I can’t remember ever believing in Santa Claus.
For 12 years I was the youngest of three. I’m pretty sure my parents gave up trying to convince me the gifts under the Christmas tree — all wrapped in the same paper as the others and labeled from “Santa” in my mom’s handwriting — were from some stranger in a bright red suit.
I mean, we put out my dad’s favorite cookies and a glass of skim milk for Santa. Since when was he lactose intolerant?
I wonder why parents perpetuate this fictitious story about St. Nick, lugging around toys and iPads on his magical reindeer-led sleigh on Christmas Eve. He squeezes through the chimneys — or through screen doors, if you live in Hawaii — to drop off gifts for every child in the world. All in a 12-hour window.
What 8-year-old is going to believe that?
I don’t have kids (yet), and I wonder what I’m going to tell them. Do I lie and say Santa will bring them presents if they’re good, tell them stories about elves who work — without a contract, by the way — at the North Pole? Or do I skip the fiction and be straight up: be good and Mom will buy you that “Mass Effect 3” game you want.
Someday, they will find out you’re lying. They will realize — I’m not sure how — that Santa doesn’t exist. What then? And why aren’t generations of people upset about being deceived?
The whole Santa story is interesting, to say the least. Why do we perpetuate it? Why do we want to believe it? And why aren’t we resentful for being duped for so long?
I think we want to believe in Santa. It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s convenient. But I think if I’m going to make up a story about how presents get under a tree on Christmas Eve, I’ll come up with something better.
Anyone got insight into this?
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16 Comments
ok.thats it…..you MUST get “Miracle On 34th Street”. And watch it continuously on Christmas Eve till Christmas Day. Please…for the love of Santa Claus…i’ll even supply the kleenex.
“Yes, Virginia (Catherine), there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion lives…”
Merry Christmas!
CAT: While Santa is not a real person…he lives in each of us for the virtue of giving. This is the one time of year people are kind to each other…except when looking for parking at the stores!
To you and yours, a Mele Kalikimaka and Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hello Cat! it’s not whether you believe or not, it’s the spirit of Christmas.
Try wait and see – when you get kids things change and you will be spreading the mystery of Santa and the spirit and magic of Christmas like the rest of us.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Alan
Hey Cat …. noooooooooooooooo … I hope there are no bright eyed children reading your blog … because you’re breaking their little hearts … and crashing their big Christmas dreams … *sob* …
… Santa does exist … Santa does exist! …
… but these days, he enlists the help of everyone all over the world … to make or buy and gift wrap all the presents for the children … because the world has grown so big that Santa couldn’t possibly do this all by himself anymore … and in the true spirit of Christmas … all mommies and daddies and grown-ups have joined together to help Santa … and make Christmas a wonder for all the children in the world …
… HO HO HO !!! … MERRY CHRISTMAS !!! …
Santa is one of the good guys so no issues. Evlikes to elieve the world is a good plae and full of good people. No harm in that! And the ability to access boundless gifts without having to work for them, even better. 🙂
Reread this, it dropped several letters… sort of like the postman.
Can we just believe in Santa because it’s fun, festive and feel-good to do so? I don’t consider myself to be lying to my kids when they get gifts from Santa or when we leave milk and cookies out at night; it’s just telling a fun tale and passing on our holiday traditions. And when they figure out that he doesn’t really exist, it’s cool — Christmas goes on. Santa is just another symbol for the joy and generosity of the season.
Santa, Christmas trees, stockings, cookies, holiday music, gift giving, and all the other stuff — even if we shouldn’t “need” that to enjoy or make sense of the holiday, I think it’s all good. The world needs all the good cheer it can get!
there is a SANTA. when i was 7, i saw him in bed with my mom, and she was wearing his hat. that’s for reals.
