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.

It gets cringe when late primary kids fervently profess to believe. Yes most of them will just be stringing their parents along but some are gullible surely a recipe for bullying.

Yabu. I teach my child that no matter what she can always trust that everything I tell her is 100% true.

There’s nothing magical about some fat stranger bloke sneaking into your bedroom at night, that’s creepy and many children find it scary.

As for religion, I told her that the idea of “God” is like the idea of Santa, but for adults, and that no one has a clue what if anything happens after death but that her guess is just as good as anyone elses.

As someone who grew up without Santa - please don't feel sorry for us. It made zero difference to my life!

Stop using Santa to be unpleasant about people @Cazzovuoi. It goes against everything Santa and Christmas are supposed to be.

I'm a person of faith, so was my mum and we did father Christmas. She told us he wasn't real (I asked because kids in school were saying it) she literally said "you don't see many flying deer but it's a fun game" and it was. My sister and I even got stockings for my parents!

I don't think you should judge parents or feel sorry for kids if they are well looked after and loved. There's more horrible stuff going on in the world like kids going without Christmas at all. Christmas is for families not just religious or faith reasons.

“I teach my child that no matter what she can always trust that everything I tell her is 100% true.”

Really? Everything?

So you told them that the macaroni necklace they made isn’t in fact delightful, because it’s made from pasta and you wouldn’t actually wear it?

That they don’t understand knock knock jokes yet, so they messed up the ending and the joke they told isn’t funny?

That their first attempts at handwriting aren’t in fact well done, but objectively not very good as writing goes?

Don't understand what is so good about Santa, and wouldn't encourage lots of lies to kids about a story book character.

@TooBigForMyBoots

Stop using Santa to be unpleasant about people *@Cazzovuoi*. It goes against everything Santa and Christmas are supposed to be.

And it will surely mean you get Coal in your sack

Surely it’s more hypocritical to celebrate a religious festival when you’re apparently completely contemptuous of that religion?

@riotlady

Surely it’s more hypocritical to celebrate a religious festival when you’re apparently completely contemptuous of that religion?

Apparently they’re celebrating Saturnalia.

Christians believe in a true living and loving God-it’s not hypocritical. Odd thing to say, op. As lovely as santa is, you can’t compare to God.

This thread has made me feel so glad that I wasn’t the only one who felt so sad and stupid and duped when I found out Santa wasn’t real. It was devastating. I thought I was alone in that.

Apparently they’re celebrating Saturnalia.

Well ofc that makes perfect sense, the Romans bloody loved Santa

This thread is depressing and seems like some parents can do nothing right in the eyes of their dc. In RL I’ve only ever know people who enjoy the fun of Santa. The fact people think anyone in year 6 will be bullied for believing… maybe focus on teaching your dc not to be a bullying twat rather than telling us to make our dc change to stop your dc bullying them.

@RandomCatGenerator

This thread has made me feel so glad that I wasn’t the only one who felt so sad and stupid and duped when I found out Santa wasn’t real. It was devastating. I thought I was alone in that.

Sorry quotes wrong comment

Sorry you felt that @RandomCatGenerator

@riotlady

Apparently they’re celebrating Saturnalia.

Well ofc that makes perfect sense, the Romans bloody loved Santa

@RandomCatGenerator you were devastated when you found out the lovely gifts you received every year came from your loving parents as part of a make believe game? Really? Devastated? I’m devastated my sister never grew old enough to remember a Christmas with Santa.

@NeedAHoliday2021 bit unfair to @RandomCatGenerator, her feelings are valid.

They’re not proportionate at all. They’re simply not and validating that isn’t helpful.

You can’t tell someone how to feel or not feel. That’s just messed up.

I wouldn’t say I was devastated when I found out I’d been lied to about Santa - but I was pretty pissed off about it. Like I was the subject of a stupid prank that everyone else was in on. And it ground my gears for years afterwards that my mother would continue with the “I believe…” shit. I’ve gone along with it for my own kids, primarily because DH wanted to, but only in a lighthearted, jokey sort of way.

Not something I lose sleep over.

It’s just a game we play. I used to threaten dc the bedtime witch would come if they didn’t go to bed then I’d put on a witches hat and voice and chase them giggling to their beds. When dd1 was older she would join in and be my apprentice. I wonder if there’s more going on in families where you were left feeling upset by the Santa story. I loved that Christmas Eve excitement that’s so much better that just being given stuff.

No adult believes that Santa is a real magical person alive today but many adults do believe in God.

So your point would only apply if the parents are atheists then yes, it would be very strange.

I also have always taught my kids that we believe in God and believe him to be real but that some other people don’t or believe in a different understanding of God. They are aware it’s not a universally accepted fact and will need to decide for themselves as they get older.