Santa

Thank you for your comment, tableknife. Dreams are good. Without dreams, goals, and such there would be no purpose to life. However, fact needs to be taken into consideration. Dreams based on fiction will achieve nothing. Birthdays can be enjoyable and exciting without Santa, so why can't Christmas? My five sons all had great "dreams" and have achieved much. They all have at least one university degree, are happy in their chosen vocations, are happily married and bringing up happy, well-adjusted families.

As old as my kids are 10 & 12 they believe in santa. But they know the real story of santa. also. That way they are prepared for when they stop beleaving. I don't think there any thing wrong for kids to beleave in something good like santa it makes all the bad things bareable.

Darkwing, my children never missed out on the "magic" of Christmas. They had just as exciting a time as others who believed in Santa.

Hi Cloud

I'm very pleased to hear that you found an alternative way to bring magic into your children's lives. You've done a marvellous job. Your role as a mother must be a very devoted one, when other children probably want to know why Santa doesn't come to yours, but hey, that's fine... you saved telling your kids a lie, which was your intention, and I find that very commendable.

Happy Christmas!

Thanks for the comment Darkwing.

Happy CHRISTmas to you!

Thank you, redyellowblackdog. Exactly what I have found in children. I know my children didn't miss any of the "magic" of Christmas through not believing in Santa. (by the way, how did you come up with the name redyellowblackdog?)

The story of redyellowblackdog:

Once upon a time, not so long ago, a potential user of MyLot was deciding on a user name. In the past he had owned 3 different wonderful dogs. So, he thought, I'll name myself after one of these fine animals, each of whom was a better person than most humans. The problem, of course, was which one? Well, why not all of them?

The first dog was an Irish Setter a red dog. The second was a golden retriever, a yellow dog. The last was a mongrol, a black dog. So, it was that this potential MyLot user became redyellowblackdog.

Here's the black dog. His name is Stormy and he is still with us.

This is my thought exactly. When the children learn the lie, what else will they distrust about what they've been told by their parents. Drugs? Sex? MAybe even religion?

You should never lie to your kids.

Force

Thanks for your comments Force Fed (forgive me if that is the wrong myLot name: isn't it annoying that you can't see it when replying?!!) I agree.

And thank you Redyellowblack dog for the explanation. Good one!

Exactly. This is why Santa has never been a part of Christmas in our family. The Christmas story is enough and Christmas has never lost a thing because of having no Santa.

It doesn't alter the fact that you have told them a lie. It isn't it always better to tell the truth? Then in something that matters, they have trust in you.

No, I didn't have santa in my young life. Firstly, my childhood was war time England and secondly I was in an abused situation.

I taught my children about Nicholas and his good deeds, but for us the truth of the Christmas story was enough to make Christmas a very happy time. My children were not deprived of anything by not believing in santa.

They were taught that truth is always best.

Thanks clownfish. I believe there is enough excitement in Christmas without having to tell lies. Kids don't need a santa in order to celebrate their birthday, so why do they at Christmas?

Most young kids do not believe that cartoon characters are real and know the difference between fantasy and fact. To actually TELL a child that santa is real, and to say that santa has given them a gift is a different matter.

There is nothing wrong with imagination or fantasy. It is healthy. There is a difference, though, in TELLING children something is REAL and TRUE when it is NOT!