Dynamite Shikoku
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Will you tell your kid/future kid that Santa is real?
- Thread starter Supast4r
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billy beane
Banned
Fuck Santa, I'm not giving him credit for presents.
Veritigo_X
Member
It's kind of hard to compare religion to Santa Claus. People devote their entire lives to religion so giving your kids a sort of disclaimer is a good thing. I don't think anyone is devoting their lives to Santa, it's just a harmless lie to add some fun to the holiday.
Netherscourge
Banned
My 6-year-old already disbelieves. We got like 2 years of Santa fun and that's that.
He became a skeptic when I tried making up alternative entry points into people's houses. Not everyone has a fireplace with a chimney and stocking hanging over the mantle.
Then there was the whole workshop thing, elves, how did Santa know this or that, etc...
He sniffed out Santa and the tooth fairy almost at the same time.
He became a skeptic when I tried making up alternative entry points into people's houses. Not everyone has a fireplace with a chimney and stocking hanging over the mantle.
Then there was the whole workshop thing, elves, how did Santa know this or that, etc...
He sniffed out Santa and the tooth fairy almost at the same time.
I'm not gonna discourage them if they start believing in it because of their schoolmates or something, I think it's generally a pretty happy thing for kids, it'd be sort of... cruel ? to just flat out tell them it's not real.
I'm not gonna actively try to make them believe it though, or take them to see Santa at the mall (I don't even think we have those tbh) or dress up my brother or whatever.
It's not like it lasts long anyway, can't think of anyone in my family who believed in it past 5 or 6 yo, when it starts becoming "uncool" at school to believe in santa.
I'm not gonna actively try to make them believe it though, or take them to see Santa at the mall (I don't even think we have those tbh) or dress up my brother or whatever.
It's not like it lasts long anyway, can't think of anyone in my family who believed in it past 5 or 6 yo, when it starts becoming "uncool" at school to believe in santa.
I'm reminded of a conversation from one of the Disworld novels:
Anyway, the track I took was to tell my daughter that I didn’t believe in Santa. She, however did for many years.
This allows her to enjoy a a spot of make-believe for a time, while also learning that it is possible to have a different opinion on a subject than me, yet still able to talk to me about it without fear of me belittling her or shutting her down. Both experiences on the subject have value.
Anyway, the track I took was to tell my daughter that I didn’t believe in Santa. She, however did for many years.
This allows her to enjoy a a spot of make-believe for a time, while also learning that it is possible to have a different opinion on a subject than me, yet still able to talk to me about it without fear of me belittling her or shutting her down. Both experiences on the subject have value.
FinalStageBoss
Banned
Kids love Santa, so no I wouldn't ruin it for them tbh.
It can, but I'm planning on putting "From: Santa" on presents that are under the tree and taking bites out of cookies that are left out at night. You can give a disclaimer, but part of the fun of Christmas is playing into the belief and the fantasy. This same idea isn't behind the concept of God.
disappeared
Banned
I'd love to have a daughter just to see her face light up at Santa.
John Kowalski
Banned
fuck no, and not god either
santa is an icon of goodness and nothing but
santa is an icon of goodness and nothing but
superdeluxe
Member
Don't be that guy.
Herbspiceguy
Member
No. Lying feels wrong and kids can perfectly play pretend realising something is not real.
Baron Aloha
A Shining Example
No
kraspkibble
Permabanned.
Yeah i will. Believing in santa was amazing. I always made sure to write my list, leave carrots out for rudolph and some milk for santa. Always went to my bed early because I didnt want to upset santa and not get presents.
It does no harm i think. When i found out it was really my mum and dad it didnt bother me. All those happy memories were great. I would love my kids to experience that.
It does no harm i think. When i found out it was really my mum and dad it didnt bother me. All those happy memories were great. I would love my kids to experience that.
superdeluxe
Member
Yup, we were always told the day you stopped believing in Santa, it was the day you stopped getting Santa gifts.
OniBarubary
Banned
I'm never having kids so I'll just tell other people's kids that he's not real.
poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
Yeah I'm not really trying to sell them on Santa or anything I just play along with them. I don't think my kids believe in Santa anymore than they do the dogs from paw patrol, it's just a concept that they like. They went and saw Santa at the fire station fundraiser today and there wasn't any indication that they thought it was the 'real' Santa or a 'fake' Santa because they aren't really thinking in those terms.
dc3k
Member
Ditto. I just need to be careful that I don't get punched in the face.
Captain Chaos
Member
I treat it as an old fable / story. My 6 year old I think has never really believed - she is too switched on and I cant peddle straight lies.
