If you are a non religious household, how do you handle religious holidays or Santa, etc?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Santa isn’t religious.

Santa is based on Saint Nicholas so therefor we consider it religious and don’t do it. It’s just contributing to the ridiculous of it all.

So.

Santa, Easter Bunny are not religious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I are not religious. I was raised in a household to believe that Santa and heaven are real, but I seriously doubted it as a kid.

I don’t know if I want to keep up the Santa facade with my son. It seems cruel to lead him on about a non-existent being. My husband and I don’t believe in heaven or any concept of Christian. I have complicated feelings about Judeo-Christian holidays, especially with the history of Christian missionaries destroying cultures and original religions, witch trials, etc.

If you don’t believe in God, or fantasies, what do you teach your children? My husband and I believe in science and nature, that energy can’t be destroyed. But the reality is none of us know for sure. I don’t want to create some kind of existential crisis in my son. He’s only 2, so he has no concept of religion right now at all.

As someone who grew up like your son - with atheist parents - and who is raising my child in an atheist household, don’t worry, he’ll be fine. He’s not going to have an existential crisis if he enjoys Santa and the Easter bunny. We celebrated these things to mark the changing seasons and the time of year and to enjoy the mysticism, which children with vivid imaginations love. He will be absolutely fine if he thinks for a couple of years that elves make these great toys and Santa delivers them on a magic sleigh. He will grow out of it like all children do - atheist or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I are not religious. I was raised in a household to believe that Santa and heaven are real, but I seriously doubted it as a kid.

I don’t know if I want to keep up the Santa facade with my son. It seems cruel to lead him on about a non-existent being. My husband and I don’t believe in heaven or any concept of Christian. I have complicated feelings about Judeo-Christian holidays, especially with the history of Christian missionaries destroying cultures and original religions, witch trials, etc.

If you don’t believe in God, or fantasies, what do you teach your children? My husband and I believe in science and nature, that energy can’t be destroyed. But the reality is none of us know for sure. I don’t want to create some kind of existential crisis in my son. He’s only 2, so he has no concept of religion right now at all.

As someone who grew up like your son - with atheist parents - and who is raising my child in an atheist household, don’t worry, he’ll be fine. He’s not going to have an existential crisis if he enjoys Santa and the Easter bunny. We celebrated these things to mark the changing seasons and the time of year and to enjoy the mysticism, which children with vivid imaginations love. He will be absolutely fine if he thinks for a couple of years that elves make these great toys and Santa delivers them on a magic sleigh. He will grow out of it like all children do - atheist or not.

Mysticism? Lmao. We teach our child that those who believe in such silliness are just deluding and lying to their kids. Given that Santa and the Easter bunny are entwined with Christianity, we especially didn’t want her to flirt with believing in these myths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I are not religious. I was raised in a household to believe that Santa and heaven are real, but I seriously doubted it as a kid.

I don’t know if I want to keep up the Santa facade with my son. It seems cruel to lead him on about a non-existent being. My husband and I don’t believe in heaven or any concept of Christian. I have complicated feelings about Judeo-Christian holidays, especially with the history of Christian missionaries destroying cultures and original religions, witch trials, etc.

If you don’t believe in God, or fantasies, what do you teach your children? My husband and I believe in science and nature, that energy can’t be destroyed. But the reality is none of us know for sure. I don’t want to create some kind of existential crisis in my son. He’s only 2, so he has no concept of religion right now at all.

As someone who grew up like your son - with atheist parents - and who is raising my child in an atheist household, don’t worry, he’ll be fine. He’s not going to have an existential crisis if he enjoys Santa and the Easter bunny. We celebrated these things to mark the changing seasons and the time of year and to enjoy the mysticism, which children with vivid imaginations love. He will be absolutely fine if he thinks for a couple of years that elves make these great toys and Santa delivers them on a magic sleigh. He will grow out of it like all children do - atheist or not.

Mysticism? Lmao. We teach our child that those who believe in such silliness are just deluding and lying to their kids. Given that Santa and the Easter bunny are entwined with Christianity, we especially didn’t want her to flirt with believing in these myths.

So I guess you don’t let your kids watch Harry Potter, or the Narnia movies, or Star Wars. Sad. I’ll let my kid continue to enjoy his imagination without telling him he’s being “silly”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is wrong with a little fantasy in the life of a young child?

Because it’s a ridiculous superstition. I told my child it’s a lie when she asked about it and to not be afraid to tell others the same. The same as she knows spongebob is not real. There’s wonderful things in the real world too.

