Santa Claus is blasphemous

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VonDerTann said:
I admit it, I hope Santa brings me a Fran Tarkenton jersey this year, like I wore when I was a kid.
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You’re old and I’m old for knowing what you are talking about. 😃

I’d better stop before I get accused of derailing this thread. :rolleyes:
 
I believe our local news stations report the tracking as well: too cute!
 
They track Santa because he’s real.

I recall the Nic Cage movie where Nic was an angel. I’m NOT given to getting my theology from Hollywood, far from it…but there’s a scene where Nic says, talking about angels, “some things are real whether you believe in them or not.” I rather liked that line.
 
pnewton said:
Ditto. It is a strawman that comes out every year. Hey, I think the OP has some good ideas that he can apply to his family. For me and mine, we are still awaiting Santa’s arrival down the chimney. At six, I think my son is about to catch on and this may be our last year. Blasphemy, though? Ridiculous. The good thing about being Catholic is that we have a Church that can help us to understand what sin is, and what sin isn’t. Santa Claus isn’t on the Church’s naughty list.
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As a teacher, I can assure you that you have at least two more years before he will “catch on”. Have fun with it while it lasts!
 
Hey I was raised believing in santa claus and it didn’t harm me after i became Catholic I learned the real reason for the season but we can all be santa clauses and give to those who are less fortunate.
 
Mortification said:
Speaking from personal experience, I was very traumatized to find out that Santa was not real as a child.

I was a very gullible child and trusted my parents fully, I never had a reason not to. I held Santa and believed in him the same way I believed in God, obviously knowing the difference of course, just that the basic premise for both is that nothing is impossible and miracles exist etc.

As an adult, I have severe trust issues, it caused or helped in my straying in the faith a few years ago (indirectly, mostly related to trust and believing in impossible sounding ideas), I cannot form meaningful relationships with people, Im dissocial, etc.

All my friends told me it was a lie, but I didnt believe them and defended Santa to the death. I used to feel like atheists would one day be telling me “I told you so” too.

In my opinion, Santa is a cruel lie and I would never participate in that tradition with my children.
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Mortification- I was also crushed when my mom told me the truth about Santa. I was 9 years old. Then she had to throw in the tooth fairy and Easter Bunny to add insult to injury! However, I recovered nicely, and so do the great majority of people. We then choose to keep the legend alive and pass it down through our families, because it helps us to remember those exciting moments in our young life and share our traditions with our children. However, if anyone asked me when I was a kid, what Christmas was all about the first thing that would come to my mind is Jesus birth. Same with my children. Santa only takes over the religious aspect if we let it.

I’m sorry you have so many difficulties in life, but it seems unusual to me that all these trust issues stem from the Christmas tradition of believing in Santa. Many similar traditions are happily celebrated around the world.

I have observed several children through the years who were not allowed to believe in Santa. These children come to school scowling during Christmas time. They are always angrily trying to convince all of the other kids that Santa doesn’t exist. In talking to these children I have discovered that they are angry, not so much that the other kids do not believe the truth of the matter, but that they were never given the opportunity to partake of this Christmas tradition. Please think about this before you decide to not allow your children to partake in this tradition. Perhaps if you can explain it to them ( when they are old enough to stop believing) in such a way that doesn’t make them think you are a “liar”, it won’t be devastating.

There is no “lie” in the legend of Santa, because Santa is a legend, loosely based on a real person.
 
Speedypizza said:
Oh, and as for your theory that teaching kids about Santa will make them think God is a lie. How about if we try this on for size. My parents did not teach me about Santa because they were ultra-right wing Baptists. Only one problem with your idea… IT WAS PART OF WHAT DROVE ME AWAY FROM GOD!!! Pax :signofcross:
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It broke up my marriage. I’m not kidding. My sons were 1 yr old. Inlaws came to spend the night. It was time for me to put out the Santa Claus prezzies. MIL flipped out with the same diatribe as the first post in this thread. She walked out of my house that day, and started a campaign to have my X get rid of me. Her husband “married” us. I lost my marriage partly because he did not stand up for me, but you know what? He continued the Santa tradition with “our” kids, long after I’m gone, and despite the Santa-less tradition he was brought up with.