It is straight up lying, and very understandable why some parents choose against it, you can still do Christmas without it. That said Santa/Tooth-fairy/Easter Bunny are probably the earliest intelligence test . Once your kids start questing the logistics of Santa clause visiting every house on earth, or how he makes all those presents, maybe it's a sign to drop it then. I know a few parents that once their kids started asking questions like that, they just gave them more BS explanations and lies, that seems very dangerous.
EDIT:
There was this Reddit post I saw a while ago, basically, this Dad decided that he was going to be Santa Clause. He told his kid about the real Santa that existed long ago and how he would give presents every year to children and to those in need. His life was committed to caring for others. When he died people all over the world had decided to continue his tradition of gift giving. He told his Son that one day he could also become Santa Clause. Thought that was an excellent way to get around the lying part, but still preserve that magical part about Christmas. His kid came in the next day wanting to be Santa, and he told him that he would need to commit to keeping the spirit of love and giving all year, not just at Christmas, and also to not tell anyone his secret identity.
EDIT:
There was this Reddit post I saw a while ago, basically, this Dad decided that he was going to be Santa Clause. He told his kid about the real Santa that existed long ago and how he would give presents every year to children and to those in need. His life was committed to caring for others. When he died people all over the world had decided to continue his tradition of gift giving. He told his Son that one day he could also become Santa Clause. Thought that was an excellent way to get around the lying part, but still preserve that magical part about Christmas. His kid came in the next day wanting to be Santa, and he told him that he would need to commit to keeping the spirit of love and giving all year, not just at Christmas, and also to not tell anyone his secret identity.
Lev
Member
If I were to have kids and a family, then yes, I would tell them from day one that Santa is not real since I wouldn't let my family to celebrate Christmas. Celebrating Christmas for me feels weird since only did it once with my family and we were never Christian anyway.
I wouldn't be surprised though if my kids were rebellious and jealous about our family not celebrating Christmas because everyone's family does, and that they would end up believing in Santa anyway because their stupid friends do and their friends' parents play along with the silly charade.
I wouldn't be surprised though if my kids were rebellious and jealous about our family not celebrating Christmas because everyone's family does, and that they would end up believing in Santa anyway because their stupid friends do and their friends' parents play along with the silly charade.
Frozenprince
Banned
Already got my Santa presents. Kids enjoy it, it's fun for them to imagine the fantastical. There is literally no harm in it.
Just to this point here, because a lot of people keep bringing this up. Do kids really need to believe fantasy is real in order to get enjoyment out of it? When I was young (like many I'm sure) I had an entire make-believe fantasy world. I had to know it was fake, because I made it all up. Children have a nearly infinite capacity of imagination and hope; they know so little about the world around them that nearly everything is a source of wonder. So even if you decide to tell them Santa doesn't exist, you're not even scratching the surface of the beliefs and ideas that they hold. The real world is amazing
DragonSworne
Banned
I'll let TV tell him Santa is real and that he is fake.
I mean, it depends. I have a seven year old niece who is terrified of the idea of an old fat man who breaks into her house once a year. Her parents told her Santa wasn't real when she was four because she was too terrified to sleep on Christmas Eve.
Otherwise, yeah, as other people have said, as long as it's harmless fun fantasy, why not?
Otherwise, yeah, as other people have said, as long as it's harmless fun fantasy, why not?
Frozenprince
Banned
Do they need to believe it's real, no.
Does believing it's real hurt anybody or anything?
No of course not. So why not let my son believe it's real, it makes it more special to him because it allows him to personalize it.
ClayKavalier
Banned
Are you serious? Your kid talking about Santa not being real is going to be a huge red flag for their schoolmates in the Junior Anti-Sex League.
TipsyArchmage
Neo Member
Holy shit some of you people must be zero fun at all
Loosen up a bit. I get that you've had it drilled into your head that lying is bad, but the world isn't black and white. You can actually lie about something like santa and not be a terrible person! Shocking I know
Loosen up a bit. I get that you've had it drilled into your head that lying is bad, but the world isn't black and white. You can actually lie about something like santa and not be a terrible person! Shocking I know
We tell our kids (3 and 1) that Santa is real, but he only brings them one sensible gift. All the big expensive stuff comes from us. I want them to have the fun of Santa, because it was awesome as a kid when Santa was real, but I also don't want them going to school later and telling kids they got really expensive stuff from Santa while another kid got something not so impressive because their family isn't doing as well. I don't want another kid to feel like they got the shaft by Santa. I wouldn't want my kids to feel that way either.
I think some of the messaging is inherently screwed up.The commercialism/materialistic focus of modern Santa that's so disconnected from the story of generosity it originated from (St. Nicholas) and the lengths some parents go to preserve their children's sense of wonderment (the lying). Also by attributing goodness to presents, what's a kid going to think about when they see a kid with no presents at all. Are they going to think "that kid's poor, I should give them one of mine" , or because of their belief in Santa are they going to think "that kid was on Santa's naughty list and therefore a bad person"?
