Talking about Santa

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the taunting occurs around Easter historically.

Christian children taunt other children at Easter? No, kids eat chocolate bunnies and hunt for colorful easter eggs with candy or small toys inside. Never in my life have I heard children taunting other children at Easter time.

There are some very weird people posting here, making odd and false accusations. It’s disturbing.

Holy Week has been a dangerous time for Jews for thousands of years. Your gaslighting is disturbing. Perhaps try using the Google Machine?

PP used the present tense, not the past tense. Perhaps try reviewing grammar on the Google Machine?

Umm. You need some grammar help yourself and reading comprehension? Not sure why this discussion is so triggering for you. Antisemitic attacks go up around Easter and have done for millennial. This is why there are fairly recent changes to how the Gospel of John is presented in, e.g., the Episcopal Church. So many Jews have in their lifetimes heard of Jews being taunted around Good Friday/Easter.

Start your own thread instead of trying to derail this one. Also, using “umm” and “triggered” just make you look like an idiot.

Nobody has denied that anti-Semitism exists or that John is problematic. The pushback is against the derailment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the taunting occurs around Easter historically.

Christian children taunt other children at Easter? No, kids eat chocolate bunnies and hunt for colorful easter eggs with candy or small toys inside. Never in my life have I heard children taunting other children at Easter time.

There are some very weird people posting here, making odd and false accusations. It’s disturbing.

There definitely has been, probably more recently than you think, taunting of non-Christian kids around Easter. Specifically, Jewish ones, who were historically blamed for killing Christ. If you go back in history -- and again, not as far back as we all might like to think -- it went far beyond taunting to actual violence.

No one here is suggesting that this sort of thing still goes on, to be clear. But it's also a little naive to pretend it has never happened.

DP. I agree, this used to happen. Nobody said it didn’t. But show us an example of this happening today.

I specifically said no one was suggesting it was still happening today. And the post I replied to said this:

"Christian children taunt other children at Easter? No, kids eat chocolate bunnies and hunt for colorful easter eggs with candy or small toys inside. Never in my life have I heard children taunting other children at Easter time.

There are some very weird people posting here, making odd and false accusations. It’s disturbing."

Which is basically someone saying it didn't happen.

This is a thread about Santa.

Great! I was replying to a PP who was talking about the Easter bunny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Santa doesnt bring presents to our family. As we are jewish.

I am Jewish but Santa always brought me presents. Santa has no religious significance whatsoever and my family did not want us kids to feel left out.

Santa may not himself have religious significance (or maybe he does for some people? I don't really know, as I'm Jewish), but he's sort of inextricably linked with a religious holiday that my parents' family didn't celebrate when I was a kid and mine doesn't celebrate now. Personally, my kids don't feel left out because they know it's not our holiday, and they know we have lots of other holidays to celebrate, including one with a lot of gifts and chocolate coins that usually coincides with Santa's. Which is to say to OP, again, not to worry about offending kids who don't get presents from Santa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the taunting occurs around Easter historically.

Christian children taunt other children at Easter? No, kids eat chocolate bunnies and hunt for colorful easter eggs with candy or small toys inside. Never in my life have I heard children taunting other children at Easter time.

There are some very weird people posting here, making odd and false accusations. It’s disturbing.

There definitely has been, probably more recently than you think, taunting of non-Christian kids around Easter. Specifically, Jewish ones, who were historically blamed for killing Christ. If you go back in history -- and again, not as far back as we all might like to think -- it went far beyond taunting to actual violence.

No one here is suggesting that this sort of thing still goes on, to be clear. But it's also a little naive to pretend it has never happened.

DP. I agree, this used to happen. Nobody said it didn’t. But show us an example of this happening today.

I specifically said no one was suggesting it was still happening today. And the post I replied to said this:

"Christian children taunt other children at Easter? No, kids eat chocolate bunnies and hunt for colorful easter eggs with candy or small toys inside. Never in my life have I heard children taunting other children at Easter time.

There are some very weird people posting here, making odd and false accusations. It’s disturbing."

Which is basically someone saying it didn't happen.

This is a thread about Santa.

Great! I was replying to a PP who was talking about the Easter bunny.

You really take the cake. She mentioned bunnies in passing in response to you bringing up Easter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sort of hate Santa because “he” treats rich and poor children differently. Where is the magic in that? I try to focus on the richness of real love and the good feelings that come from human gift-giving and receiving.

Santa doesn’t treat kids differently based on their parent’s economic status. Where do you get that idea?

Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop of Myra (now Demre) in the region of Lycia in the Roman Empire, today in Turkey. Nicholas was known for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes.

Father Christmas dates back as far as 16th century in England during the reign of Henry VIII, when he was pictured as a large man in green or scarlet robes lined with fur. He typified the spirit of good cheer at Christmas, bringing peace, joy, good food and wine and revelry.


