Santa Clause is a Myth. Why They Won't Tell Them The Truth?

Of course we should sit them down and tell them there is no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy, or a groundhog that actually declares the end or continuing of winter, or all that other stuff. Why allow their imaginations to take flight when we can smash all the fun of imaginary creatures? Or, we can let them have a few years of believing magical creatures exist and let their minds build great stories around them. We can let them go to sleep so excited on Christmas Eve night listening for the tiny hooves on the rooftop, wondering how Santa gets in the house if they don't have a fireplace, or how the Easter bunny gets all those eggs hidden or how the tooth fairy thinks their little teeth are so special, she actually leaves a quarter or dollar under the pillow. We can have them looking behind special trees trying to find where gnomes and fairies have their houses. I'll keep the imaginations because at the worst times in a person's life, the ability to dream of special things makes those times easier to get through. And when they grow older, they will understand Saint Nicholas' life more clearly, along with all the religious stories surrounding churches, synagogues, etc.

I am sorry but I do so have to disagree. I have five children and ten grandchildren, the eldest of my children is almost 39 and in those last 39 years neither I or one of my grandchildren or children have ever questioned the existence of Father Christmas or Santa Claus and we still talk about him coming every year. I STILL leave out the mince pie, whisky and carrot for Rudolph (I will be 60 at Christmas) and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. Childhood is a magical time and sadly too many people are determined to make this time shorter - the magic should be prolonged a much as possible. I still have happy memories of waiting tucked up in bed listening for sleigh bells, and the excitement in the morning when 'he had been' - please, please don't rob children of these happy happy memories!! I am a helper of Santa and help him send out letters to children every year. EAch year I am begged by parents to try to 'keep the magic' going for longer as their children are beginning to question them. I always use the famous letter that was sent in 1897 when an 8 year old girl wrote to the New York Sun asking 'Is there a Santa Claus?' and the answer that was printed in the letter: [i]"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. "Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' "Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus? "VIRGINIA O'HANLON. "115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET." VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.[/i] http://www.newseum.org/yesvirginia/ On a final note, may I just say Santa only comes to those who believe in him - so watch out!!

I never did and the looks I got from people, especially family when I refused to tell my children that there is a Santa was not easy to take. I actually started out not telling them because I was able to remember the devastation I felt when I found the truth, I was not going to put my children through that. Then come to find out that, it there are other reasons to not tell children this myth as truth, and one is that it is an outright "lie" It only teaches our children that lying willingly is ok when it is not, it is against G♥d's commandments. Some I saw say tradition, and that is fine, as long as the tradition is not wrong. Lying is wrong. I mean, what if killing a first born on a certain day was tradition, should it continue? Yeah, I know that example is a little overboard, but you know what I mean, where do you draw the line from doing what is right, and following tradition?

Santa Claus isnt just a person that brings toys hes and idea, a feeling. When people speak of santa it brings joy and happiness. None of us really know if miracles are real. But I will tell you this the changes in attitudes, opinions, around the Christmas season with stories of Santa is the closest thing to it. Its not lying to hurt someone. Its a story of giving without taking credit for it. If you think about it the idea of santa is the most selfless story ever told. We as parents give up credit for the gifts we buy for children. It shows the children that giving is good, generous. It lets them see random acts of kindness from strangers. Whats better shattering the dreams we cling to as children. Half the fun of it is snooping and finding out that our parents had something to do with it. Eventually we grow up and all those childhood fantasies become memories for us to cherish and share as adults. It also allows us to carry on the Nostalgia of Christmas and Santa. Just answering your discussion has brought to mind special santa moments I had as a child. I think you need to realize that not everything is cut and dry. Somethings are meant to promote love, generosity, and good will. Happy Holidays dl

A child’s belief in this particular spirit is as strong as their belief in world happiness and peace. If we could look at Santa Claus through the eyes of a child, we would probably see a man who makes people all over the world happy. To a child, just the thought of Santa Claus could make them overcome with silliness and giggles. Santa Claus brings a special happiness to children and adults throughout the holiday season. The belief in one man delivering joy is strong enough to make some people forget their problems or anger and feel peace, even if it is just for one day.