I like to think of it as training in faith.
 
graceandglory said:
It broke up my marriage. I’m not kidding. My sons were 1 yr old. Inlaws came to spend the night. It was time for me to put out the Santa Claus prezzies. MIL flipped out with the same diatribe as the first post in this thread. She walked out of my house that day, and started a campaign to have my X get rid of me. Her husband “married” us. I lost my marriage partly because he did not stand up for me, but you know what? He continued the Santa tradition with “our” kids, long after I’m gone, and despite the Santa-less tradition he was brought up with.

I like to think of it as training in faith.
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Everyone ought to teach their children about St. Nicolas.
 
Luna_Lovecraft said:
Not so fast there with the absolutes, my friend. Way back in the olden days I did a one-year stint as a fifth grade teacher. The last day before Christmas break I had all the kiddies gathered on the reading rug, and I read them a picture book about a boy who had to comfort his little brother after he found out from some bigger kids that there was no Santa Claus.

As I was scanning my audience I noticed one student’s lips begin to quiver uncontrollably. And then his tears started rolling. I don’t know who was more mortified: me, because I’d crushed this poor 11-year-old’s fantasy; or his classmates, many of whom looked stunned that they were sharing reading rug space with a kid who still believed in Santa.

Can anyone say, “Awkward moment?”

Long story short - the heartbroken kid got hustled down to the office, where his parents came to pick him up. After the New Year his dad called me furious that his son found out in the manner that he did, and I was thinking, “Dude, what in the world kind of parent are you? He’s eleven years old for Pete’s sake! What were you planning to do, keep the hope alive until he was of legal age?”

Moral: Never assume all kids know anything. :o
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What the heck kind of teacher makes a point of telling elementary age children that there’s no Santa? You’re lucky if you only got one phone call!
 
coco2 said:
As a teacher, I can assure you that you have at least two more years before he will “catch on”. Have fun with it while it lasts!
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LOL. I will try. Believe me, I will enjoy it while I can, without lying. He is a sharp one, though. The ironic thing is that his Santa gifts will have to always be restrained while he is a Santa believer, because of the limits Santa has on having to help the poorer people the most (our little tradition).

I just started The Hobbit with him and am teaching him the value of fantasy in teaching deeper truths. That is where Santa will eventually end up.
 
dandingo said:
I have yet to meet one single person who doesn’t believe in God because they believed in Santa Clause as a child.
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Then let me introduce you to my daughter. She is nineteen years old and has fallen away from going to church. Certain family members were trying to convince her that there was a Santa Claus even though she felt there wasn't; this was when she was about twelve years old. Her friends were telling her there wasn't one while famly members were telling her there was. She was getting different stories from different people. Unfortunately, my daughter took it a step further and figured since adults were trying to convince her of this person who nobody has really seen then isn't God in the same category? Nobody of recent has seen God. She began to doubt her faith as she got older. Has gone to Catholic School from Kindergarten through High School but did one and a half years in public school because she couldn't stand the kids in her class (they were constantly teasing her best friend and when she defended her friend, her classmates began to tease her too). Yes, there were other factors that helped her to turn away from God. I'm sure our parenting contributed in some fashion too. She is in college now and does not feel the need to go to church. She hears different stories about God from different people (the same way as Santa Claus was first pitched as a real person and I mean the jolly old fellow who flies with reindeer and sleigh not St. Nicholas). I continue to pray that she will come back to the Church and have Faith. And I'm tired of hearing that the reason for the season (Christmas) is giving. God sent His only Son so we can have a chance at entering Heaven. We should be giving all year around not just at Christmas time. And we should be giving to the less fortunate and not ourselves
 
My grandfather was a third order franciscan, a WWII hero, a rosary maker and a Santa Claus.

I never saw him happier than when he was spreading the joy of Christmas as one of Santa’s helpers. Even after he was moved into the nursing home, he was still allowed to dress as Santa and visit the other residents. It was beautiful to see him bring Christmas to so many people. He even asked his wife if he could be buried in his Santa suit. He didn’t get that wish because of the scandal it would have caused with my younger cousins but his Santa headshot was used in his obituary picture. 🙂

Now, my uncle has taken up the Santa hat and is continuing the tradition.