So no tooth fairy either I take it? Did you tell her that when she dies , which she will sooner than she knows, she’ll enter a perpetuity of nothing where she ceases to exist and that life was meaningless? You guys need to lighten up

[Anonymous]

We’re atheists. We do tooth fairy, Santa, Easter Bunny and the whole shebang. Why? Because it’s more cultural than religious. And secondly, childhood only comes once. It’s fun and exciting, and this period is fleeting. The kids will grow out of it soon enough and they get to enjoy the holidays with their peers. They also love the magic and fun of Harry Potter, Rick Riordan series, and other fantasy, and they enjoy it.

If you’re not celebrating holidays and events, what are you celebrating? Just birthdays? Life is so short. If you’re not throwing in some festivities along the way you’re basically just twiddling your thumbs until you die. Have fun. Mark the occasions just because.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I are not religious. I was raised in a household to believe that Santa and heaven are real, but I seriously doubted it as a kid.

I don’t know if I want to keep up the Santa facade with my son. It seems cruel to lead him on about a non-existent being. My husband and I don’t believe in heaven or any concept of Christian. I have complicated feelings about Judeo-Christian holidays, especially with the history of Christian missionaries destroying cultures and original religions, witch trials, etc.

If you don’t believe in God, or fantasies, what do you teach your children? My husband and I believe in science and nature, that energy can’t be destroyed. But the reality is none of us know for sure. I don’t want to create some kind of existential crisis in my son. He’s only 2, so he has no concept of religion right now at all.

As someone who grew up like your son - with atheist parents - and who is raising my child in an atheist household, don’t worry, he’ll be fine. He’s not going to have an existential crisis if he enjoys Santa and the Easter bunny. We celebrated these things to mark the changing seasons and the time of year and to enjoy the mysticism, which children with vivid imaginations love. He will be absolutely fine if he thinks for a couple of years that elves make these great toys and Santa delivers them on a magic sleigh. He will grow out of it like all children do - atheist or not.

Mysticism? Lmao. We teach our child that those who believe in such silliness are just deluding and lying to their kids. Given that Santa and the Easter bunny are entwined with Christianity, we especially didn’t want her to flirt with believing in these myths.

So I guess you don’t let your kids watch Harry Potter, or the Narnia movies, or Star Wars. Sad. I’ll let my kid continue to enjoy his imagination without telling him he’s being “silly”.

We do let her watch those things. But she knows they’re fake, not real, made up. Just like santa or the Easter bunny or tooth fairy. She’s never been scared of telling other kids this as she knows the difference between reality and foolishness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I are not religious. I was raised in a household to believe that Santa and heaven are real, but I seriously doubted it as a kid.

I don’t know if I want to keep up the Santa facade with my son. It seems cruel to lead him on about a non-existent being. My husband and I don’t believe in heaven or any concept of Christian. I have complicated feelings about Judeo-Christian holidays, especially with the history of Christian missionaries destroying cultures and original religions, witch trials, etc.

If you don’t believe in God, or fantasies, what do you teach your children? My husband and I believe in science and nature, that energy can’t be destroyed. But the reality is none of us know for sure. I don’t want to create some kind of existential crisis in my son. He’s only 2, so he has no concept of religion right now at all.

As someone who grew up like your son - with atheist parents - and who is raising my child in an atheist household, don’t worry, he’ll be fine. He’s not going to have an existential crisis if he enjoys Santa and the Easter bunny. We celebrated these things to mark the changing seasons and the time of year and to enjoy the mysticism, which children with vivid imaginations love. He will be absolutely fine if he thinks for a couple of years that elves make these great toys and Santa delivers them on a magic sleigh. He will grow out of it like all children do - atheist or not.

Mysticism? Lmao. We teach our child that those who believe in such silliness are just deluding and lying to their kids. Given that Santa and the Easter bunny are entwined with Christianity, we especially didn’t want her to flirt with believing in these myths.

So I guess you don’t let your kids watch Harry Potter, or the Narnia movies, or Star Wars. Sad. I’ll let my kid continue to enjoy his imagination without telling him he’s being “silly”.

We do let her watch those things. But she knows they’re fake, not real, made up. Just like santa or the Easter bunny or tooth fairy. She’s never been scared of telling other kids this as she knows the difference between reality and foolishness.

You sound very tightly wound. I don’t teach my kid that his imagination is silly or foolish. It’s really sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re atheists. We do tooth fairy, Santa, Easter Bunny and the whole shebang. Why? Because it’s more cultural than religious. And secondly, childhood only comes once. It’s fun and exciting, and this period is fleeting. The kids will grow out of it soon enough and they get to enjoy the holidays with their peers. They also love the magic and fun of Harry Potter, Rick Riordan series, and other fantasy, and they enjoy it.

