The Ultimate Santa Claus Blog

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The Ultimate Santa Claus Blog

Blog Posted:12/2/2012 12:12:00 AM

   Our wholly (Holy?) secular Santa Claus is not only a powerful intrinsic-Western cultural symbol but also a fun fairy tale impossible to ignore.
   But...
   Perhaps "my" most serious objection to perpetuate the belief in Santa Claus among children is that in order to do so, "I" have to lie to the children. Why should I be lying to the children?
   It’s neither a simple and innocent “little white lie” (for their own good or one that might-would-could-will protect them from harm) nor just an enlightening story like Pinocchio (parents usually defend the Santa's lie by saying that it's just a story); it's an unethical and unnecesary fabrication that corrodes our "trust" capital...because eventually they will know we've lied to them.

"And all manner of liars shall not enter the Kingdom of God."

(Rev:21:8)

Excuse # 1. Behavior.

Dumb parenting can use this fable to "control" children: if you're "good" you'll get presents, and if you're "naughty" you won't. Anyways, it doesn't work: any child ever altered his behavior in any way because of this threat... only for the two or three weeks before Christmas or possibly for fifteen minutes after being reminded.

Excuse # 2. Imagination.

Really? Santa's story doesn't "help" our children imagination. That makes no sense! We don't ask them to actually "imagine" anything: we just feed their beliefs. "We" have to exercise "our" imagination to construct more and more lies and defenses to discourage their skepticism (Santa has supernatural powers; Santa can travel around the whole world in a short period of time; Santa is constantly watching you...)

Excuse # 3. Enjoyment.

Children don't need to think Santa is real to enjoy Christmas. There are too many reasons (and traditions, is you want) to enjoy and celebrate Christmas. We can exchange gifts JUST because we love each other. We can sing carols, eat special food, spend invaluable time together...Children don't need a supersonic red dressed fat man flying on reindeer to enjoy Christmas.

Excuse # 4. Benefit.

Parents (and grandparents, aunts, uncles...) don't lie for the benefit of the children. They do it because it's a form of entertainment! They love to watch children ingenuously believe something they know isn't true...seeing their candid excitement. Think about it: it's a selfish and cruel trick.

"And all who love and maketh a lie shall not

dwell in The Holy City of New Jerusalem,

of Heaven."

(Rev:22:14).

It's not too late.
Don't lie.
Come clean.
Merry Christmas!

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JoeMaverick

Date: 12/15/2012 11:57:00 AM

Its right what you've written Ruben, the thing is its a creeping Attack on God (with the all knowing ) angle; and any fantastic Thing like flying reindeer, detract also from a man Nicholas, a Christian No doubt; who did a good deed."

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CharmaineChircop

Date: 12/5/2012 9:09:00 AM

I love the tooth fairy.Re Pinoocchiio..Let me think! yeah [ ] i love him too

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Ruben O. Date: 12/5/2012 10:35:00 AM

She's so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CharmaineChircop

Date: 12/5/2012 9:06:00 AM

:-)

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Ruben O. Date: 12/5/2012 10:36:00 AM

- : - )

CharmaineChircop

Date: 12/5/2012 9:04:00 AM

Ho ho ho!I love the big fat Santa.He is the sweetest lie my parents ever lied.Xmas is about giving ..sharing.. Its about mistltoes..eating turkey..its about mistlle toe..its about xmas mass..watching scrooge movie and its about SANTA B-).i love the fat Santa..even if he s a lie..even if he s fantasy.He s magic to me.

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Ruben O. Date: 12/5/2012 10:36:00 AM

Oh! ....those mistletoes!!! : )

RubenO.

Date: 12/3/2012 12:07:00 PM

----> then she called "the family" and acknowledged allll the Christmas gifts. We promised to each other: no more lies; and since then we have no secrets, no lies, always the truth...Sometimes I have to stop her: "Young Lady, that's tooo much information!! : ) (She is 20!). ; )

Cyndi MacMillan Date: 12/3/2012 4:48:00 PM

Everything you said in the comments back to me would have made a blog with more oomph. Just mho. Yes, I remember learning about Santa. Don't you? But you must have also remembered the other aspects of Santa or you would not have recreated that magic for your daughter in the first place. You're no lemming. I know it wasn't following the masses. It was heart!

RubenO.

Date: 12/3/2012 12:02:00 PM

--------> then, she was thinking... She asked me: Does Santa Claus exist? I asked her again if she wanted to know the truth...she said yes. After my explanation...she said (I can't forget her words!) "You've been lying to me"!!!!!!!!!!!! : (

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RubenO.

