Belief in Santa?

[Millie123]

Actually This is a cultural practice and we’re all initiated into it, kids included.

I would like to point out that this is known as the bandwagon fallacy.
—if I were to jump onto every cultural practice that surrounds me…I’d be Mormon.

 

[Bonnie]

I finally remembered a practice we haven’t observed since the kids grew up & moved out. We have a statue of Santa Claus kneeling to worship Jesus in the crib. For years we’ve had it under the tree - now it’s in a box somewhere as we haven’t bothered with a tree. Have to find it.

 

[Kit15]

Does it? The tradition of Santa Claus allows parents the opportunity to give their children real gifts. I’m not talking socks, underwear, pencils, books, and all the things parents have to/ are supposed to be providing their children or an allowance or privilege that the child should earn. I’m talking about giving their kids a real, unnecessary gift, for no other reason than they love them for who they are, and without any recognition or expectation of any response from their child. It’s a very loving experience to give an anonymous gift to someone, especially when it’s someone you love very much. I would say, a very Christian experience, particularly when you consider that Christmas is all about the giving of a great gift that was not deserved, earned, or ever properly appreciated, but it was given, nonetheless, out of love. And when children become old enough to discover what Santa really is, which is not a “lie” but a tradition of anonymous giving that has been handed down through generations, then they realize how loved they are and learn to share that love with others in turn. How can this be anything other than efficacious?

When I found out, I remember being disappointed at first that Santa wasn’t “real”…but then I was just overcome with awareness of so many years of unacknowledged generosity that I just started crying. I very quickly realized that this was something special and I was all for helping out next year. The hardest part with keeping their anonymity was not thanking them in front of my siblings after opening Santa gifts.

There was still one gift that still boggles my mind a bit, a Puppy Surprise. The stuffed mom dog came with 3, 4, or 5 puppies. I was saving up for months and months to buy one but Santa beat me to it. Out of all combinations, I got a perfect match for our family of four kids with a biggest age gap between the two older sisters and the younger sister and brother. The dog came with 3 girl puppies and one boy. Plus two of the girls were noticeably larger than the others and one of them had closed eyes! (the second oldest sister was notorious for sleeping anywhere at any time). I absolutely was convinced that this toy was custom made just for me.

“How did you pull THAT off?!” I asked, years later.

“I didn’t! I was just as shocked as you were! Maybe the number of boys and girls was a lucky chance but the sizes and the eyes being right was really freaky.” said my mom.

 

[pensmama87]

“Santa” brought me a “Kitty Surprise” when I was 5. Oddly enough, it also fit our family at the time - two girls and a boy.

Thanks for bringing back a very happy childhood memory. I loved that toy.

 

[Kit15]

“Santa” brought me a “Kitty Surprise” when I was 5. Oddly enough, it also fit our family at the time - two girls and a boy.

Thanks for bringing back a very happy childhood memory. I loved that toy.

Wish my mom would just tell me where Santa’s workshop is already so I can write to it and place an order. It would make everything a lot easier.

 

[gracepoole]

I would like to point out that this is known as the bandwagon fallacy.
—if I were to jump onto every cultural practice that surrounds me…I’d be Mormon.

No, you are able to reject it personally – and you have. But this doesn’t mean that the cultural practice doesn’t exist or that we don’t have to respond to it. We can respond kindly and compassionately or we can be Scrooges and blow it for others.

 

[gracepoole]

We used to give one of our toys – something treasured – to Christ on Christmas Eve. My parents placed a manger below the Christmas tree and we’d leave our gifts in it. By Christmas morning, they’d be gone, the Christ child would be in the manger, and presents would be around the tree. My mom still laughs because my brother once gave the Prince of Peace his beloved battleship.

 

[Millie123]

No, you are able to reject it personally – and you have. But this doesn’t mean that the cultural practice doesn’t exist or that we don’t have to respond to it. We can respond kindly and compassionately or we can be Scrooges and blow it for others.

I think kindness and charity need to flow both ways regarding this issue. So far, in this thread non-santa families have been accused of not valuing childrens fun, innocence, fantasy. We’re also accused of only valuing our parenting.

I assure you that none of this is true, amongst my family. Ive never taught my son to blow the Santa secret for Santa believing families. I accept Santa believing families right to teach their child whatever Santa tradition they desire. All I ask is fot the same charity that you ask my family including my son to give to Santa believing children…that we also receive that same kindness and charity to be reciprocated back to us. And not be threatened to “receive a piece of your minds” when the mistakes that are being made are being made by a non-malicious 6 year old child, who has never practiced the Santa tradition and has zero cousins to witness that tradition.

