Lying about Santa Claus

[ProudAS]

Why is it OK to lie to DCs about Santa?

I was mortified when DM told me. I was at an age where I needed to know. I had wondered and thought that it all seemed a bit far fetched but my parents wouldn't have lied surely!!!!

My clever 10 year old said yesterday

If parents don't believe in Santa who do they think leaves the presents under the tree

Must stop that child from thinking for himself.....more minecraft needed there I think

I shall be staying over at my parents at Christmas this year for the first time since i was 17.

I am expecting Santa to arrive.

Ok clunch that's great, but loads of MN families live in areas of the country where there's very very little ethnic/religious diversity. We're not all urbanites. Doesn't make us daft or narrow minded!

I don't have a single Muslim/Hindu friend, because I don't know any. I do know a family of Jewish people though. Oh and a gay couple, so I'm not a dead loss :O

mrsjay

Grinfail.

:o

And I think I'll have a

Fair enough hester

Have that one on me

Oh dear god, do we really have to do this again. There have been so many threads on this this year. Is it Grinch Year or something?

In the spirit of the season, I'll share, Rudolph. Here, have some....

Even Father Christmas can have some.

Rufus, not Rudolph. Sigh.

My parents never tried to pretend that there was a Santa and I have never really forgiven them as I feel that I missed out on some of that 'magic' in my childhood.

My parent did Santa, I don't remember it feeling very magical though, it was all very low budget and low key.

I was just thinking that this subject just doesn't get debated enough on MN. That and 'AIBU to think trick or treating is just glorified begging'.

Am yet to meet a real life human who wrings their hands in anguish over the Santa Lie. MN really is a window into another world, a highly strung world.

I do think some parents go too far in trying to perpetuate their children's belief in FC. I was aghast when my Dsis kept her DS believing until he was 12. TWELVE!! I kid you not, people. She did it by countering his questions and reasoning with 'lies' about the space/time continuum and quantum physics etc, trying to convince him that his logical 'it can't be true' conclusions were wrong. This was all done for her benefit, not his. It kept the 'magic of Christmas' alive for her but made him look a complete idiot at school!
I think that once children start to ask intelligent questions, that's the time to tell them the truth - and with most children that will happen between the ages of 5 and 7.

Thanks hester

80smum my eldest is 15 in January, he doesn't believe that his parents do it so is sticking with Santa

He has never asked me for a yes or no answer, unlike my now 12 year old daughter

I'll just answer dd's questions with whimsical answers. Such as the other day when she asked how Santa can fit all the Christmas presents in one sack. I simply said I didn't know. It must be a magic sack.

She's 6 next month and this is the first year she's really seemed excited about Christmas and couting down sleeps etc. No way do I want this to be her last Christmas of doing the Santa thing when effectively it's only her first.

This is the first Christmas my children 14-12-7-5 (& 9 months but doesnt count ik) that They know the truth & what a relief! They couldn't care less as long as the presents are still coming. I've had some real smart arse remarks over the years like Father Christmas gave it to me after I've reminded them not to lose / break something because it cost a lot of money.
Truth came out when 4 year old says mummy is daddy Father Christmas? I was caught off gaurd.... Ummmmm'ed abit then she said something that made me know I couldn't carry on the lie anymore. There are a lot of charity adverts on tv ATM with children in horrendous circumstances and she asked me if they had been naughty because they were not getting anything..... I felt soooooo sad, for children with nothing , not my children for knowing the truth.

I work in a Y2 class and aroung half my class are muslim. Yet not one of them have said that FC isn't real. They have all gone along ecitedly with FC visiting school and bringing a gift. They have listened and talked with their Christmas celebrating friends and not mentioned it to them to our knowldge no child has queried it with the staff at all, no parents either. From what I can gather with our children here is that the muslim children in our area tend to know about FC but he generally doesn't come to them simpy because they don't celebrate Christmas - they celebrate Eid instead - but he does visit their other friends who do. I am not even sure if they don't just think he is real for those that do celebrate tbh.

That's very sweet :)

We had many year when Christmas had to be done on a low budget -- always with FC though and still always magical. FC isn't about money. He just brought us one special gift (never the biggest or most expensive ether), just like he continues to do so now for DD. And yes, at 11y, she doesn't really believe - but she will never say so, just like it was for me and my siblings - its all about playing along nd a bit of fun magic once a year.

DD1 is 2.8 and DD2 11 months. I tell DD1 that Santa/Father Christmas is St Nicholas. And it is St Nicholas who makes all the people give at Christmas and makes all the kind people dress up as him and give presents. I got the idea from my Dutch friend who says they have St Nicholas Day and tell their children this. That way I am not lying to DC (we are Christians so believe in Saints!) but I am still preserving the magic of Father Christmas.