm... I am trying to make the above sound more thought provoking than me just sounding like I'm fussing about it. I'm actually conflicted about this. I think it's why I'm also Agnostic... who am I to say what and who to believe in... maybe just tell my child about different beliefs and let her make her own decisions on what she wants to believe on her own.
Wow, I'm getting way too deep for just 1 cup of coffee. I'm off to lunch.
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