First, I need to make this clear. This is not an anti-Christmas post. Nor is it anti-Christian, or anti-Jesus.. To those that want to say that, I’ll say right now, STFU. If you think that, then you’ve completely missed the point. Now, this post is why I think it’s wrong to tell your children about Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and ETC.
I saw this viral facebook post that said the following:
“I can not stress this enough. STOP TELLING YOUR SANTA AGE KIDS THAT THEIR IPADS, AND IPHONES, AND 200 DOLLAR TOYS ARE FROM SANTA. CAUSE SOME FAMILIES CANT AFFORD THAT. LITTLE KIDS WONDER WHY THEY GOT SOCKS OR A COAT OR HAND ME DOWN TOYS FROM SANTA AND OTHER KIDS GOT AN IPAD. This is the second year I’ve had a parent cry to me telling me that their kid asked if they weren’t good enough or if Santa didn’t like them as much. Breaks my heart for the parents and the kids. SO TAKE THE CREDIT FOR THE GIFT. SANTA DIDN’T BUY THAT IPAD MOMMY DID OR DADDY DID. Leave the less expensive gifts from Santa. be blessed you can afford what others cannot. Merry Christmas.” – Anonymous
Well.. Here’s an idea. How about you just stop lying to your children? It sucks that some families can afford more than others, and it sucks that these kids are put in a position of thinking they are not good enough because one kid got an ipad and they got clothes. Don’t get me wrong on that income inequality is a b’tch. The fact of the matter is that letting your kids buy into the whole ‘Santa’ myth is lying to them. You’re directly telling them a falsehood to their face. Then when they find out Santa doesn’t exist, how many kids are heartbroken? My parents never told me that Santa existed. My parents told me that Santa did not exist. Then they also told me not to tell anyone at school because a lot of children believe that Santa exists. “It’s better to let them figure it out on their own” my dad told me. I did tell one kid once out of spite, but that’s not the point of this post. The point is that I turned out fine. I did not need some myth of Santa to learn right from wrong. I did not need a big fat, bearded, red suited lie. That’s what it is. It’s a lie.
How can you teach your children that lying is wrong, then directly lie to them? That’s hypocrisy. I think it’s a bunch of madness, and wish everyone would just get a clue. There’s no such thing as an innocent white lie.
