# Is it right to tell children there is a Santa? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2000, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811 "2000-09-11T20:21:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tatertot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@tatertot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tatertot)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/41 "2000-09-14T21:27:49Z")
Ummmm, so I guess it wasn’t a good idea for me to tell the totlets that when I go to DubDope next month, I’ll be visiting a magic leprechaun who can only be seen by adults and gives them presents for their kids? :::slinks off in shame::: Honestly, I can’t see the harm in letting the kids believe in Santa, Easter Bunny, and Tooth Fairy. Although I never understood what the E.B. had to do with the crucifixion and resurection. Maybe it’s just there to lighten things up. Anyhoo, I’ll let TinyTot believe in those things for as long as he wants and when he finally discovers the truth I’ll give him the standard talk about how Santa Claus lives in each of our hearts, ect. Does anyone know where I can get some inspirational sitcom music for the soundtrack? I’ve always wanted the proper music for when I give these parenting type talks… ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/42 "2000-09-14T23:13:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tatertot \* > Ummmm, so I guess it wasn’t a good idea for me to tell the totlets that when I go to DubDope next month, I’ll be visiting a magic leprechaun who can only be seen by adults and gives them presents for their kids? Now that is true . Only the other night while walking home after a big night on the drink I saw him . ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/43 "2000-09-15T05:24:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tatertot \* > \*\*Anyhoo, I’ll let TinyTot believe in those things for as long as he wants and when he finally discovers the truth I’ll give him the standard talk about how Santa Claus lives in each of our hearts, ect. Does anyone know where I can get some inspirational sitcom music for the soundtrack? I’ve always wanted the proper music for when I give these parenting type talks… \*\* How about Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in The Wall (“We don’t need no education.”) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/44 "2000-09-15T07:36:23Z")
I think that Santa has some very important lessons for children. 1. People in charge make up bizzare tails to try and influence your behavior. 2. Everybody involved can know it is not true and still have fun. ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vampire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Space\_Vampire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vampire)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/45 "2000-09-15T08:09:04Z")
Why pointless? Well, call me a party-pooper, but I generally favor dropping traditions that no longer serve any purpose. Santa doesn’t really have anything to do with religion, and I think it’d be more constructive to teach kids about giving rather than what to do to receive more, so I’m not really pro-Santa. Hey, I’m a grinch, what can I say. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/46 "2000-09-15T11:56:03Z")
PK, it’s also true that there are men who will steal little children out of their beds, take all their clothes off, humiliate and hurt them and then squeeze their necks until they’re dead. I suppose your dad, in his twisted logic, would think that it’s okay to traumatize little kids with that knowledge AS LONG AS IT’S THE TRUTH! Asshole. The beauty about childhood is that it’s a time when kids can believe in security and goodness. That on Christmas morning, ALL kids will get a wonderful present from a dude named Santa simply because they were good kids. That people all over the world will light up their houses with twinkly lights because they want to celebrate the birth of a baby who taught us all to love each other. Kids will all grow up and learn the truth. That sometimes life sucks. That not everyone believes in Santa, or even God. That being good doesn’t get you presents anymore than being a saint will feed your hungry belly. But my philosophy is to keep children focuses on the belief that life is wonderful as long as possible. Maybe believing in Santa, and God, is a big illusion for people who don’t want to look at the hard reality and see the truth. But, frankly, I’d rather be naive and happy than all-knowing and miserable. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/47 "2000-09-15T14:52:08Z")
Be straight with us, Lisa, how do you really feel about this? (Smiley impaired) Dinsdale ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/48 "2000-09-15T15:06:06Z")
In my experience, children only _really_ believe in Santa until about school-age. Once they’re old enough to really think about it, the whole fable kind of falls apart. However, Santa _is_ fun, so most kids continue to play along for another couple of years. Personally, I did a preemptive strike on the does-Santa-exist question. The year my kids were 5 and 6, when they were still (just barely) believing uncritically, I read them Laura Ingalls Wilder’s On the Banks of Plum Creek. I stressed the Christmas chapter, especially this passage: _“The older you are, the more you know about Santa Claus,” [Ma] said. “…you know he can’t be just one man, don’t you? You know he is everywhere on Christmas Eve.” …Then Ma told them something else about Santa Claus. He was everywhere, and besides that, he was all the time. Whenever anyone was unselfish, that was Santa Claus. Christmas Eve was the time when everybody was unselfish. On that one night, Santa Claus was everywhere, because everbody, all together, stopped being selfish and wanted other people to be happy. And in the morning you saw what that had done._(pp. 85-86) They got it. However, for several years – actually until they were 11 and 12 – they still played at Santa, leaving cookies and such. Now that they are _so big!_ – 13 and 14 – we don’t do Santa anymore. Every year, though, I still get out all the Little House books and we read the Christmas chapter from each one… Nothing better for teaching the true spirit of the holidays. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/49 "2000-09-15T20:52:32Z")
