# Belief in Santa

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-santa/381930>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 27, 2006, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-santa/381930 "2006-11-27T12:52:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-santa/381930/61 "2006-12-01T20:10:53Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=What Exit?]  
No, let him have this year, but sometime during 2007, take him aside and make him your co-conspirator.  
[/QUOTE]

It amazes me that another person can feel comfortable on advising another parent when they should disappoint his or her child.

If it is your child, telling them there is no santa isn’t mandatory at a certain age. Do whatever you feel your child is ready for.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-santa/381930/62 "2006-12-01T20:16:32Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Dangerosa]  
Because my kids have plenty of imagination (its a part of those critical thinking skills), and I don’t define innocence as “belief in magic.”  
[/QUOTE]

No but it can be part of it. A very nice part of it in my opinion. I certainly don’t look at children that still believe at 11 or 12 as moron. As I wrote before, everyone does what they think is right as a parent but I think it is wrong to look at another child in a negative way for what he or she believes in.

I am over 40 and still have a belief in the magic of Christmas. Whether that is a spirit of Santa or something left over from my childhood is no one’s business but my own. I wonder if people think there is a time that we should tell children there is no God so they dont’ grow up to be ignorant and not have “critical thinking” skills.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-santa/381930/63 "2006-12-01T20:46:58Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Foxy40]  
It amazes me that another person can feel comfortable on advising another parent when they should disappoint his or her child.

If it is your child, telling them there is no santa isn’t mandatory at a certain age. Do whatever you feel your child is ready for.  
[/QUOTE]

Yes, it was advice, I did not say he was had to follow it, I made no demands he follow it. I did not insult him in anyway. It is called friendly advice and it can be ignored or accepted. Why is that so amazing? Heck, I finished up by inviting him and his family to my home. I am just a horrible advising person aren’t I. 😉

Jim

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-santa/381930.md?page=3)