Comments on: The Christmas Falsehood: Santa Claus

by: Albert

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:37:48 +0000

I’m sorry, but what Max posted is pure BS. Santa was never used as a bargaining chip to control me or my brothers and sister, or anyone else I know. As far as I’m concerned, Santa was/is a fantasy that makes Christmas even more magical. I loved believing in him; I was sorry when I found out he wasn’t real, and Christmas has been just a little bit poorer for me ever since, though I still love it.

I feel very sorry for many of today’s kids, so seem to be so cynical that, once they get to the age of not believing, despise and ridicule the idea of there being a Santa Claus. We certainly didn’t.

by: Val

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:55:42 +0000

I agree with Julie. Children are being limited now more than ever when it comes to using their imaginations and creativity…just look at how many school systems are streamlining their budgets by axing their arts departments, music departments, drama departments (but they’d never cut the sports programs!!). I believed in Santa until I was almost 8 and I turned out to be a very productive member of society…never had to lie to get what I wanted. It all goes back to the parents and how well they raise their children. Everyone tells a ‘little white lie’ now and again (not everyone looks skinny in their jeans) and it’s up to the parents to help their children distiguish what’s acceptable and what isn’t. My children both believe in Santa but they also know the religious meaning of Christmas. I agree that Christmas has become too commercialized but that’s not Santa’s fault. He’s been around waaayyy longer than the department stores. My daughter is 8 and I’m sad to say that this will probably be her last year to believe in Santa but we will still keep the tradition going for our son for several more years.

by: Max

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:41:09 +0000

Julie,

There is a difference between letting a childs imagination grow, and lying to a child. Santa is used as a bargaining chip for parents that can’t control their children. “Don’t lie, cheat, steal, cuss, etc. or else Santa won’t come this year.” If parents have to use lies to keep their children under control, then they most definitely need to go to a parenting class or two. Answer me this: Why use a lie to encourage your children not to lie?

by: Naomi Campbell

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 16:08:04 +0000

Hello…I found your site via Yahoo! when i was searching for author magazine, and this post regarding The Christmas Falsehood: Santa Claus really sounds very interesting to me.. Thanks.

by: julie

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 07:52:53 +0000

i believe it is a VERY good thing to allow children to have an imagination… what is wrong with that?

our world is so determined to have an explanation for everything… that our imaginations, what determines movies, cultures and ways of life, are snuffed out.

our children deserve to have an imagination and create their dreams. what problem is this to you? i ask you…

does it hurt you to know a fat man in a red suit “gives” gifts on christmas eve night? wow… you must have much to worry about… :)

i also ask you, what rights do they have if you take their imaginations away? i expect a response. yeah right! haha…

anyway, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

by: Mark Brown

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 05:59:03 +0000

Hi Theresa,

Thanks for this post. I stumbled on it via a google search.

I think that there’s a lot of social pressure for parents to partake in the Santa conspiracy, and to be honest, I think that if I had kids I’d probably succumb and go along with it to. But I think that on some level, parents feel that they’re really giving their kids something by lying to them about Santa. I’ve posted about this on my blog actually this morning.

http://pierianpuddle.blogspot.com/2007/12/social-functions-of-santa-conspiracy.html

by: Theresa Moss

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 23:45:57 +0000

James—just because people cannot truly see their own faces without reflections or mirrors does not mean that the distinction between truth and lies must be blurred. A lie is an intentional untruth, and though parents probably do not intend any harm, they ARE purposefully convincing their children of something that they can not sincerely believe themselves.

by: James V

Sat, 06 Jan 2007 01:06:09 +0000

You would lie if you said that you have seen your face. You would lie if you said you have never seen face.

What’s worse, you’d be speaking the truth if you said that you have seen your face (How else would you recognize yourself?). And you’d be speaking the truth if you said you have never seen your face.

So, what is truth and what is a lie?