To think parents who do this are hypocrites

[Cazzovuoi]

I'm so sad for all the kids who will miss the magic of Santa because parents don't want to lie to their kids.

It's a bizarre concept to me that you think letting your kids believe in a wonderful magical, mythical person is lying yet, if you are religious, you actively teach them to believe in a malevolent, omnipotent, all powerful, cruel being so controlling that he takes attendance on Sunday.

At least Santa was a real person.

Well yes, if it’s the same families doing both then yes, they’re are hypocrites IMO. But then religion has always baffled me, and I suspect being firmly in the atheist camp without even a hint of agnostic, puts me in the minority. But we do do Father Christmas, so maybe that makes me an opposite hypocrite? I don’t teach my kids about religion but do tell them Father Christmas is real, at least when they’re little, and after that it’s just a knowing jokey way, they KNOW he’s not real now, but still play along. My parents were the same when I was growing up, and I don’t think that attitude did me any harm at all, so it’s not something I take very seriously.

Obviously Father Christmas isn't a saint but he has evolved from Saint Nicholas. I didn't think I'd have to explain that.

@Kanaloa

And yes I do know Santa Claus is based on Saint Nicholas but the character really bears no resemblance to the Santa we know today and it’s a bit daft to suggest that kids who believe in Father Christmas are celebrating the origins of Saint Nicholas.

Does it really matter though? People told their kids a load of old guff back then and they still do it now.

Not sure about how not doing Santa somehow makes you a religious hypocrite. The friends I know who won’t do santa stuff are MC atheists who claim they never EVER ‘lie’ to their kids…

No doesn’t matter to me at all but arguing that kids are appreciating Saint Nicholas through Father Christmas is just totally daft.

My word, OP you have made yourself sound so stupid. It's a big world out there, made up of lots of different cultures. Other kids can experience 'magic' and fun in their own cultures with their own families and traditions different to yours you know