Someone called me out in front of my kid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people are nuts. Not OP, but no way am I going to pretend about Santa. Anywhere.

I don't believe in God (neither do my kids) but we don't talk it in front of people that do. It's called respect for others. You don't have to pretend, just keep your mouth shut until you're in private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were talking in public about Santa (DC questioned who the guy in a Santa suit was) I said it was a man dressed up and told st nics story.
When I mentioned Santa isn't real a person who was walking behind us jumped and told me to watch out and be careful with what I say because I could ruin someone's Christmas.

So am I supposed to whisper? I need a reality check here.

I am not Christian but I would certainly be aware of not ruining the Santa story for little kids while I was out and about. If there were little kids around I'd probably find some way to avoid saying Santa isn't real, but I don't think you need to completely censor yourself.

What does Santa have to do with being Christian? Real question...

[Anonymous]

As an adult who grew up believing in Santa and who raised her children the same way, I guess you could say my response here is going to be very prejudiced just because.

I am going to say that it is always best to err on the side of caution and always keep your mouth shut when it comes to Santa. Treat it as a very delicate subject because for some children it is.

Let children believe in the magic of Santa for as long as they possibly can. Let their childhood be a magical place to store special memories that they look back on with fondness. What can it hurt??

I don't know any adults who have trust issues and needed therapy as adults because they felt deceived and betrayed because their parents "lied" to them about Santa. Or the Tooth Fairy. Or the Easter Bunny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the woman could hear you, then a kid walking nearby could hear you. So yes, you were speaking too loud. Don't be a jerk and ruin somebody's Christmas.

This.

Ruin their CHRISTmas? Or their elf on a shelf Santa Claus celebration?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an adult who grew up believing in Santa and who raised her children the same way, I guess you could say my response here is going to be very prejudiced just because.

I am going to say that it is always best to err on the side of caution and always keep your mouth shut when it comes to Santa. Treat it as a very delicate subject because for some children it is.

Let children believe in the magic of Santa for as long as they possibly can. Let their childhood be a magical place to store special memories that they look back on with fondness. What can it hurt??

I don't know any adults who have trust issues and needed therapy as adults because they felt deceived and betrayed because their parents "lied" to them about Santa. Or the Tooth Fairy. Or the Easter Bunny.

It can hurt you from becoming a fully realized human being. What is this obsession with recreating your childhood experience with your children? What could hurt from telling a child Santa doesn't exist but his family sitting RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM does and wants to spend time with him, show him love...instead of spending time thinking of all the ways they can fill their time by by decorating with giant snowman..,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were talking in public about Santa (DC questioned who the guy in a Santa suit was) I said it was a man dressed up and told st nics story.
When I mentioned Santa isn't real a person who was walking behind us jumped and told me to watch out and be careful with what I say because I could ruin someone's Christmas.

So am I supposed to whisper? I need a reality check here.

I am not Christian but I would certainly be aware of not ruining the Santa story for little kids while I was out and about. If there were little kids around I'd probably find some way to avoid saying Santa isn't real, but I don't think you need to completely censor yourself.

What does Santa have to do with being Christian? Real question...

Not that poster, but off the top of my head... Santa is typically associated with gift-giving on Christmas, which is a Christian holiday, so I can imagine someone of another faith might not have the Santa story in their family if they do not celebrate Christmas but instead celebrate a holiday from their faith around which other holiday traditions besides Santa have evolved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you people crazy? You can't have a discussion in a public place for fear of "ruining" other people's holidays?

You can, but you be discrete when this is the subject. Use your indoor voice, don't bellow.

[Anonymous]

"Santa Claus" is "St. Nicholas," you know, so I would say it has something to do with being Christian. If you give gifts at the holidays, it is a Christ- based micro aggression to atheists. Don't give to nonbelievers, it is offensive!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an adult who grew up believing in Santa and who raised her children the same way, I guess you could say my response here is going to be very prejudiced just because.

I am going to say that it is always best to err on the side of caution and always keep your mouth shut when it comes to Santa. Treat it as a very delicate subject because for some children it is.

Let children believe in the magic of Santa for as long as they possibly can. Let their childhood be a magical place to store special memories that they look back on with fondness. What can it hurt??

I don't know any adults who have trust issues and needed therapy as adults because they felt deceived and betrayed because their parents "lied" to them about Santa. Or the Tooth Fairy. Or the Easter Bunny.

It can hurt you from becoming a fully realized human being. What is this obsession with recreating your childhood experience with your children? What could hurt from telling a child Santa doesn't exist but his family sitting RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM does and wants to spend time with him, show him love...instead of spending time thinking of all the ways they can fill their time by by decorating with giant snowman..,

You are being absolutely absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you people crazy? You can't have a discussion in a public place for fear of "ruining" other people's holidays? Unless you are in the line to see Santa at the mall, you should say whatever you please. If you are in that line, yeah, probably not a good place to say Santa isn't real.

Apparently they were in view of someone dressed in a Santa suit, so entirely possible, and in fact likely, that there were children nearby there to see Santa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were talking in public about Santa (DC questioned who the guy in a Santa suit was) I said it was a man dressed up and told st nics story.
When I mentioned Santa isn't real a person who was walking behind us jumped and told me to watch out and be careful with what I say because I could ruin someone's Christmas.

So am I supposed to whisper? I need a reality check here.

This is why we can't have nice things

[Anonymous]

Wow. Are you that oblivious that you don't check out your surroundings before saying "Santa isn't real"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people crazy? You can't have a discussion in a public place for fear of "ruining" other people's holidays? Unless you are in the line to see Santa at the mall, you should say whatever you please. If you are in that line, yeah, probably not a good place to say Santa isn't real.

Apparently they were in view of someone dressed in a Santa suit, so entirely possible, and in fact likely, that there were children nearby there to see Santa.

Children nearby there to see Santa, on November 12?

OP, if your conversation went like this: "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SANTA! THAT IS JUST A MAN DRESSED UP IN A SANTA COSTUME!" then yes, you were out of line, primarily for bellowing in public.

If you were talking in a normal volume for conversation, then you were fine. There is no social obligation to self-censor your private conversation in a public place just because somebody might overhear and be offended. However, the possibility exists that somebody might overhear and be offended -- as they did yesterday -- so if you want to avoid this, then self-censor your conversation.

[Anonymous]

I hope all of you people asking everyone to be respectful and check around before talking about Santa are also respectful and wish people Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. Seems like the respect should travel two ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope all of you people asking everyone to be respectful and check around before talking about Santa are also respectful and wish people Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. Seems like the respect should travel two ways.

Yeah fine, I do. But this isn't even a religious issue. I wouldn't blurt out that the tooth fairy isn't real in front of other kids either. It's just thoughtless and stupid.