Yes Santa Clause is a myth, a lagend, book story without reality. It is children inspirational book story, it is from pagan belief (sorry but that is the truth). Even Christmas season is not really real the event of Jesus Christ birth date and as I know nothing knows exactly the date (only mentioned at the time of cold season there). Those are all my account and known about.. see you around

Because it is the Magic of the Children Faces, the Joy that Santa Clause is there I actually believe there is one, not in the sense that he comes through the Chimney and that, but I do believe that there is one somewhere To get back to the Children, the Joy and Excitement on their faces when Santa Clause has been, when they know he is coming, makes Christmas, the magic of it all, why get rid of that as well? Everything else near enough of Christmas has gone My Son and Daughter are grown up now, the Magic is not that strong any more, the last couple of Years I think Christmas Magic has turned into Christmas Stress and Drinking, not like it used to be, the Family watching the Christmas Movies together, or the Children playing with their new Toys Why take the last bit away to

Simply because children loves fantasy and we all love children. Who is so spiteful as to kill that fantasied dream. Personally, I feel there is no problem to play along when they are young but when they are old enough to learn the truth, the truth should be disclosed. Hearing the truth from the parents may allow the child to have more trust and confidence in their parents. Don't dampen the spirit of joy yet don't kill the spirit of sharing.

You pose an interesting question. I have often wondered the same thing.The parents who try to keep the belief in Santa Claus alive in their children say that they enjoy the wonderment in their children's eyes. I sometimes think that it is easier to tell a child,"We'll see what Santa brings," than to have to tell them a flat, "No, we can't afford that." Of course the time eventually comes when you have to tell the child that. Hopefully, by then, the child is old enough to understand and accept your decision. My parents never pretended there was a Santa Claus. The only gifts we got were from relatives at our grandparents Christmas gathering. There was one gift per child, as names were drawn for the grandchildren. Once, when I was about 8, I pretended to believe and hung my long stocking on the foot of my bed. The next morning, I found only an orange in it. My mother put her arms around me and said kindly, "You know that there really isn't any Santa Claus." I had always known, but I wanted to be able to say what I got when the other children at school were enumerating their Christmas gifts. In case you are tempted to blame my parents for not giving us presents, the year was 1942. My father was a farmer. He rented but was not a share cropper. He was able to pay cash rent for everything except the pecans. We only got half of them. My parents were saving every penny to buy a farm of their own, and they did just that 4 years later.

Hi, Just go through this link http://www.mypage5.com/view_comments.php?blogEnrty=93767 This person has been copying many discussions from here and posting it there ...

You right, my friend. Santa clause is only a myth. I don't understand also why they don't tell the truth most especially catholic priest which know the myth of Santa Clause... I don't understand also why Santa since Santa which denote femininity. It should be Santo Clause because the character is a man not a woman...

I don't really know why either. Well, you can start telling the children the truth. Be the role-model. You can do it.

If you think on it we tell our children a lot of myth. Some of it is in the way of lessons- be that Biblical or ancient mythology- parables and the like. Others are for entertainment, excitement and so forth. I'm not a Christmas fan, but that's not the topic. If it helps keep it special for them then perhaps it's worth perpetuating the myth a little longer. Our governments are robbing our children of their childhood ever younger- Christmas becoming 'Winter Festival' so as not to offend other faiths being an example.

Don't you remember what it was like to imagine things that weren't real, just IMAGINARY? I remember, kids love to have imaginary friends or imagine things that they couldn't really do, like a child that's paralyzed from the waist down would imagine walking. Santa Claus is another form of their imagination. Kids deserve to have an imagination. If we tell them that everything they think is real is actually just a "myth", its like we are taking part of their childhood away from them.

I taught my children right from the start that Santa claus is a fun fairytale but that he doesnt really exist. I dont want to lie to my children and have them not feel they can trust me when they learn the truth. That is what happened with me as a kid. I believed my parents until I was 10 or 11 that there was a Santa Claus. Even if everyone else told me there parents told them the truth I believed that my parents would never lie to me so I went on believing the lie that Santa Claus was real until my mother sat me down and told me the truth and I was so hurt that she had lied to me. I vowed never to make my kids feel that way. My kids love Christmas just as much as every other child but they know the truth that their presents come from mom and dad and their aunts and uncles and grandparents and NOT santa.

have you heard about santa clause and jesus talking? here it goes: Jesus: You know what.. I envy you... Santa Clause: Why did you envy me? Jesus: Because in my birthday, you're the one they're waiting for... sad truth

Tell me, why this need to pick on Santa? The biggest part of childhood is the fantasies thru which they are taught who and how to be..The real pity of it all is that we need a 'myth' to teach us and our children the idealisms that we haven't ourselves learned in reality..Enjoy!

Well, just respect the old tradition. Seriously, its your choice to believe Santa Claus or not. As you said, its just a myth. There are so many stories that brought Santa Claus to life. If you want more information, just search for it. Just my 2 cents

yes Santa clause it only a myth. i cant believe that we have Santa clause that give a gifts every Christmas. i love Santa if only in the cartoons because Santa never exist.

I love Finland's tradition, with Christmas http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/finland.shtml and that is what my husband I and I will be doing since he is part Finnish. People tell them this because it's magical for them, just like other myths and fairytales children are told and will continue to be told.