Opposition to Santa, under state atheism

Under the Marxist–Leninist doctrine of state atheism in the Soviet Union after its foundation in 1917, Christmas celebrations—along with other religious holidays—were prohibited as a result of the Soviet antireligious campaign. The League of Militant Atheists encouraged school pupils to campaign against Christmas traditions, among them being Santa Claus and the Christmas tree, as well as other Christian holidays including Easter; the League established an antireligious holiday to be the 31st of each month as a replacement.

In December 2018, the city management office of Langfang in Hebei province released a statement stating that people caught selling Christmas trees, wreaths, stockings or Santa Claus figures in the city would be punished.

Not PP, but I think "Santa" treats kids differently because rich parents have the means to get their kid an Xbox from Santa, while poor parents don't. The conversations in school after break are always about what you got for Christmas and of course kids notice disparities in what gifts Santa gave them vs what he gave to others.

In our 2021 donor trends report, Donors: Understanding the Future of Individual Giving, Neon One combed through the numbers and found that, on average, December giving can accounts for roughly a fifth of annual nonprofit revenue.

According to the 2022 M+R Benchmarks Study, nonprofits raise anywhere from 17% to 31% of their online revenue in December, depending on their cause. On average, all nonprofits across every category raise 25% of online revenue in September.

On GivingTuesday, the global day of generosity that began in 2012, has only grown bigger and bigger with each passing year. In 2021, organizations participating in GivingTuesday raised over $2.7 billion in the United States alone!

According to CCS Fundraising’s Philanthropic Landscape Report, 50% of U.S. households give annually—and a whopping 81% of affluent households give.

The 2022 M+R Benchmarks Study states that the average number of annual gifts per donor increased from 2.1 to 2.7 between 2020 and 2021.

Christmas time is the time of year non-profits raise a ton of money. People (rich people especially) give gifts and donations to help poor people and poor families.

There are so many orgs that play Santa Claus and raise money to help others. The spirit of Santa really fuels the season and people feel the pull to help others.

The people on this thread who “hate” Santa and are complaining that Santa treats kids differently really aren’t good people nor are they part of the love and happiness that Christmas and Santa can bring to others…very sad and lonely people. Enjoy your miserable outlook and grinch-like life.

Perhaps some day your hearts will grow a few sizes, and you won’t be so miserable.

This off topic non-sequitur is hilarious.

Uh, people donate more in Nov/Dec because it's the end of the tax year.

[Anonymous]

We're Jewish and Santa comes to our house every year. Santa is not really a Christian figure, just one appropriated by Christianity a long time ago, so we don't see any relationship between Santa and other religions. I taught my child from an early age not to taunt other kids and to remember that not everyone celebrates holidays so it's best not to talk a lot about it at school.

It concerns me that OP thinks Santa is only for Christians, and makes sense that her kid might taunt other kids.

[Anonymous]

I hope this thread gets enough replies that Jeff will have to comment on how the Santa thread was hijacked by the Easter Bunny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sort of hate Santa because “he” treats rich and poor children differently. Where is the magic in that? I try to focus on the richness of real love and the good feelings that come from human gift-giving and receiving.

Santa doesn’t treat kids differently based on their parent’s economic status. Where do you get that idea?

Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop of Myra (now Demre) in the region of Lycia in the Roman Empire, today in Turkey. Nicholas was known for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes.

Father Christmas dates back as far as 16th century in England during the reign of Henry VIII, when he was pictured as a large man in green or scarlet robes lined with fur. He typified the spirit of good cheer at Christmas, bringing peace, joy, good food and wine and revelry.


Opposition to Santa, under state atheism

Under the Marxist–Leninist doctrine of state atheism in the Soviet Union after its foundation in 1917, Christmas celebrations—along with other religious holidays—were prohibited as a result of the Soviet antireligious campaign. The League of Militant Atheists encouraged school pupils to campaign against Christmas traditions, among them being Santa Claus and the Christmas tree, as well as other Christian holidays including Easter; the League established an antireligious holiday to be the 31st of each month as a replacement.

In December 2018, the city management office of Langfang in Hebei province released a statement stating that people caught selling Christmas trees, wreaths, stockings or Santa Claus figures in the city would be punished.

Not PP, but I think "Santa" treats kids differently because rich parents have the means to get their kid an Xbox from Santa, while poor parents don't. The conversations in school after break are always about what you got for Christmas and of course kids notice disparities in what gifts Santa gave them vs what he gave to others.

In our 2021 donor trends report, Donors: Understanding the Future of Individual Giving, Neon One combed through the numbers and found that, on average, December giving can accounts for roughly a fifth of annual nonprofit revenue.

According to the 2022 M+R Benchmarks Study, nonprofits raise anywhere from 17% to 31% of their online revenue in December, depending on their cause. On average, all nonprofits across every category raise 25% of online revenue in September.