:rolleyes: I told you that story was going to piss some of you off, but geeze, that was something that happened for a couple of days a year, until about 2nd grade, way the hell back in the mid 1960’s. Now, my major f#$k up was that I didn’t mention that my old man did tell us kids to keep our mouths shut after it happened the first time. My brother did, my sister didn’t, and I sort of did. Pop didn’t think that we were going to go to school and burst all the childrens bubble, but after we did it he refused to allow the school to punish us (we did get screamed at at home for causing trouble). If you had read my post carefully you would see that nowhere do I condone this, but it is a story that actually happened when I was a kid, and it is kind of funny. Kids do/say the darndest this. Now get off your high horse PunditLisa! Or I’ll tell you about some of the other nasty shit I did as a kid and REALLY ruin your day!😛 ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/50 "2000-09-15T21:30:18Z")
Oh, for the record, I’m 19 and I still get presents from “Santa”. Yes, my parents make me wait until Christmas day to see my stocking stuffers, even though I open regular presents Christmas Eve. Cruel, cruel. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/51 "2000-09-15T21:35:03Z")
Lisa, why do you associate being naive with happiness and all-knowing with miserable? I fail to see the connection. I did not grow up believing the myth of Santa. I was told that Santa represented the spirit of the season, the spirit of giving. > [@](#): > > Kids will all grow up and learn the truth. That sometimes life sucks. Funny you should say this. I tell my kids all the time that life sucks, too bad, so sad, get on with it. What is the saying? Cry me a river, build a bridge, and get over it? I think it’s best not to present an idealized version of what you think life should be like and tell your kids that’s what it’s like. I think it sets them up to be unhappy with what they get later on, when they do realize life isn’t really like that. And FYI, my kids tell me that they are having a great childhood, and would love to be kids forever. They know that sometimes life isn’t fair, sometimes the bad guy does win, and won’t be surprised by it later. We don’t dwell on the bad, but I don’t like to pretend life is what it ain’t either. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/52 "2000-09-15T22:56:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jess \* > \*\*In my experience, children only _really_ believe in Santa until about school-age. Once they’re old enough to really think about it, the whole fable kind of falls apart. However, Santa _is_ fun, so most kids continue to play along for another couple of years. > > Personally, I did a preemptive strike on the does-Santa-exist question. The year my kids were 5 and 6, when they were still (just barely) believing uncritically, I read them Laura Ingalls Wilder’s On the Banks of Plum Creek. I stressed the Christmas chapter, especially this passage: > > _“The older you are, the more you know about Santa Claus,” [Ma] said. “…you know he can’t be just one man, don’t you? You know he is everywhere on Christmas Eve.” …Then Ma told them something else about Santa Claus. He was everywhere, and besides that, he was all the time. Whenever anyone was unselfish, that was Santa Claus. Christmas Eve was the time when everybody was unselfish. On that one night, Santa Claus was everywhere, because everbody, all together, stopped being selfish and wanted other people to be happy. And in the morning you saw what that had done._(pp. 85-86) > > They got it. However, for several years – actually until they were 11 and 12 – they still played at Santa, leaving cookies and such. Now that they are _so big!_ – 13 and 14 – we don’t do Santa anymore. Every year, though, I still get out all the Little House books and we read the Christmas chapter from each one… Nothing better for teaching the true spirit of the holidays. \*\* Well, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2000, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/53 "2000-09-15T23:13:36Z")
I love the Little House books… Anyways, I don’t think YOU’RE bad, Pk…I was just surprised your dad thought it was okay… My parents always threatened me with no presents if I told my sister the truth! ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/54 "2000-09-16T13:44:32Z")
lolagranola, succintly, I am saying that if I want my children to believe in Santa, it is not your place to interfere. You have every right to disagree with my methods, but (as long as I am not abusing my child) you have no right to interfere. Just as I have no right interfering with the way you want to raise your kids. ---
**Author:** ![TiffTZell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TiffTZell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TiffTZell)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/55 "2000-11-18T05:38:21Z")
I was one of those kids who was kicked from preschool because i told my class their was no santa. They told my parents i was spreading my religous befliefs LOL. I just had no clue that every other kid did not know the truth…I think that telling your kids that something is real when it is not is a lie. santa or no santa. you would not tell your kids any other lie( or i would hope not) why would you tell them one about santa? I am going to tell my kids the story and let them know it is a story, cmas is supposed to be about gift giving anyway isn’t, or better than that jesus christ if i recall( actually its a glossed over celebration to saturnalia) but you get ny point…i think ---
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811/56 "2000-11-18T13:36:29Z")
Um, Lisa, I’m not interfering with how you raise your kids. I’m just disagreeing regarding the Santa myth. But I think that we should just drop it. Agree to disagree. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-right-to-tell-children-there-is-a-santa/32811.md?page=2)