Comments on: How Much Santa is Too Much?

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:24:25 +0000

Don’t worry about it. I’m 16 years old, and figured it out by my own logic years ago. I am also an atheist by choice, yet I have a Christian mom. I see no logic in the existance of Santa or God, so I believe them to be nothing more than myths. Not to mention Santa’s status as a pervert (”sees you when you’re sleeping”? “knows when you’re awake”?)

Just don’t spoil it for the little ones. Santa is fun.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:51:56 +0000

I'm one of 5 brothers, all over the age of 17. My mother just decided a few years ago that we were too old for stockings. All the brothers go home for Christmas and this year (being the brother with the only real job) I'm planning to fill the stockings with all the usual dollar store brand crap just to see what they say. I'm, of course, not going to admit it was me... it was obviously Santa. Kids will eventually realize it's not true, there's nothing wrong with the story. Unless, of course, this happens!

By: Lyz

Lyz — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:04:52 +0000

When I was little, I loved helping wrap presents. So I pretty much knew that all the presents under the tree came from somewhere, and saw Santa in places like the shopping mall, and knew that my favorite characters on TV were played by real people out there.

So I asked my mom “Who’s Santa?” in the matter of fact manner I often had for my questions. I think she gave me the best answer in the world –

“Everyone who gives someone else a present is Santa Claus. We’re all Santa to someone, and everyone out there is Santa to us.”

I plan to tell this to my children and anyone else who asks me. I can’t come up with a better way to explain the myth behind something and keep it so wonderful!

By: Maekern

Maekern — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:43:30 +0000

When I was a small child, my father told me all about Santa Claus, but made it clear that Santa was a fun story that people liked to pretend was true. He was careful to tell me that if I went around saying it was just a story to people who liked to pretend, I would spoil their fun.

I even got presents from “Santa”, but at no point did I ever think Santa was anyone but my father. It worked out well enough.

By: Cobwebs

Cobwebs — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:57:40 +0000

Grimalkin: I think you misunderstand my definition of “belief.” I didn’t mean it in the sense of, “This thing is absolutely the truth,” but more in the sense of, “This kind of thing might be possible.” If you completely reject the notion that it’s even possible, then there’s not really much for the imagination to feed on.

I don’t think there are fairies at the bottom of my garden, but when I was a child it was fun to think that there might be. That doesn’t make me any more supportive of adults who insist that fairies definitely exist.

By: Grimalkin

Grimalkin — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:02:40 +0000

Cobwebs: You don’t have to BELIEVE in myths to have fun with them. When I was a child, my garden was full of fairies, the lakes were full of mermaids, and pretty much every room in my house had a ghost. I even went to church and pretended that Jesus was my friend (that’s right, my invisible friend was Jesus).

At the end of the day, I knew it was all make-believe – but that didn’t diminish the fun at all. If anything, it made it more fun because I felt like I could control the game. The ghosts were scary, sure, but when I made myself too scared, I could just end the game.

So no, I don’t think that you would stunt your child’s imagination by encouraging a secular view of the world.

By: Grimalkin

Grimalkin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:58:39 +0000

I plan on treating Santa like any other game of pretend-play. It will be clear that Santa isn’t real, but isn’t it fun to pretend that he is and to leave out cookies? Isn’t it even more fun to wake up in the morning and have some cookies laid out to eat while we open presents?

I see no harm in pretending that Santa exists, as long as the kids are in on the game as well. I absolutely hate the idea of lying to a child, convincing her that there’s this supernatural being who spies on her and judges her every action.

By: JSug

JSug — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:15:09 +0000

I posted on this over at Rational Moms, but I’ll summarize what I wrote here. My son will be 3 in February. This is the first Christmas he’s really aware of what’s going on. We’re going with the Santa myth. I grew up believing in Santa (until I figured it out around age 5) and enjoyed it. My wife, on the other hand, was never allowed to believe and resents the fact. Ditto the Easter bunny and tooth fairy.

That said, as soon as he starts questioning things, I’ll be honest with him. Consider it a lesson in questioning authoritative sources of information.

By: postsimian

postsimian — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:47:31 +0000

This marks the second year I’ve been at odds with my wife over the issue. She sees it as harmless fun, which is a point I can certainly understand. However, I just don’t feel right about lying to my kid, who I’d like to raise to be a fellow rational secularist. I don’t think we should avoid Santa at all costs–he’s going to notice the red man eventually. But it’s hard to discern what is enough and what’s too much.

Any help on this?

By: Mike Clawson

Mike Clawson — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:40:09 +0000

My wife has already told my three-year-old that Santa is “just a story”. Personally I would have waited a little longer, but whatever. The problem is now she’s telling all of the other kids and spoiling it for some of them.