On GivingTuesday, the global day of generosity that began in 2012, has only grown bigger and bigger with each passing year. In 2021, organizations participating in GivingTuesday raised over $2.7 billion in the United States alone!

According to CCS Fundraising’s Philanthropic Landscape Report, 50% of U.S. households give annually—and a whopping 81% of affluent households give.

The 2022 M+R Benchmarks Study states that the average number of annual gifts per donor increased from 2.1 to 2.7 between 2020 and 2021.

Christmas time is the time of year non-profits raise a ton of money. People (rich people especially) give gifts and donations to help poor people and poor families.

There are so many orgs that play Santa Claus and raise money to help others. The spirit of Santa really fuels the season and people feel the pull to help others.

The people on this thread who “hate” Santa and are complaining that Santa treats kids differently really aren’t good people nor are they part of the love and happiness that Christmas and Santa can bring to others…very sad and lonely people. Enjoy your miserable outlook and grinch-like life.

Perhaps some day your hearts will grow a few sizes, and you won’t be so miserable.

This off topic non-sequitur is hilarious.

Uh, people donate more in Nov/Dec because it's the end of the tax year.

True, but charity orgs definitely pitch it as giving back during the holiday season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sort of hate Santa because “he” treats rich and poor children differently. Where is the magic in that? I try to focus on the richness of real love and the good feelings that come from human gift-giving and receiving.

Santa doesn’t treat kids differently based on their parent’s economic status. Where do you get that idea?

Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop of Myra (now Demre) in the region of Lycia in the Roman Empire, today in Turkey. Nicholas was known for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes.

Father Christmas dates back as far as 16th century in England during the reign of Henry VIII, when he was pictured as a large man in green or scarlet robes lined with fur. He typified the spirit of good cheer at Christmas, bringing peace, joy, good food and wine and revelry.


Opposition to Santa, under state atheism

Under the Marxist–Leninist doctrine of state atheism in the Soviet Union after its foundation in 1917, Christmas celebrations—along with other religious holidays—were prohibited as a result of the Soviet antireligious campaign. The League of Militant Atheists encouraged school pupils to campaign against Christmas traditions, among them being Santa Claus and the Christmas tree, as well as other Christian holidays including Easter; the League established an antireligious holiday to be the 31st of each month as a replacement.

In December 2018, the city management office of Langfang in Hebei province released a statement stating that people caught selling Christmas trees, wreaths, stockings or Santa Claus figures in the city would be punished.

Not PP, but I think "Santa" treats kids differently because rich parents have the means to get their kid an Xbox from Santa, while poor parents don't. The conversations in school after break are always about what you got for Christmas and of course kids notice disparities in what gifts Santa gave them vs what he gave to others.

In our 2021 donor trends report, Donors: Understanding the Future of Individual Giving, Neon One combed through the numbers and found that, on average, December giving can accounts for roughly a fifth of annual nonprofit revenue.

According to the 2022 M+R Benchmarks Study, nonprofits raise anywhere from 17% to 31% of their online revenue in December, depending on their cause. On average, all nonprofits across every category raise 25% of online revenue in September.

On GivingTuesday, the global day of generosity that began in 2012, has only grown bigger and bigger with each passing year. In 2021, organizations participating in GivingTuesday raised over $2.7 billion in the United States alone!

According to CCS Fundraising’s Philanthropic Landscape Report, 50% of U.S. households give annually—and a whopping 81% of affluent households give.

The 2022 M+R Benchmarks Study states that the average number of annual gifts per donor increased from 2.1 to 2.7 between 2020 and 2021.

Christmas time is the time of year non-profits raise a ton of money. People (rich people especially) give gifts and donations to help poor people and poor families.

There are so many orgs that play Santa Claus and raise money to help others. The spirit of Santa really fuels the season and people feel the pull to help others.

The people on this thread who “hate” Santa and are complaining that Santa treats kids differently really aren’t good people nor are they part of the love and happiness that Christmas and Santa can bring to others…very sad and lonely people. Enjoy your miserable outlook and grinch-like life.

Perhaps some day your hearts will grow a few sizes, and you won’t be so miserable.

This off topic non-sequitur is hilarious.

Uh, people donate more in Nov/Dec because it's the end of the tax year.

True, but charity orgs definitely pitch it as giving back during the holiday season.

“Santa” isn’t what prompts people to donate.

And none of that will make a kid feel better about getting a lesser “gift from Santa”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're Jewish and Santa comes to our house every year. Santa is not really a Christian figure, just one appropriated by Christianity a long time ago, so we don't see any relationship between Santa and other religions. I taught my child from an early age not to taunt other kids and to remember that not everyone celebrates holidays so it's best not to talk a lot about it at school.