I don’t think this is about believing in the man Santa Claus… cuz we knew that Santa wasn’t a real guy on the North Pole from a pretty young age, But it’s about the spirit of the season… I mean, you can bet that those folks who got their layaway paid off believe in Santa Claus… you can bet that those folks who are getting stuff from Lokahi that they otherwise wouldn’t ever have, believe in Santa Claus, even if Santa Claus comes dressed in khaki pants, and an aloha shirt… I’m reminded of the US Marine Corps Toys for Tots” commercial where a Marine in full dress blues was standing guard somewhere, and a little kid, presumably on Christmas Eve, asked, “excuse me, are you Santa Claus? If you are, here’s my list… I’ve been a good boy this year…” and the Marine, who has been hardened not to break his focus in the performance of his duties as a sentry broke down and accepted this kid’s list… I think that’s what it’s about… Santa doesn’t have to be real or fake or whatever, but the spirit he represents… ah that’s the most important part… so yes Catherine, there is a Santa Claus, and he lives in every one of us… ;o) have a wonderful Christmas…
as F.P. Church wrote in the SUN to 8 year old Virginia O’Hanlon– “You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could ever tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance can push aside that curtain and view the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah Virginia, in all this world there is nothing more real and more abiding.”
I too was as torn as you are, Cat! I wasn’t sure if I should perpetuate the “lie” and traumatize my children based on that lie. I didn’t want my kids to not trust me when/if they ever found out that Santa wasn’t a real. I consulted friends, google, friends who are child psychologists….but ultimately it was my decision. But if I did decide that I was going to go with the “no santa claus” truth, I must tread lightly as I don’t want it to be my kid that causes a riot in preschool. Then an epiphany occurred. I realized I didn’t really have to do much at all, really. My 3 year old believes in fairies (thanks, tink!). But on some level she knows they are not real. When I sprinkle fairy dust on her, she knows she can’t fly…but she pretends – and she loves it. So I see Santa as a story. A wonderful story that we play along with once a year. I don’t do the, “if you misbehave, Santa is giving you coals’ as that can be creepy in itself. But you know, I really don’t have to say ANYTHING. Everyone else can lie about Santa for me. She’s already heard it in preschool. I never even mentioned Santa. So when the time comes that she realizes Santa isn’t a real person, I can truthfully say that I did not lie to her. Merry Christmas!
I’ve been photoshop’n Santa in our house every year to perpetuate the mystery of santa for my 7 year old. We put out cookies and milk which I subsequently eat that night, and we also put out reindeer food. One year roaches went crazy over the reindeer food (koi pellets).
Our 7 year old believes in the tooth fairy as well, even writing notes to the tooth fairy and getting replies each time she leaves a tooth under her pillow. Some of the questions she asks the tooth fairy are heart warming.
I think, why not. This magical time of their lives is so short. Soon enough there will be real world stuff to deal with but for now, for this short moment in time, why not help keep the magic alive?
We setup a tripod each year together and set the camera to secretly snap a photo of santa. The next morning I show it to my daughter =)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dotephotos/sets/72157625668757736/show/
Just cuddle in together on the couch and watch “Bad Santa” starring Billy Bob Thornton. A tender touching Christmas tradition in many families since that 2004 masterpiece was released.
Actually, there is a little known Disney film from around 1986 called “One Magic Christmas” starring Mary Steenburgen as a woman caught up in the difficulties and realities of life tsuch that she has completely lost the part of her that was a little girl who once believed in Santa. I cry every time I see it, and I own the DVD. I don’t have more than 20 DVDs on my shelf, but I have this one, because there is really no other way to find it. The film is an unappreciated gem.
I was at Walmart the other day early in the morning and the cops were having their yearly buy a gift for one child thing and they had a Santa Claus by the registers. Yeah when you see the amazement on a two year old’s face as he grunts and points to Santa Claus or at one of the thousand Christmas trees he’s seen this year or when you hear him say in his very limited vocabulary “ooh naice.” While he sees the Christmas lights around town you will see the magic of Christmas and Santa Claus and will definitely perpetuate the myth (or lie) of jolly old St. Nick.