Another unpopular post coming up!
We never did Santa growing up. It wasn’t because we didn’t celebrate Christmas, or celebrated Christmas as a religious holiday only, eschewing the secular part. We just…didn’t do him. I’m sure my parents have some explanation of why we didn’t, but I don’t know the reason. Some of our presents might have been from Santa, but I always, always knew Mom and Dad had written the tag. And because we didn’t do it, I have a hard time putting on the charade for my son…although now that I can think about it from an adult perspective, I have my own reasons. And no, they don’t include, as one blog I read did, that the letters of Santa can be arranged into Satan. It’s not even going to be that lying about Santa will lead them to believe I’m lying about Jesus.
We never did Santa growing up. It wasn’t because we didn’t celebrate Christmas, or celebrated Christmas as a religious holiday only, eschewing the secular part. We just…didn’t do him. I’m sure my parents have some explanation of why we didn’t, but I don’t know the reason. Some of our presents might have been from Santa, but I always, always knew Mom and Dad had written the tag. And because we didn’t do it, I have a hard time putting on the charade for my son…although now that I can think about it from an adult perspective, I have my own reasons. And no, they don’t include, as one blog I read did, that the letters of Santa can be arranged into Satan. It’s not even going to be that lying about Santa will lead them to believe I’m lying about Jesus.
It’s just not necessary
Why add more stress to the holiday season than normal? Why go out of your way to hide presents…not just the unwrapped presents, but the presents PERIOD…just to perpetuate the story? Why start something that one year might be easy and the next not so much? What if I <gasp> forget to put the reindeer food out one Christmas Eve?
Why add more stress to the holiday season than normal? Why go out of your way to hide presents…not just the unwrapped presents, but the presents PERIOD…just to perpetuate the story? Why start something that one year might be easy and the next not so much? What if I <gasp> forget to put the reindeer food out one Christmas Eve?
The old “it’s a lie”
reason
Enough said.
Enough said.
Babies don’t like him
I know many people think pictures of babies and toddlers screaming in Santa’s lap are funny, but I don’t. If I don’t let my child cry out of hunger or pain, why would I let him cry because he doesn’t want a stranger holding him? He doesn’t have to go to someone if he doesn’t want to. Why would Santa be an exception?
I know many people think pictures of babies and toddlers screaming in Santa’s lap are funny, but I don’t. If I don’t let my child cry out of hunger or pain, why would I let him cry because he doesn’t want a stranger holding him? He doesn’t have to go to someone if he doesn’t want to. Why would Santa be an exception?
I don’t want to deal
with the fallout
Lazy mom admission here: I just don’t want to deal with a screaming, distraught child who just found out Santa’s not real. It’s not a given he’ll react that way, but why invite the chance? At the very least, he’ll feel deceived and that’s not a feeling I want towards me.
Lazy mom admission here: I just don’t want to deal with a screaming, distraught child who just found out Santa’s not real. It’s not a given he’ll react that way, but why invite the chance? At the very least, he’ll feel deceived and that’s not a feeling I want towards me.
I want to get credit
Easy enough. I spend all the time and money shopping for gifts, and I want to get the hugs and kisses for it.
Easy enough. I spend all the time and money shopping for gifts, and I want to get the hugs and kisses for it.
I don’t believe in
scare tactics
I think this thought really came about when the Elf on the Shelf became popular. Even before I became a mom, I couldn’t understand why parents would resort to this to scaring their children into behaving. I can’t understand why behavior should come from any kind of external source instead of from within. I especially don’t understand why parents would only do this during Christmas…shouldn’t we be gently encouraging our children to behave all the time?
I think this thought really came about when the Elf on the Shelf became popular. Even before I became a mom, I couldn’t understand why parents would resort to this to scaring their children into behaving. I can’t understand why behavior should come from any kind of external source instead of from within. I especially don’t understand why parents would only do this during Christmas…shouldn’t we be gently encouraging our children to behave all the time?
And my biggest reason
of all:
Presents aren’t just
for those who deserve them
I can’t help but tie the story of Santa giving presents to good girls and boys to the issue of salvation. In the same way that we can’t earn salvation by being “good”, my child can’t earn presents by being good. His behavior will never measure up. He’ll misbehave. But that doesn’t matter. He gets presents because I love him and love seeing his face light up.
I can’t help but tie the story of Santa giving presents to good girls and boys to the issue of salvation. In the same way that we can’t earn salvation by being “good”, my child can’t earn presents by being good. His behavior will never measure up. He’ll misbehave. But that doesn’t matter. He gets presents because I love him and love seeing his face light up.
So right now you’re probably thinking Christmas with me must
suck. That the magic is gone. That I’ve killed Christmas. Well, you’d be wrong. There are still tons of presents under the
tree, and Christmas decorations (more than my husband would like sometimes, I
think), and candles, and Christmas cookies, and even reading books about Santa. There’s the longstanding tradition of last
minute Christmas Eve shopping with my dad, and Advent wreath lighting, and
picking out cute Christmas clothes for the baby. There even might be a celebration of St.
Nicholas Day. But Santa is simply a
story for me, nothing more.