It concerns me that OP thinks Santa is only for Christians, and makes sense that her kid might taunt other kids.

If your family enjoys the Santa tradition, I’m glad he visits you. Nobody else gets to dictate your household celebrations. However, your view on Santa is not widely shared. Santa is definitely associated with Christmas, and Christmas with Christianity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Santa won’t bring you presents because you are “another religion?” Where did you get that from? Nobody ever has said Santa only brings gifts to Christian children! Santa brings gifts to ALL children.

If your child has the propensity to taunt other children for any reason, that’s on you. You should have given the child clear rules and modeled good behavior.

This is weird post, because Santa has never been portrayed in literature, movies, etc, as only bringing gifts to Christian kids.

When NORAD “tracks” Santa on Christmas Eve, Santa is shown visiting countries all over the world, bringing gifts to kids all over the world.

Santa is traditionally depicted as having a naughty and nice list. Yes, the world has rules. Just like the Elf On the Shelf, who “watches” children to make sure they are on their best behavior.

Let me guess: Santa and Elf on the Shelf are Christian bigots. They are tyrannical Christian overlords, spying on kids without consent and judging them harshly and withholding gifts for naughty behavior.

Do non-Christian kids not have rules and expectations about behavior?

This is a doozy of a post and I look forward to the comments.

Santa demonstrably does not bring gifts to all children. Children whose parents don't celebrate Christmas, or don't do Santa, do not get gifts from Santa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're Jewish and Santa comes to our house every year. Santa is not really a Christian figure, just one appropriated by Christianity a long time ago, so we don't see any relationship between Santa and other religions. I taught my child from an early age not to taunt other kids and to remember that not everyone celebrates holidays so it's best not to talk a lot about it at school.

It concerns me that OP thinks Santa is only for Christians, and makes sense that her kid might taunt other kids.

If your family enjoys the Santa tradition, I’m glad he visits you. Nobody else gets to dictate your household celebrations. However, your view on Santa is not widely shared. Santa is definitely associated with Christmas, and Christmas with Christianity.

This. The Santa thing has been fairly secularized, but Christmas is the second-most important Christian holiday, Santa is based on Saint Nicholas, and there are many non-Christians who don't celebrate Christmas or don't do Santa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sort of hate Santa because “he” treats rich and poor children differently. Where is the magic in that? I try to focus on the richness of real love and the good feelings that come from human gift-giving and receiving.

Santa doesn’t treat kids differently based on their parent’s economic status. Where do you get that idea?

Not PP, but I think "Santa" treats kids differently because rich parents have the means to get their kid an Xbox from Santa, while poor parents don't. The conversations in school after break are always about what you got for Christmas and of course kids notice disparities in what gifts Santa gave them vs what he gave to others.

Right? It's like some of these posters forget that Santa is not, in fact, a real person. Of course rich parents can buy nicer "Santa" gifts for their kids than poorer parents. If Santa were real, presumably he would treat rich and poor kids the same, or even give poorer kids more expensive gifts, but since he's not, "Santa" treats rich and poor kids differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the taunting occurs around Easter historically.

Christian children taunt other children at Easter? No, kids eat chocolate bunnies and hunt for colorful easter eggs with candy or small toys inside. Never in my life have I heard children taunting other children at Easter time.

There are some very weird people posting here, making odd and false accusations. It’s disturbing.

Holy Week has been a dangerous time for Jews for thousands of years. Your gaslighting is disturbing. Perhaps try using the Google Machine?

I’m am ally of the Jewish people. Nobody can deny that the Jews have had an absolutely terrible and abysmal time for thousands of years in human history and that antisemitism is evil and must be rooted out and destroyed everywhere and anywhere.

Still, on this thread can we give it a rest? When it comes to Santa and the Easter Bunny, no Jewish kids are being taunted. Really, they’re not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sort of hate Santa because “he” treats rich and poor children differently. Where is the magic in that? I try to focus on the richness of real love and the good feelings that come from human gift-giving and receiving.

Santa doesn’t treat kids differently based on their parent’s economic status. Where do you get that idea?

Not PP, but I think "Santa" treats kids differently because rich parents have the means to get their kid an Xbox from Santa, while poor parents don't. The conversations in school after break are always about what you got for Christmas and of course kids notice disparities in what gifts Santa gave them vs what he gave to others.

Right? It's like some of these posters forget that Santa is not, in fact, a real person. Of course rich parents can buy nicer "Santa" gifts for their kids than poorer parents. If Santa were real, presumably he would treat rich and poor kids the same, or even give poorer kids more expensive gifts, but since he's not, "Santa" treats rich and poor kids differently.

Yes, exactly. It’s just another way that lower-income kids and families end up feeling less-than during the holiday season. I think a PP’s point that we should love Santa because “he” gets people to donate money is ridiculous.