2006-11-29 21:17:50 · 51 answers · asked by fairliered 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
yes i think so, its a magical thing for them to believe in. it didn't bother me when i found out he was all a lie. x
2006-11-29 21:21:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Children deserve a bit of magic in their lives. My father was an Anglican priest, but I still got presents from Father Christmas. In fact, I used to get upset when, between the age of 4 and 6 I was taken to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. After the service my father would be saying Happy Christmas to the departing congregation and I would be tugging at his sleeve and watching for Santa's sleigh. I thought that if there was no child in the house, Santa wouldn't leave any presents. After the age of 6 I figured out the truth, but I didn't let on for a couple of years.
2006-11-29 21:29:30 · answer #2 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, I think not, but this is controversial and entirely up to personal preferences. The one significant difference between Santa and the rest of the character of childhood fantasyland is that Santa has to be believed to make wishes come true. And there is not point rousing fantastic anticipation in a child until you are sure about the best possible way of fulfilling of them. This after all is an important ingredient that you propose to in the mind of a child, you therefore should think well before you make this promise to your child. You need to think as well – are wishes coincide with our need for prayer, or is it a way to dilute our capacity to wish in form of formal prayers - for the Santa is not going to stay with a child into an adult life when childhood is but a fantastic sweet memory.
2006-11-29 23:48:27 · answer #3 · answered by Shahid 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Young children delight in fantasy. The wonderful thing about Santa is it's one of the very very few moments in a child's life when a parent actually participates with them in a fantasy. They have so much fun with that. But, after four or five, when they ask, I'd recommend asking THEM if it's ok to keep the fantasy going a little while longer because YOU enjoy it, too. They like that solution. It gives them permission to KNOW Santa isn't realy real, but, that the fantasy is still in full force.
2006-11-29 21:27:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Tell your children that SANTA isn't real...the story goes that at one time there was a man name Kris Kringle who actually gave out toys to the neighboring children near his home...this may be something that someone may want to research on...but as to a comment about believing in God when there is no solid evidence of His existence, accept in a book that has been past down for ages, Some may say that is wrong to tell our children to believe in such a thing, but there is power out there that not even the most intelligent person can never explain...so as to say wheither or not to believe in something that is not seen takes FAITH...so that is my philosophy on SANTA also...oh and one more thing didn't you enjoy the fairy tales of the old days...it's fantasy and dreams that make up the imagination, but faith in the things that we can't see.
2006-11-30 00:11:59 · answer #5 · answered by Tammy 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it is all right. Children are intelligent by the age of 6/7 they know that Santa does not exist but he makes every one happy .
2006-11-29 22:56:37 · answer #6 · answered by Brahmanda 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
on the question asked I've seen some,not all the answers but feel i have to point out what i believe the true meaning of Christmas is(it's in the word) and not indulging spoilt brats with overpriced toys once a year. explain the true meaning to some kids and they will say "whats it got to do with Jesus birth we just want loads of stuff From Santa" so it seems that standard accepted religion and paganism do combine once a year any other time the differing factions would be at each others throats to get a point across(scrooge lives!)
2006-12-01 05:18:03 · answer #7 · answered by peter.w 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it is a pointless lie.
We all lie to children, in the sense that we tell them gross oversimplifications and generalisations that are sufficient for the purpose at the time, but do not stand up to future scrutiny. Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen have pointed out that teaching is basically the job of telling lies to children, yet is an honourable profession.
But to present a fantasy as if it were truth, and to go out of your way to perpetuate the child's credulity merely because as adults we think it is cute, is not right. Tell them the story of Santa, but make it clear it is just that, it is in the same category as other stories, like the nativity.
2006-11-29 21:34:14 · answer #8 · answered by Avondrow 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes it is right. Children love the magic of christmas especially regarding santa.
when they are older they will realise by themselves that santa does not exist. By then, they will be too old to care. Don't consider the santa issue as a lie. For hundreds of years the spirit of santa has made xmas magical. Why would you want your children to miss out on this?
Same goes for the tooth fairy & easter bunny.
2006-11-29 21:26:44 · answer #9 · answered by Just me 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
yes because its nice as little ones to believe in something special - people live a long time cynical so telling them the existance of santa is ok. My six year old still believes in santa and is looking forward to all his presents!!
2006-11-29 22:41:56 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. You can tell them the stories and do the whole Christmas thing without making it sounds literal.
EDIT- Just reading through some of the new answers, it amazes me how people feel so strongly about their right to lie to their kids and make them believe something that's not true. All this stuff about the "magic" of Christmas- for me, Christmas can be magical w/o believing in the literal existence of Santa Clause. For me it's about my family and friends, spending time with them and giving and receiving gifts to show our love and appreication of each other. Why isn't that enough for some people?
2006-11-29 21:29:35 · answer #11 · answered by - 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