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 ?
2006-12-22 03:41:13 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
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 !
2006-12-23 22:12:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think those saying we should not lie to our children about the existance of Santa are taking the honesty is the best policy a bit too seriously. When I found out he didn't exist and it was my parents all along I didn't get mad wondering why I'd been lied to all these years. It was an age where you could understand and although it was sad to loses the 'magic' it didn't make Christmas worse.
I tell our kids that the real Santa is so busy right now that he has special helpers. Sometimes the real Santa makes an appearance but he just can't do it all. You have to say something like that when you see some of the terrible outfits they wear. The worst was the most scraggy old outfit, the guy had black hair showing out under the wig and the beard was so small with black elastic showing the kids couldn't do anything but ask why it was a man dressed up.
There are so few innocent moments left in a child's life now and tragic though the situation was the children shouldn't have beentold that Santa had died - distressing enough just seeing anyone keel over!
I don't think it's wrong to keep the magic of Santa alive for as long as possible.
2006-12-22 05:50:14 · answer #2 · answered by wee stoater 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
people dress up as santa all the time, its fun the children should know that but also they should know that santa is real. dont spoil Christmas by telling him hes not. Do u know how much that would hurt?
Hes a magical person, and whether you believe in him or not a child has the right and choice to believe. Don't ruin there Christmas!
2006-12-22 07:24:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My boyfriend and I just had this conversation. Our son is one year old, and he thinks we shouldn't tell him about Santa. But I disagree. Santa makes Christmas magical I plan to tell him that the real Santa is at the north pole and all the Santa's you see around are his helpers to see if kids are being good. Why should we stifle children's imagination. Think about when you were young and waiting for Santa, do you really want to take that magic from your kids?
2006-12-22 04:46:58 · answer #4 · answered by Sippy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In Maine, we had a great Santa incident over 20 years back. The local Navy base would foster goodwill by coptering Santa and lowering him via rescue harness. The kids loved it.
Problem: One year, high winds made it unsafe.
Solution: They dressed a mannequin as Santa and harnessed him up. The plan was to lower the dummy to a department store roof. When the dummy was out of view, the pre-placed human "Santa" would unclip the harness, stand and wave to the kids.
Additional problem: The copter came in on schedule. The children cheered. The Santa mannequin was slowly lowered in the wind...slowly...slowly...
Then to the screams and tears of assembled little Santa believers, the dummy somehow slipped free of the harness and plunged headlong onto the roof, skidded on a patch of ice and plummeted to the parking lot with a sickening thud.
People of all ages utterly freaked. Seeing Santa plunge to his death is not something that most people are equipped for.
The live "Santa" on the roof tried valiantly to save it. "It was a joke, I'm fine" he waved from the roof.
Kids didn't buy it.
Parents were P.O.'d.
The manager of the local Sears looked at the assembled crowd, glanced at his colleagues...and they proceeded to cross the street to the local bar and get completely and utterly hammered.
True story. Ho ho ho.
2006-12-22 03:52:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes America Santa Claus lives on and Christmas Spirit is forever alive in all of us. When we were children would you have believed someone who told you Santa don't exist or would you have taken up for the old bearded fat bellied elf who delivers joy to millions of children every year. I think about it back when I was a youngster and remember fighting and I mean litterlly fighting over Santa being real or not. I still to this day believe in him and I am 45 a minister and a business owner did it hurt me, NO, I have children of my own and enjoy seeing them open gifts on Christmas morning and see the looks on their faces, don't rob our kids of that joy. I will pray for anyone who tries.
2006-12-23 02:37:51 · answer #6 · answered by Georgia Preacher 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let the Christmas myth of Santa continue and it is in such circumstances you tell them that he is human and can die just as the son of God also died. Tell them that death comes to all and none can escape it if your time comes.
It is a sad event to all and may this man's soul rest in peace, you may even tell the young children that God loved him so much that He had to call him to perform for some of the children in Heaven as they didn't have a Santa there.
2006-12-22 08:24:23 · answer #7 · answered by marizani 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why do the children need to be told that the santa actually died?
Simply say that santa was exhausted from reading all the letters and cards sent by children and that now, he has sent a friend of his to help distribute the presents until xmas eve.
Don't ruin the children's xmas!
2006-12-22 13:46:23 · answer #8 · answered by Just me 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nooooooooo let them have Santa for a little while , we all did.They find out soon enough from school friends ect. I remember finding out when i was about 8 and wasn't distraught kind of remember thinking i knew something was wrong with this landing on the roof and coming down chimney thing, didn't come as huge surprise.My son is 7 and asked me other day if Santa was real i said of course he is but could tell he,s already working it out for himself.
2006-12-22 05:00:31 · answer #9 · answered by smiler 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
this is an unfortunate incident but I feel its best to let children find out on there own. when I was a child the idea of santa made christmas magical, and I still keep up the pretence for the other younger members of the family. on christmas morning when they run in the room with their wide eyes saying "he's been" it will be so worth it. let the children be children for as long as they can. telling them wont harm them but neither will letting them believe. it will just make christmas more magical for everyone.
2006-12-22 03:49:48 · answer #10 · answered by shining star 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