To think this won't ruin Christmas?

[CaterpillarInTheGarden]

Mil was saying it won't be long until dc will believe in santa-claus (dc is only 22 months so surely it would be next Christmas not the upcoming Christmas ). I mentioned we were thinking of not doing the whole santa-claus thing and telling him the truth. Mil said how awful I was, and I will be ruining Christmas for my dc and that I'm a very selfish women.

AIBU to think that's a over reaction and it won't ruin Christmas. Any of you not do the whole santa-claus thing for Christmas?

Whatever. Following the crowd is so boring.

How are you ever gonna change the world if you don’t engage your brain?

We don't do Father Christmas. I'll tell you how it works for us personally...

As soon as the radio starts playing songs about FC we stop listening to it. We make a big thing about darker nights = more time to concentrate on maths homework. So that's a positive for the grades.

When shops have pictures of FC we make sure the children know about the harms of consumerism and how many people don't have enough to eat, let alone presents.

We can't really avoid the TV unfortunately so we use films about DC to teach the kids about how society and media control people's opinions and actions and how they are being raised not to be sheep.

We all have great fun shouting boo hiss and bag humbug whenever we see anything festive.

Christmas eve we all go to bed early so we can get some rest for the following morning when we each give each other presents in the morning and then spend the rest of the day doing our own thing.

_
Or, you know, we explain it's a fun story, join in and have a lovely time. Like I said earlier, everyone knows Harry Potter isn't real but it doesn't stop people enjoying the stories...

Are you changing the world one joyless rant at a time, boob?

My parents decided when I was fairly young to not lie to me and so told me the truth. It didn't completely ruin Christmas but I do remember desperately wishing they hadn't as I loved the magic of the story.

@Boobiliboobiliboo typical troll response ‘following the crowd is so boring’.

Humans can engage their brain, make a change sand still let their kids believe in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny or anything else. It’s a shame that we as adults think that we can take that away from them as we are so damaged as individuals

@toooldfornonsense totally agree.

My kid will be flying to the moon whilst yours is still struggling with critical thinking.

How are you ever gonna change the world if you don’t engage your brain?

Ffs what’s that got to do with believing in Santa?

Sounds like the wheels are coming off here.

My kid will be flying to the moon whilst yours is still struggling with critical thinking.

Yeah

Or, you know, we explain it's a fun story, join in and have a lovely time. Like I said earlier, everyone knows Harry Potter isn't real but it doesn't stop people enjoying the stories

Isn’t this kind of the point?

We did like a PP, told DD about all the different stories and traditions over Christmas. She knew FC was as real as The Gruffalo etc. It’s fiction to be enjoyed.

Well to be fair being utterly aghast that people have different traditions as demonstrated by the majority of posters on this thread hardly shows massively insightful skills.

Together with the whole “you’re a shit mother” crowd?

Stellar!

I still believe 🎅🏼 so please don’t spoil it. x

It is your choice after all but it’s not a choice many parents would make. Personally I think a Santa brings a huge amount of magic to children at Christmas and what if they blurt to their peers that he isn’t real?

@LaurieMarlow well, let me start : it is ok if a strange man comes in your bedroom. if you are good, you get presents
Your best friend does get a lot less presents, although he /she id well behaved. they don’t have a lot of money though, so santa only gives to people with money
other friends are from different religions. they don’t get presents. so santa only gives to people of one faith/ethnic irigin

@Boobiliboobiliboo shame you don’t give ‘zero fucks’ to what has become a real debate.

It’s nice to think that you believe your child will be flying to the moon whilst mine is struggling with critical thinking. It’s also a shame you need to fling insults about other children about but there we go.

Maybe that’s a side effect of not believing in Santa Claus...

You should watch Polar Express and then put a little bell in their stocking! We spend years being grown up, cynical and bitter. I'm all for keeping any little thread of magic and wonder going for as long as possible!

IT'S ABSOLUTELY FINE NOT TO BELIEVE IN SANTA.

We never did as kids, my kids don't.
I am the most into Christmas magic person I know - really, we have the most wonderful, magical, fabulous, special Christmases and YOU DO NOT NEED SANTA.

Can I also point out that many, many countries around the world celebrate Christmas but don't do Santa - either at all or not in the way the UK does - and it really truly doesn't take away any of the special wonder.

it is ok if a strange man comes in your bedroom

Sad that you’d evoke this

if you are good, you get presents

No. Santa isn’t behaviour dependent on our house.

Your best friend does get a lot less presents, although he /she id well behaved. they don’t have a lot of money though, so santa only gives to people with money

In my experience kids don’t get a chance to compare everything anyway. We are mindful and don’t get our kids a huge amount.

other friends are from different religions. they don’t get presents. so santa only gives to people of one faith/ethnic

I’m in Ireland where Santa is even more culturally prevalent than the UK. Any kids from other faiths have adopted the Santa tradition.

HTH

Every class has kids in it that don’t believe in Santa Op .... kids with older siblings who tell them or kids from cultures that don’t do Christmas..... do what you want for your child ... try’s to explain not to spoil it for those kids that don’t know ....

The comments on here gave me a headache!

I agree with the majority but it's your family.

Just bear in mind that whilst they are your children they are part of a larger family unit and I can see why your MIL is so upset: Santa isn't Christmas but for the majority he is the physical symbol of what it means... excitement, family, celebration and gifts and those things hold huge emotional ties for most of us and how will you explain all the Santa related Christmas movies?

Also, it's not lying if you explain it well but I don't know any child over the age of 3yrs who will be able to keep your "truth" to themselves once they realise they know something their peers do not and I would be giving you a serious piece of my mind if your child told mine that Santa wasn't real: I would literally go ballistic because whilst you have every right to teach your children what you like, you do NOT have the right to let your ideology interfere with mine so food for thought.

Also: Christmas is what you make it so all the stupid comments about filthy consumerism and ruining your finances are just ridiculous and clearly come from people who've over spent in the past: set a budget and stick to it. Problem solved.

YANBU but I'm siding with your MIL.

Wow, people are very obsessed with Father Xmas!! I think you can just pay lip service to it so the kids don't feel left out of the whole Christmas carry-on at nursery/school, without building it up as something HUGE. Many things in life are magical to a small child: my 2 year old son's delight in a fire engine going past or a bubble landing on his nose is just as innocently precious.

I don't think my parents made a big deal of it although I probably believed in some way till I was 6 or so. I have fonder memories of staying up way too late on Xmas Eve, tearing open wrapping paper and being allowed a glass of watered-down Babycham (ah, the 80s). I'm fine with putting out a mince pie and letting Santa 'deliver' the presents from everyone, but to hell with using him as behaviour control or demented elves on shelves. I live abroad now so thankfully Xmas is restricted to December only instead of being all over everything for 4 solid months till we're all totally sick of it.

Await to be called a 'fun sponge' 😂

As opposed to the 'real meaning of Christmas' ... arguably just another story.

I was about 5 when an older friend told me that SC didn't exist.

I can remember screaming at my parents that they were liars.
I was right of course.

I raised my DC knowing that SC & God were both entertaining myths

"Don't do it. They aren't kids for long and he won't have the fun memories of Christmas that other kids do. The world can be a miserable place when you're an adult, don't ruin the innocence and magic of Christmas "

Agree with Crystal87. I would let DC enjoy the innocence and magic of christmas while they can. There'll be of plenty time for reality when they are teenagers and adults.

he won't have the fun memories of Christmas that other kids do

Why do memories have to be the same?

Can’t we all just accept that different family traditions can be equally lovely in different ways and bring as much joy and magic?