The Santa myth: harmless fun, or a myth that harms?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The same generations that spanked their kids promoted Santa. They were also extremely racist and homophobic. Santa needs to fall by the wayside as a vestige of a by-gone era.

I get that you can’t help not being very bright, but you should probably stop advertising it.

[Anonymous]

I’m atheist and am raising my kids secular, so I thought long and hard about the whole Santa thing. Ultimately I decided to go along because the kids enjoy it, it’s a bit of harmless cultural fun, and I know they will grow out of it soon. My older child is questioning and I never lie, but I ask them what they want to believe. They still want to believe Santa is real.

Santa never brings the bulk of the goods in this house- the best presents come from mom, dad, and family.

If they come away with the same lessons about God as they do Santa (not real, but people want desperately to believe, so let’s not ruin their magic) then I’ve done my job in raising them to be good secular citizens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m atheist and am raising my kids secular, so I thought long and hard about the whole Santa thing. Ultimately I decided to go along because the kids enjoy it, it’s a bit of harmless cultural fun, and I know they will grow out of it soon. My older child is questioning and I never lie, but I ask them what they want to believe. They still want to believe Santa is real.

Santa never brings the bulk of the goods in this house- the best presents come from mom, dad, and family.

If they come away with the same lessons about God as they do Santa (not real, but people want desperately to believe, so let’s not ruin their magic) then I’ve done my job in raising them to be good secular citizens.

You never lie?

That’s admirable, extremely admirable. On average, people tell 1-4 lies per day.

You must be very special to be the one human on earth that never lies.

[Anonymous]

Listen to this episode. Act 2. Act 2. So good!

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/728/lights-camera-christmas

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you think Santa is harmful to children? Do you tell your kids there’s no Santa because you want them thinking logically and rationally?

How do we keep our kids safe and logical when Santa keeps threatening their independent and reality based lives with presents and candy we all know he doesn’t bring?

Idea behind Santa is noble. Spreading cheer where its needed the most. I don't know how consumerism took it and turned it into an opportunity of extravagance and self gratification.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m atheist and am raising my kids secular, so I thought long and hard about the whole Santa thing. Ultimately I decided to go along because the kids enjoy it, it’s a bit of harmless cultural fun, and I know they will grow out of it soon. My older child is questioning and I never lie, but I ask them what they want to believe. They still want to believe Santa is real.

Santa never brings the bulk of the goods in this house- the best presents come from mom, dad, and family.

If they come away with the same lessons about God as they do Santa (not real, but people want desperately to believe, so let’s not ruin their magic) then I’ve done my job in raising them to be good secular citizens.

You never lie?

That’s admirable, extremely admirable. On average, people tell 1-4 lies per day.

You must be very special to be the one human on earth that never lies.

Questioning about Santa. It’s not hard to answer a question truthfully or with another question.

Ie -

Q: Is Santa real?
A: what do you believe?

Q: is that the real Santa or just a helper?
A: A helper. Santa has lots of helpers.

[Anonymous]

How is Santa harmful, but religion isn’t? Oh a virgin gave birth to a baby who was god, died and rose from the dead. It’s all myth and folklore. Anyone who thinks rationally would see that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, Santa isn’t harmful. It’s a fun tradition with a very short window, that children naturally grow out of. And then they do the same for their own children because they remember how awesome it was.

This.

Everything is a "trauma" these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you think Santa is harmful to children? Do you tell your kids there’s no Santa because you want them thinking logically and rationally?

How do we keep our kids safe and logical when Santa keeps threatening their independent and reality based lives with presents and candy we all know he doesn’t bring?

What??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same generations that spanked their kids promoted Santa. They were also extremely racist and homophobic. Santa needs to fall by the wayside as a vestige of a by-gone era.

I get that you can’t help not being very bright, but you should probably stop advertising it.

Yes, please. What is the MATTER with some of you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do any of the Christian posters who opted out of having Santa visit their households get visits from the Easter Bunny or even the Tooth Fairy? Is Santa the only one you opt out of or all of them?

We have Santa come to the house but have never done the Easter bunny. Kids get baskets, but they always knew they were from us.

We are athiests so santa is just for fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is dependent on an individual family.

Parents who have their kids do the santa thing should NEVER expect anyone, child or adult, to go along with their myth. But if that's what they want to do/follow/believe in their own household, that's fine.

Absolutely, don’t be a part of the Santa delusion.

As well as the God Delusion.

[Anonymous]

I am really thankful for this thread!!! I have felt like such an outlier among pretty much ALL of my friends, as well as DH and his family because I feel really, really uncomfortable with the social pressure to actively lie to my kids against my will about this. No one else gets it. I don’t have militant feelings about abolishing the holiday season altogether like some other PPs seem to, but I’m really thankful to have read the wide range of opinions in these responses.

I just want to teach my kids to respect other people’s beliefs, but to make their own conclusions.

[Anonymous]

Atheist here. I think the Santa myth is actually very age appropriate. Young kids live in a world of imagination and make believe. It’s cognitively appropriate and also appropriate to grow out of it at some point. Trying to squash that very important time in a child’s life is damaging. Don’t expect children to be little adults. Meet them where they are as kids. If in your household that involves Santa, enjoy!

[Anonymous]

I loved Santa as a kid and so did my child. Even now that he's a teenager I still do Santa stuff and refuse to admit there's no Santa (because I still really want to believe in Santa). The teenager apparently didn't need me to tell him and just stopped believing when critical thinking skills kicked in a few years back, but plays along and laughs at me and thinks it's fun.

But Elf on the Shelf? He says he needs therapy over that. Creepy Elf flying around at night and watching him all the time. He's still mad at me for it.