Date: 12/3/2012 11:52:00 AM

@ Cyndi. One night, my daughter was 9 years old, I was in my "tooth fairy role" (Ratoncito Perez) and didnt notice she was still awake. I took the teeth and put $5 under the pillow...she kept "sleeping." Next morning, she came (looking into my eyes) and said to me: The tooth fairy doesn't exist; you're the tooth fairy. (She was like... complaining). I told her: Im not going to lie to you, ask anything you want to know...but...be very careful...sometimes we dont want to know the truth. Does the Tooth fairy exist? No, it doesnt exist; it's a custom...parents blah..blah...and I didnt want you to be depreived of this illusion. ---->

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DebbieGuzzi

Date: 12/3/2012 11:06:00 AM

Aww come-on you! #1 apply to Church as a whole & any organized religion with a dogma[anyones church] naughty & nice/heaven & hell bah! Stop giving them presents tell them here's $x now you kids go buy gifts for others IF you recieve a gift from anyone be thankful & don't forget to tell them SELFMADE gifts are best..most from the heart!

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Ruben O. Date: 12/3/2012 11:24:00 AM

Aha! You got it! : ) ...like any organized religion!

CharlesHenderson

Date: 12/2/2012 11:17:00 PM

I don't know Ruben, I suspected something at 10, it was confirmed at 11, and I played Santa at 12 and have enjoyed it ever since. Personally I would not have wanted that feeling taken away from me. If it is done so the child figures it out for himself, I can't see the harm in it. From my view, It has nothing to do with teaching them to cheat or lie. At least not as much as it leads them into a path of giving joyfully. I'm just glad we all have to respect each other's opinion. That is a biggie.

Ruben O. Date: 12/3/2012 11:32:00 AM

There is no harm in it. I just dont want to lie to the children. They love toys... and they dont reallly care about "who" is the "giver"

PatriciaEllis

Date: 12/2/2012 7:15:00 PM

My parents never played * the santa game* and I turned out normal-no scratch that-mostly normal- no scratch that too- slightly normal. Anyhow, my old man's red nose would have put Rudolph to shame..Happy Festivus

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Ruben O. Date: 12/3/2012 11:33:00 AM

Red nose? I got it...and Im sorry. Hugs.

KimMerryman

Date: 12/2/2012 10:04:00 AM

Very interesting blog, Ruben! I had heard a preacher once say that when an older child discovers Santa was a lie, what's to keep them from thinking we lied to them about Jesus being real? I never emphasized Santa when my kids were young, but they were surrounded by Santa at school and at retail stores and other relatives I had no control over. Fortunately they never seemed confused by all the hoopla.

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Ruben O. Date: 12/3/2012 12:16:00 PM

That's the problem! We have no control over the Santa's hoopla! : )

AndreaDietrich

Date: 12/2/2012 8:42:00 AM

Ruben, an interesting blog, but personally I could not care less about the whole santa claus thing. Thankfully the only toys I am giving out these days are for my grandkids and I can put "from grandma and grandpa" on those gifts. What their parents choose to is up to them. I think most kids by age 8 are willing to play the "Santa" game with their younger siblings and perpetuate this silly myth. My daughter has the one BIG present for each kid as coming from Santa. ANyway, it's one of the few nicer things about being over 50, you just get to sit back and watch all the hoopla being made over the Santa Claus issue!

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Ruben O. Date: 12/3/2012 12:14:00 PM

Oh...granchildren! I think im going to do what my daughter tells me to do! LOL!

craigcornish

Date: 12/2/2012 7:15:00 AM

Shhhh, Shhhh, you'll be ok, you'll be ok, go take a nappy and it will all go away and Santa will forgive you dearest Ruben. BTW your I BELIEVE button is in the mail. We believers have a big tent a lots of love and luckily time left before our leader flies on Christmas Eve. Love You!

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Ruben O. Date: 12/3/2012 12:12:00 PM

thank you, Craig...too much stress...too much stress... : )

CyndiMacMillan

Date: 12/2/2012 6:42:00 AM

Uh, I'm confused. Didn't you tell YOUR kids about Santa? LOL. You is very funny!

Ruben O. Date: 12/3/2012 11:38:00 AM

I became Daddy when I was 22!! I too was a kid! : ) I did everything...I even wrote Santa's response and sent it to her by mail! : ) ...Im going to tell you the story in a comment, im not sure if it going to fix here....

Cyndi MacMillan Date: 12/2/2012 6:44:00 AM

Reminds me of those ex-smokers who stand on a stool in the bar and holler, "DON'T SMOKE. IT'll KILL YOU." and then another regular yells, "HEY BOB. I SAW YOU LIGHTING UP YESTERDAY."

Poet DestroyerA

Date: 12/2/2012 3:07:00 AM

say what???? love it Ruben. xox~ALWAYS*PD

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Ruben O. Date: 12/3/2012 12:18:00 PM

Have you written your Christmas list? Have you been a good girl this year? LOL!

DavidWilliams

Date: 12/2/2012 2:00:00 AM

ha ha ha ha, love this Ruben...

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Ruben O. Date: 12/3/2012 12:19:00 PM

Im glad you liked it, David.

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