In view of the sad death of a Santa at a children's party, is it really kind to tell kids that Santa exists ?

Question

An elderly Santa impersonator has just died, aged 82, during a Christmas party in Scotland, leaving children distraught and confused.
Not a good Christmas for either the Santa or the kids. So should we really hide behind the image of Santa or shouldn't we actually be honest and tell them the kids the truth ?

Answer 1

Whether or not you believe in Santa, I think it is still actually beneficial to tell children that he exists. This is because it is an incredibly good way of feeding their imagination, and helping to look beyond simple everyday possibilities. In the same way that telling them about the Tooth Fairy makes losing a tooth into something special, believing in Santa makes Christmas feel special too, for kids of all ages.
So, yes - it is kind to tell them that Santa exists. And don't worry about upsetting them with stories from the media such as the one you mention, where the elderly chap sadly died. Although it was a very sad thing to happen, especially for his family, this clearly wasn't the REAL Santa Claus, because the REAL Santa Claus only works on Christmas Eve, after the children have gone to bed !
Merry Christmas !

Answer 2

i imagine those declaring we ought to continually not deceive our childrens about the existance of Santa are taking the honesty is the superb coverage somewhat too heavily. when I stumbled on out he did not exist and it replaced into my mother and father all alongside i did not get mad wondering why i'd been lied to some those years. It replaced into an age the position you need to understand or maybe even though it replaced into unhappy to loses the 'magic' it did not make Christmas worse. I tell our little ones that the authentic Santa is so busy at present that he has particular helpers. each from time to time the authentic Santa makes an visual attraction yet he basically won't be able to do all of it. you need to say some thing like that when you word the numerous poor clothing they positioned on. The worst replaced into the most scraggy previous outfit, the guy had black hair showing out lower than the wig and the beard replaced into so small with black elastic showing the youngsters couldn't do some thing yet ask why it replaced right into a guy dressed up. There are so few harmless moments left in a baby's existence now and tragic although the difficulty replaced into the youngsters would not have beentold that Santa had died - distressing sufficient basically seeing all of us keel over! i don't think of that's incorrect to save the magic of Santa alive for see you later as a chance.

Answer 3

I presume you have no children otherwise you would not contemplate asking this question,to live with a child's excitement in the days leading up to Christmas and again on Christmas morning is one of lifes true pleasures and to think you would even dream of removing this because you believe that children honestly think that the poor unfortunate man who died was the real Santa of course they don't. Santa is part of the magic world that all children believe in and in this world no one dies especially not Santa.I am sure in the incident you describe some children were frightened and scared I am also sure this was caused mostly by the reaction of the adults than any understanding they had of what was actually happening.I thought it was the Grinch who wanted to steal Christmas are you one of his helpers

Answer 4

I was always told that the mall and party Santas were members of the real Santa's legion of worldwide helpers. That shut me up for a few extra years. We could tell kids that!

And Monica, what a way to view the world. You must be eternally sad.

Answer 5

Whats christmas without santa?

Answer 6

Unfortunate and difficult. Bless him. I like the above, that'll do. Some sort of compromise: like, Jesus doesn't love you by giving you a lift home from school, or providing his actual flesh and blood in church. The church should be a bit uncomfortable about Santa, Tooth Fairies, Harry Potter, The Lord Of The Rings, Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones? Anyway, little humanoids don't do abstract thinking - like, 'if that balloon's out of sight it doesn't exist' and developing from there... metaphysics, how can time slow down and stop in a black hole etc. They're a bit literal and concrete thinking, and maybe need things to be simple and easy (and some people never grow out of it). I read The Greek Myth of Bellerophon to a friend's little boy and he asked me; 'is that real, did that really happen?' Euhemeris etc. My sis fought at school to stick up for Santa. Good girl, but a bit sad that.

Answer 7

The truth? That somebody out there is prepared to work to create a miracle just for the benefit of seeing the wonder on their faces. That that person or people do it selflessly and without any requirement for thanks or appreciation? Shall we tell them that? No need, any properly brought up child learns it as they grow. Those are the ones that still believe in santa claus, even when they are the ones making the miracle. I'm sorry you never learnt that lesson.

Answer 8

Well just tell them the "truth" that Santa is too busy to really go to every party and such and so instead we have people dress as him to represent him. After all isnt' that what those people are, representations of him? Since he is what we consider the embodiment of Christmas he is pretty busy.

Answer 9

He died in a side room, away from the kids. Besides, don't you think your childhood would have been pretty sad if you'd never believed in Father Christmas? It's a huge part of the magic of Christmas. Why spoil it? The concept of Father Christmas exists, whether you believe in him or not, so you're not really lying anyway.

Answer 10

read Virginia's letter to The New York Newspaper and discover the truth. Santa is alive and well. he will remain alive for as long as there is one child who believes. after all this is what makes Santa endure along with his faith in JESUS.