Believing in Santa does not create fools
My wife and I were at another couples house the other night and we were talking about the big question that seems to be plaguing young parents today. Especially around this time of year.
What do we tell our kids about Santa?
To me it seemed almost ridiculous that the topic even needed to be discussed. Where does this come from? Who is promoting this as worthy of concern? Do you think our parents wrestled with this dilemma? It seems our progressive world wants one more thing to stress itself out. And now it is the adult affects of childhood Santa Claus belief.
Stop….just stop already. It’s ok to tell your kids there is a Santa Claus. Let them enjoy it. Let them have the anticipation and excitement of Christmas. We adults have managed to suck the life out of Christmas it seems, why not enjoy the excitement vicariously through children. Do any of you look back at your parents and think that their “lying” to you about Santa is a flaw in their character? Has the revelation of there not being a Santa caused you to disavow any belief in a higher being? Me neither. I don’t think that my being told there was a Santa had any affect on my adult life.
It blows my mind as to how unwittingly arrogant we can be sometimes. I think the majority of my generation grew up with the belief in Santa. I think it is safe to say that we consider ourselves to be “normal” functioning members of our society. But yet we somehow think that our children will not be able to deal with the revelation of the truth about Santa.
It seems that the progressive method for child rearing requires us to always be up front and truthful with our children. But I feel this is neither possible or desirable. We need to protect our children’s innocence as long as possible. And this is one small way to do it. Lets face, it if your gonna not give Santa a pass then you better be doing the same for Mickey and Mini Mouse, Donald Duck and Barney. When you take your kids to Disney (or where ever) and they run with excitement up to Goofy, your gonna have to pull them aside and explain to them that there really is just a paid actor inside that costume. I bet you will be a hero. What about when little Sally asks where her brother comes from? According to the progressive model of full disclosure, a complete and truthful explanation of sexual reproduction is required. It seems we bend truths here and there all the time for our children and we don’t even think twice about it.
So stop trying to over analyze these things and enjoy Christmas. Make it fun. Set out the milk and cookies and wait for the big guy to come down the chimney.
But I would be remiss if did not write about the true meaning of Christmas. And that is that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Whether or not you acknowledge Jesus as your savoir, this celebration was started to honor Him. And I think more importantly the spirit of goodness and generosity that believers and non-believers alike display during this time is one of the greatest testimonies as to the truths of the Bible displayed here on Earth. I think during this time of year is when we get a glimpse as to what the world could be like. God bless you all and have a very Merry Christmas.
posted by BJ Aberle @ 9:02 AM
8 Comments:
LoL C.J.
I wholeheartedly agree on this one, BJ. Childhood is supposed to be a magical time of imagination and wonder. I'm hardly scarred for life because my parents "lied" to me, and I don't think my kids will be scarred either. In fact, when a kid gets to that point in their life when Santa's not that important anymore, they often feel pretty darn smart for discovering the "big secret."
Merry Christmas to all.
In fact once I learned the truth about Santa I felt I was one more step closer to eating at the big table.
May the Invisible Pink Unicorn bless you and Happy Holidays BJ.
When I found out that my parents had been lying to me this whole time and Santa infact did not exsist, I was crushed. How could my parents lie to me? Why would they do such a thing? They ruined my entire childhood by tricking me into thinking that a magic man flys around the world delivering presents to children.
With my ever increasing hatred for my parents boiling within my very soul, I knew I had to get back at them. Somehow. Someway.
So I took up smoking, and I lied to my parents about it. That should teach them to trick me right? Well, it wasn't enough. I had to do more to hurt them. I took up drinking, then stealing cars, I got pregnat at the age of 11 and then immediatly had an abortion, I dropped out of school to move to Florida with a trucker named "spanky" I beat a homeless man to death with his own shopping cart and then I joined a religous cult and gave away all of my earthly possesions.
Yet after all of this, I still feel I have not made my parents suffer enough. They made me belive in something greater than myself. Why on earth would a parent do something like that to their child?
If I can ever bring myself to climb out of this hole I have dug for myself and have a child, I will be sure to do the right thing from the very beginning. I will tell my child that there is no Santa Claus. Perhaps, in doing so, I can spare them the miserable life that I was forced to live.
Thanks for nothing mom and dad.
I'd like to thank you for your story here about letting your child believe. Your little explanation really helped me because I was on the verge and spilling the beans but I'm glad I read your article. My little girl will keep on believing until she finds out on her own.
Again, thanks!!
Thank you. My grown and married child "told" me last Christmas that they were not going to have their children believe in Santa because then they would question if Jesus was real or not. Christmas was the best time of year when my children were little. I made sure that they had the best memories of joy, happiness, generosity and childhood bliss during the holidays. When they stated this it hurt me to the core. Even though I can not change what they think or are planning to do, I am secretly happy that I am not crazy, that others think the way I do and that we didn't turn out abnormal or stop believing in Jesus just because we had the unbelievable childhood experience of waiting for Santa to arrive at our house bearing gifts. Oh, to be a child again.
It is crazy to me that people stress out over this. Ultimately, I don't believe in God because my parents told me He was real. I believe in God because I know He is real. I have a personal relationship with Jesus. I am aware of the Holy Spirit. Santa is a game and can not provide a relationship or earthly presence. So, my initial belief in God started with my parents teaching me and taking me to church. But, my belief is my own.... not what my parents told me. It has nothing to do with a childhood game that turned out to be well, a childhood game.
Thank you for this. My fiancee keeps arguing this but I agree with you wholeheartedly!!!
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