No Santa, No Easter Bunny, No Tooth Fairy...

[Anonymous]

I was recently having a conversation with some people in our neighborhood and learned they don't do Santa, the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy. They still celebrate the holidays, but treat Christmas more like a birthday party (which is appropriate) and they make Easter baskets, but as a celebration of Easter. They've kept the commercialism out of it. The woman stated how she didn't want to lie to her kids and tell her some strange man comes into the house in the middle of the night and leaves presents, that it had just never seemed right to her. Even if it was a sweet, gentle story, in her mind it's still a lie.

Do any of you refrain from some of the more commercial symbols/characters of the holidays...or from the tooth fairy?

Personally, I think a childhood filled with Santa and the Easter Bunny is a wonderful thing. I was taught the true meaning of the holidays, but I think the characters add so much to the wonder of it all.

[Anonymous]

I was anti-Santa et al. until I actually had my child. Imaginative play is so important to them. Now I see no harm and we do Santa.

[Anonymous]

i agree with the PP who said it's wonderful for imaginative play, and I will do the whole Santa/Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy thing when it comes time. However, I also don't necessarily disagree with your neighbors who don't engage in that kind of thing. I can see why parents wouldn't want to "lie" to their children about things like that. It certainly does spare them the emotional blow of finding out that there is no Santa/Easter Bunny/etc.

[Anonymous]

There is no need to lie to your child, but you can still allow a magical, imaginative childhood.

When your child asks if the tooth fairy is real, you ask her "what do you think?" She can think through the evidence herself. If she's young enough to think the evidence is in favor of the fairy, then she's still real. If she comes up on the other side, you can explain as much as you want to then.

My DD does not believe in the Easter Bunny because that just seems crazy to her (and we don't celebrate Easter, but I was willing to play along for the sake of her friends) however she is totally into the tooth fairy, because fairies are (for whatever reason) more realistic.

[Anonymous]

Um, not all of us are Christians and celebrate Christmas, Easter etc. (Yes I know you said your neighbors celebrate those holidays in some sort of fashion, so I take it they are not of some other faith). Doesn't mean our children are deprived. We have wonderful holidays/traditions of our own. You probably didn't mean it that way (I hope), but your post came off as somewhat offensive.

[Anonymous]

We are doing Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, the whole deal. For me it's part of the fun of having kids.

What's next, telling your kid they shouldn't play with dolls or stuffed animals because they aren't real? They aren't really building actual structures with blocks so they can't play with them?

To each his/her own I guess.

[Anonymous]

I know Christians who chose to skip Santa and the Easter Bunny because they say it confuses children and distracts from the Christian holy days. Recently I read an article by a Christian writer who said that the disappointment and disillusionment children feel when they learn the truth (there's no Santa Claus and no Easter Bunny) can lead to questions about the Christian faith - if Santa isn’t real, then maybe Jesus wasn't real.

While I was disappointed when I learned at age 6 that there is no Santa, I didn't have a crisis of faith.

[Anonymous]

Do you feel you are lying to your kids when you pretend to be sick so they can play doctor or when you pretend to feed a doll or when you pretend to drink out of an empty tiny tea cup?
I understand if you don't want to do a big Holiday production or celebrate Easter or do the tooth fairy, but I don't get the "lying" aspect of it. For me it is part of a wonderful "fantasy world" that is a really important part of growing up. I can't see how it could cause any harm.
Do any of you resent your parents for the tooth fairy, or Santa? Really?

[Anonymous]

Me - we personally do Santa, the Easter Bunny and will do the tooth fairy, but I can understand why others don't.

I do think my kid was a bit freaked out by Santa coming into the house at night. Until he got the "and leaves presents" thing.

[Anonymous]

Um, not all of us are Christians and celebrate Christmas, Easter etc. (Yes I know you said your neighbors celebrate those holidays in some sort of fashion, so I take it they are not of some other faith). Doesn't mean our children are deprived. We have wonderful holidays/traditions of our own. You probably didn't mean it that way (I hope), but your post came off as somewhat offensive.

I'm Jewish and totally unconcerned by the OP's post. Just because you are not Christian doesn't mean that those who are aren't free to discuss their religious traditions, dear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are doing Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, the whole deal. For me it's part of the fun of having kids.

What's next, telling your kid they shouldn't play with dolls or stuffed animals because they aren't real? They aren't really building actual structures with blocks so they can't play with them?

To each his/her own I guess.

I agree. We do it because it's such a joyful thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Um, not all of us are Christians and celebrate Christmas, Easter etc. (Yes I know you said your neighbors celebrate those holidays in some sort of fashion, so I take it they are not of some other faith). Doesn't mean our children are deprived. We have wonderful holidays/traditions of our own. You probably didn't mean it that way (I hope), but your post came off as somewhat offensive.

I'm Jewish and totally unconcerned by the OP's post. Just because you are not Christian doesn't mean that those who are aren't free to discuss their religious traditions, dear.

I agree. I'm Jewish too and believed in Santa Claus until I was about 7! And I see nothing wrong with that.

[Anonymous]

I don't let my kids have an imaginary friend or play tea-party without real tea. Make believe is for losers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't let my kids have an imaginary friend or play tea-party without real tea. Make believe is for losers.

C'mon. Your comment is absurd. Just because they don't believe in santa does not mean they have to be the Grinch. Who I see decided to show up early this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't let my kids have an imaginary friend or play tea-party without real tea. Make believe is for losers.

C'mon. Your comment is absurd. Just because they don't believe in santa does not mean they have to be the Grinch. Who I see decided to show up early this year.

I think he/she is joking!