A Parents Perspective Concerning Santa

When do parents tell their kids no when they ask for something extravagant, most usually say that they will simply ask Santa for it. So where does that leave the parents? Kelly Burgess wrote about how the myth was more trouble than anything else. But is that really how it should be? Shouldn't Santa be something exciting and happy rather than a parent's demise during the holiday season? Some parents, like Burgess's friend, simply tell their kids from the get-go that he is not real, but is that really fair to the kids who miss out on believing? The kids who find out that he really doesn't exist are sad, but get over it. In my personal opinion, I wouldn't trade believing for anything. But for the parents, it seems like some can't seem to stand the holiday tradition of hiding things in the rafters or writing the gift label in the opposite hand.

The Dark Day in 4th Grade

When I found out about Santa, it was a bad day in 4th grade. I was minding my own business, right before the holidays, when a girl was talking about how she knows who Santa really is. (Ironically, she is one of my best friends.) I tried to ignore the conversation, but they kept talking about how it was really just mom and dad who gave us the presents, rather than a mysterious man in a red suit. So, shocked by the amount of people who thought this, I wanted to know the truth. I went home and asked my mom, point blank, "Is there really a Santa?" She tried to dance around the answer by telling me that there is always magic at Christmas and that everything is magical. I wouldn't except that answer, so I continued to be persistent. This went on for about 5 to 10 minutes, and eventually, my mom had had it. I pushed her buttons too many times that she just blurted out that "NO! Alright, there is no Santa!" This was obviously not the answer that I was looking for, and I burst into tears. I thought I could handle to truth, but I was sorrowly mistaken. My mom then felt so bad that she ran out and bought the movie, Miracle on 34th Street, just to see if that could make up for it. Now, it is one of my favorite holiday flicks, but I still remember the sadness that was with me that Christmas, and how much I wanted Santa to be real.

Thanks to www.the-reel-mccoy.com for the picture.

Thanks to Lovefilm.com for the picture.

Feel Good Holiday Movies

The movie, Elf, is a great example of people not believing in Santa, when there really is one. Buddy the Elf spends his time in New York City trying to find connect with his father, but also encounters the non-believers in the Big Apple. They talk about the rumor of Santa, and even show that the belief rate is down, according to the "clausometer" but he does his best to get people believing! Elf is a feel good movie that gets you into the holiday spirit super quickly and ready to sing carols!

Miracle on 34th Street is also a perfect example. One of the best holiday films, in my opinion, it tackles the issue head on, and by the end, everyone is a believer! When I first saw this movie I was trying to figure out if there really was a Santa Claus, and this made me believe in the magic of Christmas--for a while longer. The innocence of the little girl, Susan, the determination of the lawyer, Brian, and the faith that Kris Kringle has in his case, leaves you feeling good about the world and hopeful that there could really be a Santa!

Is it Really Lying?

Some parents find tell their kids the truth about Santa when they are little because they see it as lying to their children. In fact, the movie, Miracle on 34th Street, the whole premise is that Dorey Walker tells her daughter, Susan, the truth simply because she does not want her to tell her a lie and have her believe in a fictitious character. But, psychologists have come to terms that it is okay for kids to believe. It may be hard to hear that there is no man with flying reindeer who slides down our chimney, but is it part of any childhood. If the parents do find it to be deception, then they are encouraged to tell their kids about Santa but to keep it toned down. Although some kids are heartbroken, myself included, when they find out the ugly truth, it is unlikely for them to be mad that they ever believed in the first place.

Cathy Finds Out the Terrible Truth

Cathy was in the 2nd grade and she and her brother were sleeping downstairs on Christmas Eve. She heard a noise outside and was convinced it was Santa. Her brother, Tim, quickly corrected her and told her that it was most likely the neighbors taking their garbage in, and of course, added that there is no Santa. It ruined her Christmas and made her question the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. After losing her tooth, she was determined to find out the truth, so she stayed up with her hand under her pillow. She was devestated when she grabbed her dad's hand that left the quarter under her pillow. But, for her own kids, she went above and beyond the call to make sure that they believed in the magic of Santa and her efforts were rewarded when her kids believed till 5th grade!

Questioning Santa

When kids begin to ask about the magic of Christmas, it is hard to keep the spirit alive and even harder to answer them. Jessica Haupt addresses this in her article, "The Santa Myth: How long should it last?" Click here to read the article.

http://archives.cnn.com/1999/HEALTH/children/12/14/santa.myth.wmd/index.html