Why do parents tell their children about "Santa"?

[ter93]

I have a six year old sister, and my mother and father have been going on about Santa to her, and how he's going to bring her presents. According to her, "if you don't believe you don't receive". I asked my mother why she does this, and she went crazy, shouting at me not to spoil it for her.

 

I have a few problems with "Santa", and would like to know why parents perpetuate the myth about Santa to their children. It seems pointless to me. Do the parents want to break their children's trust in them? A lie like this will cause children to doubt their parents forever. I was raised to believe in an obvious lie like this, and I could not trust my parents since I found out. Is the Santa thing really in the best interests of the children, or is it a result of the parents' selfishness?

 

What's wrong with being honest, and saying that the presents are coming from the parents, instead of a fat old man with a strange interest in other people's children? The children would still have to be good in order to receive the presents, so the children would still behave.

 

I just want one good reason for telling children about "Santa". I just don't see why people do it. Could you guys enlighten me, as I'm obviously missing something.

[annie24]

I think partially, it instills a special 'magic' into a child's life. obviously, fairy tales are full of all sorts of magical creatures.

[tina-rocks]

Annie this is spot on... Couldn't of put that better myself.

 

Magic!

 

I think partially, it instills a special 'magic' into a child's life. obviously, fairy tales are full of all sorts of magical creatures.

[ter93]

I think partially, it instills a special 'magic' into a child's life. obviously, fairy tales are full of all sorts of magical creatures.

 

There's a difference. The fairy tales aren't being passed off as fact. Apart from very young children, children know that these fairy tales are just fiction. They know these magical creatures don't really exist, whereas Santa is passed off as a real living being.

[tina-rocks]

It's all part of the magic that is Christmas

 

I believed in him and it did me no harm... Honestly it gives them something to believe in and that can't be a bad thing can it.

 

All the children I have seen in my lifetime have loved the stories of Santa and to see their faces light up christmas eve is something I will never forget. It's about children anyway I believe.

 

I'm sure it's not doing her any harm. In fact I would go as far as to say it's probably doing her good.

[Sky-Cherries]

Because most kids nowdays are smoking, drinking and having sex by 11,12, 13.

 

Maturity is drilled into them, from 'have your own baby' console games, to make-up kits for toddlers, adult clothing for pre-teens, ads, movies and tv shows pushing "Small clothes, sex, look good, get rich, be popular, have boyfriends, have girlfriends, grow up grow up grow up"

 

In my opinion children need to stay children as long as possible.

 

Good, wholesome stuff like Narnia has lost it's magic for today's children because they're used to reading magazine stories about the Jonas Brothers having their first kisses and Hilary Duff going shopping for an amazing handbag.

 

They have no imagination, no drive to believe in anything but the harsh realities of life, and it's too much for them.

They're expected to only believe in the unfairness of life and the importance of acting bigger than you are.

 

Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy...denying them does more harm than lying about them.

[yonkeehoi]

Every culture and every society has been formed around founding 'myths'. Google an amazing intellectual named Joseph Campbell for an overview of what he called the 'Power of Myth'. Myths have the ability to unify a people and create oneness that serves and protects the society as a whole. The Santa myth has a magic quality and is simply altruistic. It tells children of goodness - what's wrong with that? Your Black Sabbath avatar projects another sort of myth of the 'anti-social' which could be argued is just as pointless and/or meaningless but, in reality, is not. It has its place and is just as meaningful in society too. So relax, Ter, it's Christmas for crying out loud.

[EternalSingle]

I disagree. Children are conditioned to believe we live in a kind, understanding and loving world when the opposite is very much true. The sooner they become aware of this, the better. It is better that way. I fanything, childhood is deception leading to adulthood which begets truth.

[annie24]

A very famous letter.

[tina-rocks]

A very famous letter.

 

That was wonderful Annie and so uplifting. Thank you! and I'm 37...

[LightbulbSun]

St. Nick actually was a real person. So it's based off something that's realistic...well, except for the reindeer and fat man in a chimney business.

