Santa – yay or nay?
November 29, 2007 by Sherry Osborne
Filed under Parenting
I’ve always shared the story of Santa with my kids. I grew up believing in Santa, loved it, and when I finally realized he wasn’t real I never felt cheated or disappointed when I found out the truth. However, I know some families refuse to talk up Santa because they feel it’s a harmful lie.
I love sitting down with my oldest daughter and writing out a letter to Santa (and then writing one on behalf of my little one), detailing the one big gift they want for Christmas. I love going to the mall to have their picture taken with Santa. I love leaving cookies and milk out for Santa on the 24th (then I eat the cookies, leaving a lot of crumbs, use the milk for my tea and dump out the rest) and carrots and water for the reindeer (slosh the water on the tablecloth and use a carrot peeler to leave a few strips of “gnawed” carrot behind). I love the excitement when my big girl opens her gift and sees that Santa did indeed bring her special toy she wanted. This year she wants a Dora the Explorer pop-up tent for the living room or her bedroom so each of them will get a little tent. That should be fun, and they fold easily in the evening.
I love Santa. The only thing I don’t like is he usually gets the gift that’s the biggest hit so he gets all the credit. 
How do you feel about Santa? Do you gladly recount the tale of a jolly round man who delivers toys all around the world? Do you talk about him but feel guilty about the dishonesty? Do you flat out refuse to do Santa stuff at all?
He is such a magical part of childhood that I could not imagine Christmas without him. He helped our son transfer his Christmas from Russia to here.
That’s how I feel too, that it’s not so much lying as it is magical.
I never felt cheated or lied to when I found out either. The oldest is getting to an age where she’s probably going to find out soon (from us or from friends) and I dread her losing that part of her childhood, but look forward to taking her on as a “helper” for her younger sisters, like my parents did with me (I got to help wrap)
True that about the credit part.
It’s the same people who hate Halloween that are against Santa. They also killed the Easter Bunny. I know way too many people like this. My mother-in-law has a Christmas LADDER she decorates because she heard on Christian Radio that the Christmas TREE was a pagan symbol. Whatever. They are both A shapped and now they are both decorated with evergreen and holly and have presents under and on them. How is that different or more holy?
Fun Killers. Lighten up people – It’s childhood! It’s supposed to be kind of fun!
That’s a hard one. I as 12 when finally found out the truth. I wasn’t scarred or anything, but I do feel a bit like a liar with my kids. We told my almost 11 year old this year. He’s gettin a whole new kick out of the song “I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus.”
I have always resented the big guy getting the credit for the best presents.
My thought has always been that we teach our kids to use their imagination – when they’re playing – what’s the difference?
There’s enough hurt and disappointment in the world as it is, let the kids enjoy whatever magic they can for as long as they can.