Santa brings me joy and connects me to people I love.
 
There’s a difference between customs and traditions and beliefs. Santa Claus traditions differ everywhere, they are a part of our culture. We can participate in cultural traditions and customs, without sinning or scandal.
 
My two cents…

The excuse that parents treat Santa as a fable or that kids know he’s just a myth is for the most part wrong. The majority of parents if asked “is Santa real” would answer “of course he’s real!” that is stating a fact that is actually a lie. A parent wouldn’t tell their kid Hansel and Gretel was about two real children or that Hercules really existed (Unless their Neo-Olympian Pagans).

Also from personal experience I thought Santa was real and I still have memory of that moment when I rationalized the flaws in the myth. I suppose it didn’t really effect my faith in God because daily prayer and having crucifixes allowed me to realize one was a myth and the other was faith in something real.

Maybe some children treated it like a fable, but considering how much are culture likes to show the “shell shocked kid after discovering Santa’s not real” in our media I doubt I was in a minority.

I have a 5 year old sister who believes in Santa and all that, I don’t go out of my way to tell her he doesn’t exist because 1) Not my kid and outside influences(family/school children) already put the faith in her 2) She probably wouldn’t believe me because “It’s magic” is enough an excuse and she probably wouldn’t understand any rational arguments 3) I’m not going against my parents wishes 4) I’m not gonna do something that leaves my sister feeling gloomy.

As for me I don’t know what I’ll do if I have kids of my own. I’d like them to enjoy the culture of Santa, but I refuse to go the whole way telling them “yes he’s real and he has the power to know if your good or bad!”
 
triumphguy said:
So do the folks who don’t believe in Santa believe in the Grinch?:D:p
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It seems as if some of those who do not believe in Santa ARE the Grinch! There is hope though! Even the Grinch came around at the end! 👍😃
 
Isolation said:
The majority of parents if asked “is Santa real” would answer “of course he’s real!” that is stating a fact that is actually a lie.
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Santa IS real…have you not figured that out yet? The Spirit of Santa is real…what is so hard about that? Read “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”

Most kids figure this out.
 
ThePoorInSpirit said:
Then let me introduce you to my daughter. She is nineteen years old and has fallen away from going to church. Certain family members were trying to convince her that there was a Santa Claus even though she felt there wasn’t; this was when she was about twelve years old.
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She was 12 years old and you and your family was still trying to convince her that Santa was real? At what point would you have allowed her to start “being Santa” to the younger children? See that is always the best part, for the kids. They get to help carry on the tradition to their siblings, cousins or younger friends.
Her friends were telling her there wasn’t one while family members were telling her there was. She was getting different stories from different people. Unfortunately, my daughter took it a step further and figured since adults were trying to convince her of this person who nobody has really seen then isn’t God in the same category? Nobody of recent has seen God. She began to doubt her faith as she got older. Has gone to Catholic School from Kindergarten through High School but did one and a half years in public school because she couldn’t stand the kids in her class (they were constantly teasing her best friend and when she defended her friend, her classmates began to tease her too). Yes, there were other factors that helped her to turn away from God.
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I am glad you see this.
I’m sure our parenting contributed in some fashion too. She is in college now and does not feel the need to go to church. She hears different stories about God from different people (the same way as Santa Claus was first pitched as a real person and I mean the jolly old fellow who flies with reindeer and sleigh not St. Nicholas). I continue to pray that she will come back to the Church and have Faith. And I’m tired of hearing that the reason for the season (Christmas) is giving. God sent His only Son so we can have a chance at entering Heaven. We should be giving all year around not just at Christmas time. And we should be giving to the less fortunate and not ourselves
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So because of your daughter turning from the church, you reenforce it by squashing Santa and the concept of giving at Christmas?

Do you have younger children? If so, did they still believe? Did you take Santa away from them?

I’m sorry, but I am just trying to get the whole story here.
 
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