I don't think there's an issue with parents not choosing or choosing to go through with the Santa stuff (I'm still undecided), there are good cases to be made for either side, but I do think the general messaging is shit without some fine tuning on the parent's side.
Samuraicop
Member
Not only will I tell Santa is real but wrestling too
King Gilga
Member
I wont tell them either way, they can make their own conclusions until they're grown.
It really annoys me how we do terrible shit to kids but tell them not to lie
Dont lie son / daughter its bad.
Proceeds to lie to child bout santa easter bunny etc.
Child dont go knocking on strangers doors or accept things from strangers.
Halloween go knock on strangers doors n see what you get from them.
Sigh
Dont lie son / daughter its bad.
Proceeds to lie to child bout santa easter bunny etc.
Child dont go knocking on strangers doors or accept things from strangers.
Halloween go knock on strangers doors n see what you get from them.
Sigh
We all need to believe in the fantastical. We all need to have hope of being great. Need to have hope that we can achieve great things. We need to know how to be excited and happy and full of hope.
Because as adults we lose that. We lose it and most of us never even attempt at it again.
We become realists and pessimists and we get really good at being jaded about all that isn't perfect in life.
We get so jaded that we evaluate situations in life as if they have a "cost". We stop doing things because it's possible there is a result that could be unfavorable.
What's even worse than losing the ability to dream big and have hope is that some adults never got to be allowed to dream big when they were kids. Some kids had parents that told them they could never play professional sports, or could never invent something that would change the world, never told them they could be anything they truly were committed to. Parents that told them that Santa was made up, the tooth fairy was fake and the Easter bunny was stupid.
I grew up in a very low income home. I learned to not ask for much because even as a second grader I knew we didn't have money.
But I had Santa and he allowed me to hope that I could still enjoy toys and kid stuff. And Santa always came through for me. I didn't get the same amount of stuff that wealthy kids got but I always felt incredibly spoiled at Christmas time. I felt loved.
And when I was older and learned that it was my mother that had done all those amazing things for me, it meant even more to me that she saved money and sacrificed each year so I could have Christmas like we always did.
Santa is about love.
My favorite thing about the Christmas holidays is that I have been able to allow my kids to love Santa like I did.
My oldest is 15 now and when she learned the truth about Santa, she immediately joined her mother and I on "Team Santa" for her two younger brothers.
It's been awesome to watch her share in that joy from our side of things these last several years.
Hope is important.
If Santa isn't the path you want to teach your kids please make sure you teach them some other way.
Find joy. Have joy.
Meh you can talk about Saint Nicolas even if you are atheist. The idea of him giving gifts to little kids that had very little is something that anyone of any faith can appreciate.
I agree.
EdwardTeach
Member
If you aren't willing to participate in Santa proselytization, then you shouldn't have children.
I wasn't from a Christian family, but growing up I still believed in Santy Clause (like I imagine most of us did). One Christmas, when I was 7 or 8, I was coming home from my cousin's house, and was hoping that I'd be greeted with a Christmas tree and a mountain of presents from St. Nick. Mind you, I lived in a low rent apartment in a ghetto neighborhood, with no fire place, but still, I hoped against hope that I'd open the door to a pleasant surprise.
Well, unsurprisingly I go home to find no Christmas tree, no presents, just my lowlife of a father lying on the couch watching T.V., with the rest of my dysfunctional family scattered across different parts of the apartment. That was the moment my belief in Santa Clause went up in flames. Went to sleep that night depressed and disillusioned.
And that, gaf, is how I converted to Islam.
Well, unsurprisingly I go home to find no Christmas tree, no presents, just my lowlife of a father lying on the couch watching T.V., with the rest of my dysfunctional family scattered across different parts of the apartment. That was the moment my belief in Santa Clause went up in flames. Went to sleep that night depressed and disillusioned.
And that, gaf, is how I converted to Islam.
Lol I got news for you kid, many countries do not celebrate Christmas. Should none of them have kids?
Impeccable
Member
Do you both see the difference? Guess what, so do the kids when they find out.
There are going to be a lot of cynical people in the next generation.
Atom Heart Mother
Banned
Why not dress up as Santa and tell them you were hired by him to deliver presents? Make it fun, but you don't have to completely lie. I like to believe Santa was real but no man can do it forever.
This thread is incredibly negative...guys just have fun with your kids when you have them. Don't turn into them Cynical skeptics at such a young age, that's what being a Teenager is for. Let kids be kids. Let them live their lives in fun and joy instead of the real world.
This thread is incredibly negative...guys just have fun with your kids when you have them. Don't turn into them Cynical skeptics at such a young age, that's what being a Teenager is for. Let kids be kids. Let them live their lives in fun and joy instead of the real world.
TwEE-N-Toast
Banned
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