Why do we participate in the GREAT RED LIE?

Question

Every year people lie to their small children about this red suited con-man called Santa. Why do we do it? Is he the god of Western Consumerism? Do we feel compelled to indoctrinate our children in the GREAT RED LIE to appease our own empty, hollow existences in the hope that our kids will be satisfied by sacrificing to the Red suited god-figure?

MagicButt... How can you say he is not a god-like figure?
1. He's eternal.
2. Keeps records of right and wrong.
3. Rewards good behaviour (gifts)
4. Punishes bad behaviour (coal)
5. Eventually absolves most people (people rarely get coal).
Much of what nominal christian-like people beleive about God is informed by their original beliefs about Santa. Add to that the fact that he is the figurehead for a gluttoness culture that wants more and more and more- He is the King of the religion "Consumerism".

Answer 1

I was very, very sad reading most of these answers to this question. A few touched my heart, though. The others just don't get it. Santa is a symbol that embodies the spirit of giving at Christmas. It is magical for a child to believe in Santa. And it brought the magic back for me when my children believed. I find it hard to believe that the sparkle a child gets in their eyes seeing the presents under the Christmas tree that Santa left them would be there if Mom and Dad left the gifts. It's just part of the whole magic. I had a teacher, of all people, tell my class when I was 7 and I figured that my Mom must still believe because everytime we asked her if there was really a Santa, she said with absolute certainty, "Yes, there is." So we just didn't tell her we knew until we were 12. Then we had a good laugh about it. My Christmases when I believed are some of my best childhood memories as are the ones when my kids were young and believed. I think the world would be a much sadder place if no children believed in the magic of Christmas and Santa Claus.

Answer 2

Oh come on, I'm the biggest athiest there is, but Santa is alive and well in my home.

Fantasy is fantasy and reality is reality. Before kids are old enough to know the difference, Santa makes them happy. Isn't that worth something?

Does reading a novel make you beleive it's real? But when you're a kid you think the wizard of oz is real. Heck, you think herbie the love bug can talk!

I doubt this does any long term psychological damage.

Lighten up! And Merry Christmas!

And just to P*** you off: God Bless You!
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Answer 3

I have to agree with you, Santa has been given some God-like qualities. And it does seem that he stands for glutonous consumerism.
But, so many cultures have similar figures, it must fufill some need in us. After all, we modled ours after one[or two]
I never believed in Santa, and my parents never quite got it that I did not.
It is a fairy tale, like all the rest. some teach the myth to their children, some don't, some keep it in the place I just mentioned, yet another fantasy story. Some make sure the kids are taught that the santa thing is less important than the Christ's birth.To each his/her own.

Answer 4

I'm sorry your life is an "empty, hollow existence". That's sad. Countless millions of us grew up with the Santa Claus myth and it didn't hurt us one bit. To the contrary, it enriched a precious time in a our lives, childhood. When we finally learned the truth, we delighted in becoming part of the "in the know adults" and helped the younger kids enjoy it as much as we had. There is a great deal to be said for the old traditions. It's a bit like the city boy and the country boy. You can take a country boy to the city, and after a short time he will get along just fine. The same cannot be said for the city boy going to the country. He'll never fully learn, and will have missed out on some great experiences. So too the kids who are deprived of enjoying the myth.

Answer 5

Because it's part of the magic of xmas, and it doesn't hurt them to believe in a little magic. We play the Santa Clause game for the same reason we play the tooth fairy game, or the easter bunny for that matter. It's part of a normal childhood, and should be. They have plenty of time to grow up and find out about the real world, let them be kids with all the fairy tales that are a part of it.

Besides the fact, St. Nicholas was quite real, and begain the tradition of Santa Clause. :)

Answer 6

We've never lied to our children about Santa. From as early as they could understand, we explained that Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are all pretend. Kids understand games of pretend and love to play them, so we have an agreement with them to pretend these things are real for the fun of it. Every year we remind them that these characters are pretend (sometimes young kids forget things from just a year ago) and ask them if they want to continue to pretend about them. This has worked out very well and they are constantly thanking us for not lying to them like their friends' parents do. The whole thing has reinforced in them a sense of trust in us (their parents) because they know that we never lie to them, not even about Santa Claus

Answer 7

to make the children happy off course!!
sure its a lie, but so is the tooth fairy and the easter bunny.
Children want gifts for christmas. Let them imagine Santa Claus brings them presents. They'll grow out of it soon enough.

Answer 8

It's a made up figure to bribe kids into being good for the 3 months until Christmas and two months after. Haven't we all heard "if your not good then Santa won't bring you anything for Christmas"

Answer 9

attempt to not get indignant if he lies or push him to tell the actuality. If he lies seize him out, teach him incorrect and permit this is, he will comprehend that no matter how plenty he lies he will finally end up being found out. that's the important lesson quite than to not lie in case you get my flow. in case you tell a newborn "dont lie!"...they'll think of..why? yet once you teach to them that each and each lie would be uncovered they'll ultimately be taught that mendacity gets them no the place and this is plenty extra handy to in undemanding terms tell the actuality. in actuality you have gotten a device in place to motivate him. So if he does something naughty and lies approximately it he has to stay in his room for an hour or grounded for the weekend. If he tells the actuality if he's naughty he gets in undemanding terms 0.5 an hour in his room or saturday grounded as an occasion. you're able to desire to certainly have a actuality chart. If he tells the actuality 5 cases in a row case in point he gets a manage (his popular dinner, a million/2 hour extra television, a action picture and so forth). additionally if he lies and then ameliorations his ideas and tells you the actuality fairly compliment him, that's sooo important because of the fact he's changing his thinking. A delicate appraoch might desire to artwork counting on what's inflicting it. in case you recognize he's mendacity dont yell or get aggravated, basically say " areyou particular it is the reason?" or "are you particular that's what you probably did" "i'm going to offer you a wager to tell me the actuality, because of the fact I won't gety indignant." a rationalization why he might lie is via the fact he's petrified of being informed off. while he tells the actuality, even though if he's finished something undesirable dont get indignant, in actuality compliment him and tell him you're overjoyed he informed the actuality. Then as he gets extra suitable introduce harder concequences for undesirable behaviour.

Answer 10

I do not lie to my kids. They see Santa everywhere, and we do not ban him form our home, but we keep him in the same category as the Disney Princess' and Mickey Mouse. He is just a folklore character. When they are old enough to understand, we tell them about the real St. Nicholas, a good man, who did great things, but just a man that many traditions came from.
I don't want my kids to not believe me when I tell them about important things like God and history and such.

Merry Christmas to all.