I guarantee youthat I am not a “scrooge” and I have no desire to “blow it for others.” Within my family is that same warmth and love for Christmas that you also experience within your families.

 

[PPeterson]

We taught our kids about St. Nicholas, and told them this is where the tradition of Santa comes from. We have stockings, songs, cookies, and milk, and all that but I would never have seriously tried to convince my kids it’s real. Because I know it’s not. It’s fun to pretend, but as soon as they became suspicious and asked me about it I told them the truth and asked them not to argue with other kids about it, because sometimes other families like to pretend. They know the truth and still have fun pretending because they are kids, and kids don’t have to be lied to in order to enjoy make believe stuff.

I disagree with the comparison between believing in Santa and being Catholic. “Santa” is something we all know to be false, and no one is actually harming your kid by telling them it’s not real. On the other hand, Catholics presumably believe our faith to be true. If you actually think your religion is false but just teach it to your kids because it’s fun, that’s a bit on the psycho side.

 

[Allegra]

When I found out, I remember being disappointed at first that Santa wasn’t “real”…but then I was just overcome with awareness of so many years of unacknowledged generosity that I just started crying. I very quickly realized that this was something special and I was all for helping out next year. The hardest part with keeping their anonymity was not thanking them in front of my siblings after opening Santa gifts.

There was still one gift that still boggles my mind a bit, a Puppy Surprise. The stuffed mom dog came with 3, 4, or 5 puppies. I was saving up for months and months to buy one but Santa beat me to it. Out of all combinations, I got a perfect match for our family of four kids with a biggest age gap between the two older sisters and the younger sister and brother. The dog came with 3 girl puppies and one boy. Plus two of the girls were noticeably larger than the others and one of them had closed eyes! (the second oldest sister was notorious for sleeping anywhere at any time). I absolutely was convinced that this toy was custom made just for me.

“How did you pull THAT off?!” I asked, years later.

“I didn’t! I was just as shocked as you were! Maybe the number of boys and girls was a lucky chance but the sizes and the eyes being right was really freaky.” said my mom.

I had “kitty surprise” and I know Santa had something to do with it because my mother hated the thing. The ripping sound of the Velcro pouch reminded her too much of her various C-sections.

 

[tafan]

One of my secret Christmas rituals is sitting down, with a warm cup of coffee, when no one is around, and reading the annual Santa Claus debates on the Catholic Answers forum. A couple of times I actually got involved, but eventually discovered that ruins the fun.

 

[AnnArbor]

We loved the Santa tradition as children ourselves, and delighted in it with our children.

When another child tried to blow the surprise, we simply told our children that Santa came to those who believed in him. The result was that our children felt very sorry for the non-Santa children and tried to be extra-nice to them.

 

[jediliz]

I believed in Santa as a child. “He” gave me my cpk doll that I still have 30 years later. I knew the truth by the time I was 12…instead of milk and cookies, I left a favorite drink instead…that mysteriously rolled on the floor unopened…

Obviously I knew the story of saint Nick…I left my Christmas Wish list rolled up under the tree skirt on December 5th…

When my sister’s kids were little (5 or 6) and they would not listen to me while I was babysitting…i called the “north pole” to see if they were on the naughty list. The north pole in this case was my parents…aka grandma and grandpa.

One thing my dad denies is eating the cookies one year when we were going to mass @5:30 vigil…I still have never solved that… we left cookies out before Mass…when we returned…there were crumbs…with the fast before communion requirement, neither of my parents could have eaten them…

 

[Millie123]

We loved the Santa tradition as children ourselves, and delighted in it with our children.

When another child tried to blow the surprise, we simply told our children that Santa came to those who believed in him. The result was that our children felt very sorry for the non-Santa children and tried to be extra-nice to them.

This sounds like a very good approach

 

[gracepoole]

One of my secret Christmas rituals is sitting down, with a warm cup of coffee, when no one is around, and reading the annual Santa Claus debates on the Catholic Answers forum. A couple of times I actually got involved, but eventually discovered that ruins the fun.

Ha! I actually follow various conversations around here without engaging, sometimes with the same results.

We loved the Santa tradition as children ourselves, and delighted in it with our children.

When another child tried to blow the surprise, we simply told our children that Santa came to those who believed in him. The result was that our children felt very sorry for the non-Santa children and tried to be extra-nice to them.

This is exactly what we’ve told our eldest, who is starting to worry that Santa isn’t real. And it’s worked!

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

One of my secret Christmas rituals is sitting down, with a warm cup of coffee, when no one is around, and reading the annual Santa Claus debates on the Catholic Answers forum. A couple of times I actually got involved, but eventually discovered that ruins the fun.

It’s my favorite Christmas tradition.