 

Personally, I never had any trust issues believing in Santa. It's something fun for children to believe in. I do believe, though, that parents need to sit down with their kids when they turn 11 or 12, and explain that Santa isn't real (otherwise they get teased at school.) I had already deduced that Santa wasn't real by the time I was 12, but my mom sat down with me and had the talk, and I wasn't hurt. In fact, throughout high school I used to still write Santa "letters", knowing full well that he didn't exist and that it was my mom who was eating the milk and cookies and writing a letter back. I just did it for fun, and to relive the tradition of my childhood more than anything.

 

OP, let your sister be a kid! Be a good big brother to her, and let her enjoy her childhood. There's plenty of time to be an adult later on.

[tina-rocks]

I still believe.... x

[Capricorn3]

It's all part of the magic that is Christmas

 

I believed in him and it did me no harm... Honestly it gives them something to believe in and that can't be a bad thing can it.

 

All the children I have seen in my lifetime have loved the stories of Santa and to see their faces light up christmas eve is something I will never forget. It's about children anyway I believe.

 

I'm sure it's not doing her any harm. In fact I would go as far as to say it's probably doing her good.

Exactly! The Santa story has been ongoing for hundreds of years and it has never caused any harm to anybody. It's one of the very few good and dare I say, decent, things left in society, so why take that away? There's so much crap out there in the world today, so having millions of little kids faces light up with joy and happiness when they believe in Santa is one of the nicest things to witness. Let them believe for as long as it lasts. I agree with your mother - don't go and spoil it for your little sister, just because you have an issue with it yourself.

 

Sky-Cherries: Great post too!

[LightbulbSun]

I still believe.... x

 

I believe, not in the image of a Santa, but what he means to us all.

[TechResQ]

Honestly...I look back at the times when I believed in Santa and they were some of the best times of my life. What joy, what happiness! Don't take that away...they grow up way too soon...WAY too soon...

[Capricorn3]

annie24: That post was lovely! Made my day. Thank you.

[EternalSingle]

Honestly...I look back at the times when I believed in Santa and they were some of the best times of my life. What joy, what happiness! Don't take that away...they grow up way too soon...WAY too soon...

 

And well they should. I have never understood your line of thinking.

[I_Speak_Jive]

Santa isn't real!!!!!?????

[sharsachan]

annie i wanted to rep you but it told me to spread the love, but i agree with all your posts in the thread!

[annie24]

annie i wanted to rep you but it told me to spread the love, but i agree with all your posts in the thread!

 

aww, thanks sweetie.

 

yes, i really like that newspaper editorial from 1897! crazy how it is still so true!

[browneyedgirl36]

I believed in Santa until I was about 8 or 9; I realized he wasn't real when I got a dollhouse for Christmas and I KNEW my mom had made it. It was beautiful, and I loved it because my mom had spent so much time on it.

 

I never felt betrayed or lied to about being told the myths of Santa and the Easter Bunny and the like were *real.* As another poster said, those were fond memories from my childhood, and I don't even remember feeling disappointed -- even mildly so -- at realizing that Santa wasn't real.

 

As far as kids growing up to soon and the idea that they *should* -- I disagree. Everyone deserves a childhood -- a time of innocence, a time to just take everything in and enjoy it and experience pure joy. Of course, everyone has to grow up at some point, but people have their whole lives to be adults. We only have a very short time to be children, and once that's gone, we can never get it back.

[anya1607307555]

Everyone needs a certain amount of magic and mystique in their lives, and Father Christmas is just one of many fun, harmless characters used as a vehicle to deliver the message of goodwill to children.

 

I started to become vague about the notion of FC when my child was 8 or 9, which is when I began to realise, but even knowing the truth we still believe!!

 

annie: That article sums it up perfectly. Thank you.

[anggrace]

I've been thinking a lot about this lately. My nephew is 8 and I feel very guilty when Santa comes up. But I shoulnd't. He enjoys it. And I've NEVER heard an adult say that they grew up to be untrusting because of the sants "lies". I really think kids get over it when they do find out. They still get the gifts.

[Seraphim]

This here. If you take the joys of childhood away you cause children to be sad. Childhood SHOULD be filled with magic and joyful. It makes for much happier and positive adults who believe good things can happen. My son is 12 and still believes with all his heart in Santa. I do not think he will be harmed by it.