Father Christmas

[MiaWallace]

Can I appeal to all those who tell their childen FC is just a story or isn't real at all?

Of course that is your choice to make but please ask your children not to share this information with their friends. It?s so disappointing for the children who believe in FC to be told differently by their friends (I know it happened to me ).

I understand that at some point a child will realise that it?s all a myth, but it?s much kinder if it?s a slow realisation as they grow older.

Please keep the fantasy alive for those who want to believe.

And for all you non-believers , I recommend you watch Miracle on 34th street

Definitely. My little sceptic rather liked having a bit of a grown up secret to keep from her still credulous classmates after she'd figured it out.

She's quite happy to debate the existence of God with them though!

sorry but those of you who wish to lie to small children must face the inevitable consequences when you get found out!!

I am certainly not going to tell my kids to mind little pookies feelings because her mummy has told her a story about a fat man in a red suit created by coca-cola!

You miseryguts, PA!

Lumps of coal all round at the preggers household!

i know bah-humbug!! i have no problem with other people lying to their children but i have no intention whatsoever! and i'm certainly not going to tell them to lie to their friends fgs!

There's NO WAY I am telling DS1 that FC isn't real

FC is responsible for my beautifully behaved 3 yo.

each to their own! my 4yo asked last year when people started talking about 'Santa' "Mummy, do they think i'm stupid- its a man dressed up in a santa suit from woolworths" didn't seem to be any point in trying to persuade them- and this year i'm on a santa boycott!!

My DD, when at the stage where she'd still quite like to believe it, rationalised that the santas in grottos weren't the real one. They were old retired ones.

Just thought I'd pass that on as a useful line if older child is raining on a little one's parade.

Excatly, each to their own. It is your choice if you want to tell your children he doesn't exist but please don't spoil it for the rest of us.

"spoil it for the rest of us" pmsl- you are LYING to small impressionable children- obviously i'm not going to jump up to a kid at the school gates shouting "he's not real- they're conning you" but i am NOT telling my own children to lie. Sorry- but no!!!

Oh and Coca-cola didn't create FC

It's an Urban Myth

Please calm down. I'm not asking you to tell your child to lie, just to keep the information to herself.

It's just a case of respecting other people's choices

depends which way you look at it- there are various arguements for and against coca-cola- none of which negate the fact that you are lying to children- he's not real whether coca cola invented him or he fell out of the flamming cuckoo's nest!!

I believe

Someone at school told me but I didn't believe them!
I love the thought of 'Santee Christmas'

PA - what are you telling your children?

Sorry, but LMFAO at Sants being created by Coca-Cola!

SantA even!

So if heaven is a lie, in my opinion, and a child tells you all about Nanny who went to Heaven, should you then say "No, there is no such place as Heaven, your Nanny is just dead."

Or does that not count? Are you allowed to lie to them in those circumstances?

To many children, Father Christmas is as real as Heaven is to a committed Christian.

Couldn't agree more colditz.

religion is a different matter- i don't think anyone can argue that santa is a religious belief (but i'd like to hear that arguement!)

We are a christian family, we celebrate a traditional christmas where the focus is on a religious festival, and celebrating that with our family and friends. My children do not just get a commercialised american stylee 'holiday'. They do not look at christmas as just a gift-giving exercise. In our family we do not believe that 'Santa' has a place in a christian festival.

And before you all jump on me saying- oooh religious clap-trap. That is what christmas is about- the birth of Jesus not how many millions of £ in extra revenue debenhams and m&s will make because of it.

Father Christmas is a traditional bringer of gifts to the poor. He was not invented by Coca Cola, or Debenhams for that matter. His origins lie in St Nicholas, who died in 350AD. The name Santa Claus is linked to the Dutch name for him, AFAIK. He has been the patron saint of Russia, Moscow, Greece, children, sailors, prisoners, bakers, pawnbrokers, and shopkeepers. The story also tells that he used to give anonymous donations of gold coins to persons in need. His cult spread in Europe and Christmas presents were distributed on December 6th when the celebration of St. Nicholas took place.

So, no, he's not Jesus. But there is just as much proof, if not more, that he was real. The celebration of his traditions are just as valid, and it is rude to sneer at another person's beliefs.

Have you never seeeeen the Polar Express? I believed when I left the cinema that day I can tell you!

round of festive applause and round of drinks for colditz

MiaWallace...I sympathise, but once your child is at school, and mixing with children who have older brothers and sisters, it's impossible to keep it going in deadly earnest.

But DS, 6, is 'in role' as believing in FC. He knows it isn't possible, he knows it can't be magic etc, he has said that he thinks only Mummy and Daddy would give him 'so many lovely presents'...but he gets so excited that he has actually blanked out in his mind that he knows FC isn't real.

pretending is as much fin as believing, ime.

That's what i did, too.

And 6 year-olds have very deep conversations about what they belioeve in terms of god, tooth fairies etc etc...they will discuss!