Growing up I believed in Santa. I think if you're doing Santa Claus my parents were great models. We watched Santa movies, read Santa stories, went to see him at the mall, and received gifts from him, but they were never large gifts. We knew that Santa wasn't the whole of Christmas, he was a small fraction of our December fun! (In fact, I think that I loved Rudolph much more than the big guy himself! I blame Rankin/Bass for this!)
As a grown woman, though, I made the decision, even before I met my husband, that I would not teach my children to believe in Santa Claus. I felt that if I told them that there was a jolly, chubby man that broke and entered our home once a year and deposited gifts that, in fact, I had purchased...for some reason it would be dishonest!
I don't think it's necessarily evil to believe in Santa, but I just feel that in order to have "Santa visit our house" each year I would have to tell my children some falsehood at some point, and that's a risk I wasn't willing to run!
We still allow Santa movies & books, but Santa is a fairy tale in our home, not a fact.
I've worried about keeping our kids from ruining the mystery for their friends. So far, it hasn't been much of a danger, but as my little girl has gotten older the line has begun to get thinner and thinner. This year, she's not aware that anyone truly believes Santa will come to their home. Just as she doesn't expect a fairy godmother to take her to the ball when she finishes the chores I assign her. Although, we've already had a close call.
While sitting in a class I mentioned presents being given by mommies and daddies one of her buddies said, "Mommies and Daddies don't give presents! Santa gives presents!" To which she replied, (with quite an attitude!) "Well, Santa doesn't come to my house!" I was a little worried, but all the other children dismissed it and we moved on...
What about you, do you teach Santa? Why or Why not?
The Only Santa my girls have! It's really just an excuse to throw in the Colts Christmas gear!
We haven't Santa-ed for 10 years now, and all is well. :) There are some "close calls" during the preschool-K years {mainly when adults ask if Santa is coming, etc.} but it's just not an emphasis or issue. Both of my girls referred to Santa as "Christmas Man" because they didn't know who he was when they were 2-3. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of exactly how we do it ;) Great minds, right?! I love that you said that they called him Christmas Man b/c Tabby's done that this year!! LOL!
ReplyDeleteWe decided before our children were born that we would not lie to our children. Here's my thinking: if I tell me child that there is a man that they can't see who knows when they are bad or good, and gives them good things, and I also teach them God is real.... When they find out that Santa isn't real, maybe they won't believe me about God.
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids asked me, "Is Santa real?" I told them, "Santa is just as real as Mickey Mouse, Bob the Tomato, and Dora. When they got to the point that they could distinguish between fantasy and reality, they understood that Santa belongs in the "not-real" category. I tell them to not "ruin it" for other kids, though.
That's very wise Steve. I totally agree. We've had the discussion that Santa's a story like Cinderella. Thanks for your opinion! I'm loving the feedback!
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