If you’re not celebrating holidays and events, what are you celebrating? Just birthdays? Life is so short. If you’re not throwing in some festivities along the way you’re basically just twiddling your thumbs until you die. Have fun. Mark the occasions just because.

Sorry but belief in those things is as foolish as belief in any religion. Join us in reality. It’s liberating.

[Anonymous]

We don’t celebrate Christmas and the kids always knew santa wasn’t real because we told them. We have never done an Easter basket or the tooth fairy either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You need to broaden your mind and understand the end goal, OP.

Judeo-Christianism is what the Western world was founded on. From a purely cultural point of view, it is important to understand its main ideas, tenets, most notable texts, and citations thereof, as references to it will pop up everywhere, from the great classics to the most absurd pop memes to dinner conversations with people you may wish to impress. It's hard to fully appreciate the heart-wrenching ending of Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities, if you don't know the corresponding Bible quotations.

Your children need to know their cultural background. Period. It's like selling them on Shakespearean insults to make them read some Shakespeare, or telling them what Archimedes said in the bath to make the math more palatable. All this is CULTURALLY IMPORTANT. And then you can springboard to all other major religions they need to know about for their own professional and personal benefit. Children learn best when they hear stories, so I suggest you start their religious education with the stories from the Bible. Similarly, you can tell them about Darwin's crippling anxiety and how it affected his work, or how Edison was a lying grifter no one liked. Facts are made more palatable with human interest!

I've always insisted to my kids that Father Christmas comes to give presents, but with that special tone of voice I reserve for Transparent Mommy Whoppers, of which I have many, so my kids always had great fun pointing out all the ways he could never get around the world in time, and were never upset that they had initially believed me. But then I read them the Chronicles of Narnia when they were little, and various other stories like it - they've always understood that you can hope something is real on some level, all the while knowing that here in the real world, we have some unfortunate space-time limitations. In literature, it's called suspension of disbelief.

So now Santa is part of some magnificent Eurocentric corpus? I think the less we focus on the west and Europe the better.

Is this cancel culture? I like Christmas and am not willing to give it up. How we ended up with Santa Claus https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/santa-claus
If it isn't part of your culture just ignore it. If you don't like anything derived from Eurocentric-West don't participate and don't buy tickets to shows. And since the 1800's there is The Nutcracker. The 1 ton Christmas Tree rises in the Balanchine version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=araqIIuU7sM&ab_channel=Marquee

[Anonymous]

We are not religious but why spoil the fun for the kids? We just played along. When DD got excited over Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, imaginary friends, etc., we got excited too! When DD was older, she found out that Santa was not real. We simply told her that it's just one way of telling the kids to be good and have fun.

Later, she asked why we do not go to church or believe in God. We told her that God is like Santa. It is real if you believe and we have to respect their views. People have different ways to express joyfulness. Some do it through church or certain times during the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re atheists. We do tooth fairy, Santa, Easter Bunny and the whole shebang. Why? Because it’s more cultural than religious. And secondly, childhood only comes once. It’s fun and exciting, and this period is fleeting. The kids will grow out of it soon enough and they get to enjoy the holidays with their peers. They also love the magic and fun of Harry Potter, Rick Riordan series, and other fantasy, and they enjoy it.

If you’re not celebrating holidays and events, what are you celebrating? Just birthdays? Life is so short. If you’re not throwing in some festivities along the way you’re basically just twiddling your thumbs until you die. Have fun. Mark the occasions just because.

We do the same as an atheist and agnostic. We have many family traditions around the holidays. I grew up celebrating the holidays in a non religious way and I am continuing that with my kids. They enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

I’m an atheist but went full on with Santa. It was a lot of fun and nobody was crushed when they eventually figured out that Santa isn’t real. Same with the Tooth Fairy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are not religious but why spoil the fun for the kids? We just played along. When DD got excited over Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, imaginary friends, etc., we got excited too! When DD was older, she found out that Santa was not real. We simply told her that it's just one way of telling the kids to be good and have fun.

Later, she asked why we do not go to church or believe in God. We told her that God is like Santa. It is real if you believe and we have to respect their views. People have different ways to express joyfulness. Some do it through church or certain times during the year.

But you’re lying by telling her those things, about santa and religion. Better to tell a child the truth than risk it leading to interest in falsehoods and lies.