Do you believe in Santa?

[peachandpear]

I do the Santa thing with my kids and am frowned upon by some people in my church. They say it is considered lying to them. I think it is harmless and part of childhood. When they get old enough to actually ask me outright if Santa is real then I won't lie to them but at the moment I feel like I would be robbing them of part of their childhood if I took the Santa magic away. What do people think?

I remember my grandmother (now passed away)staying with us one christmas when I was small. On Christmas morning she told me she's awoken in the night and had actually seen Santa, and that he was actually quite small and thin, with a beard right down to his feet. For ages afterwards, I knew that the real Santa wasn't the one form the coke adverts...
I love that memory, and i'm glad my grandmother told me that story. I like make-believe.

Father Christmas is as real as Jesus. It just depends which story you like best. For me father Christmas wins hands down.

I agree that we all lie from time to time in any case but this is not a lie it is a story and then it turns out it was your parent all along in any case which is just as good because then you can influence what goes on the sleigh!

Baby paps is going on a Santa walk on Tuesday evening.... the Santa will be Catholic so dressed up as a Bishop with a touch of Santa... no idea what that looks like!

Do I believe in Santa... I do for my children, my husband was initially not really into the whole deal... what with him being a Coca-cola invention - but he is okay about it now and will experience the magic that Santa brings baby paps on Tuesday... not to mention the presents. Its a good draw card them pressies

The thing about Santa being invented by Coca-Cola is a myth - he has roots in folklore going back many centuries. See Snopes for more info.

I think it's important to remember the original meaning of the St. Nicholas legend - giving to people less fortunate than you - and teach this to our children. We all find our own ways to do this at Christmas.

p.s. I get to shag Santa too

I once remember reading a very convincing article linking the origins of Santa to hallucinations caused by flygaric toadstools (The red and white ones - v toxic).
I've tried substantiating this with a quick google but have so far failed. I'll try again.

I don't buy the whole lying stuff either. I 'realised' Santa didn't exist quite young, at 6 and I also realised why he 'existed.' I didn't worry about my parents 'lying.'

Agree completely with nightowl too, we all lie all the time. I remember reading an article on Prozac in one of my mums mags when I was 11 and thinking the picture of the tablet looked like what she was taking. I asked her about it and surprise, surprise she lied. I believed her but she admitted it years later. I understood why she had lied - to protect me. I also understand why parents 'lie' about Santa - to create magic, or more magic if you prefer.

If you don't believe in him, he doesn't bring you presents. Simple.

Of course - I helped out at his grotto yesterday at Ds' school fair. He was definitely there - although did seem to change a bit, every hour or so.

Thanks ISawFrannyandZooeyKissingSanta - will read the link and show to dh.

On that note I went a searching for info about Shamanism (being my spiritual focal point of interest) and Christmas and found this info....

"Christmas is actually a continuation of the Siberian shaman and Visigoth traditions,"

"Santa is also borrowed from the [Caucasus], mistletoe from the Celts, yule log from the Goths, the time from the Visigoth and the tree from the worship of Baal. It is a wide wide world,"

Here are some interesting links - have not read them yet myself and if it offends, don´t sue me!!

here and When Santa Was a Shaman

Peachandpear, you might like to tell your church friends that my ds1 (aged 9), having wavered in his belief in FC last year, now "understands" it completely - apparently it has something to do with FC being the spirit of giving at Christmas. So there!