how to stop the christmas lies?

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**Deadshot**

My 11 year old brother still believes. My dad uses it to make him behave. And he always justifies ideas of costs by saying Santa can only make wooden toys and has to buy stuff like Playstatiins and DVDs (due to copyright( and my parents reimburse him.

**Ma55ter_fett**

Let them find out for themselves, you only believe in Santa once.

**Ouze**

The Penny Arcade take on it: (one NSFW word)

Spoiler:

How we made it this far without this being linked is a mystery to me, but one I can rectify.

**djphranq**

I'm sorry but Santa is real, folks. I mean presents magically under the tree? I'm not saying its Santa Claus... but its Santa Claus.

**Monster Rain**

When my kids start asking intelligent questions about the feasibility of the Santa story, we tell them what's up.

**Cheesecat**

nkelsch wrote:
In a world where I see spoiled people on facebook complaining that they didn't get xbox 1s for Christmas and are only worried about what they are getting, looks like some people failed to learn what Christmas was all about.

Every kids Christmas special basically tells kids 'there is no santa, but there is a spirit of giving, service to others and so on.' If you watch these Christmas specials, the main character only 'meets santa' once they have done something in the spirit of charity to others and helping others.

Here is my story: When I was growing up, my family had a rough patch. My sister had Leukemia and the family was not doing well for a few years. I never knew that we were poor, or how dire my sister's condition was, I was too young. During that time I would get a present from Santa which was a new transformer. Not a big gift, but it meant a lot to me. When I became older, I found out that my Mom's co-workers would buy my sister and I christmas gifts 'from santa' because all the family's money went to medical bills. When you boil it down, those gifts from Santa really were from 'santa' even if they came from others. It wasn't a lie. From that point forward, Christmas was about 'what I could do for others' not 'what video game I got under the tree.'

I was never raised in a 'gift-centric' house. We always had what we needed. Presents are appreciated, never expected. Now I get to be 'santa' to others wherever I can help. And like Scrooge says, I try to keep that spirit in how I live my life year around, not just at Christmas.

For you guys who are like 'Santa is a lie, presents come from the store. Time to tell the kids.' That is a failure. If your kids are questioning santa, then maybe it is time to expose them to some things... like giving to others less fortunate, Helping others. Don't say santa is a lie and stop believing... you teach them to 'become santa' not simply ignore it and demand a new iPhone from mom and dad instead. If you teach them that Santa exists via charity and service, then it never was a lie to begin with. If you end with spoiling kids with presents and that's it, then you reap what you sow.

I think my heart grew 3 times bigger.

**SagesStone**

djphranq wrote:
I'm sorry but Santa is real, folks. I mean presents magically under the tree? I'm not saying its Santa Claus... but its Santa Claus.

Clearly the work of alien wizards.

**Relapse**

Ma55ter_fett wrote:
Let them find out for themselves, you only believe in Santa once.

This right here. When my kids get old enough to figure things out, we recruit them to help being Santa. They have a blast doing it and
appreciate the chance to bring wonder into their younger sister's lives.

**d-usa**

Cheesecat wrote:
nkelsch wrote:
In a world where I see spoiled people on facebook complaining that they didn't get xbox 1s for Christmas and are only worried about what they are getting, looks like some people failed to learn what Christmas was all about.

Every kids Christmas special basically tells kids 'there is no santa, but there is a spirit of giving, service to others and so on.' If you watch these Christmas specials, the main character only 'meets santa' once they have done something in the spirit of charity to others and helping others.

Here is my story: When I was growing up, my family had a rough patch. My sister had Leukemia and the family was not doing well for a few years. I never knew that we were poor, or how dire my sister's condition was, I was too young. During that time I would get a present from Santa which was a new transformer. Not a big gift, but it meant a lot to me. When I became older, I found out that my Mom's co-workers would buy my sister and I christmas gifts 'from santa' because all the family's money went to medical bills. When you boil it down, those gifts from Santa really were from 'santa' even if they came from others. It wasn't a lie. From that point forward, Christmas was about 'what I could do for others' not 'what video game I got under the tree.'

I was never raised in a 'gift-centric' house. We always had what we needed. Presents are appreciated, never expected. Now I get to be 'santa' to others wherever I can help. And like Scrooge says, I try to keep that spirit in how I live my life year around, not just at Christmas.

For you guys who are like 'Santa is a lie, presents come from the store. Time to tell the kids.' That is a failure. If your kids are questioning santa, then maybe it is time to expose them to some things... like giving to others less fortunate, Helping others. Don't say santa is a lie and stop believing... you teach them to 'become santa' not simply ignore it and demand a new iPhone from mom and dad instead. If you teach them that Santa exists via charity and service, then it never was a lie to begin with. If you end with spoiling kids with presents and that's it, then you reap what you sow.

I think my heart grew 3 times bigger.

Cardiomegaly is a serious condition, you should have that looked at.

**Jimsolo**

I teach my children that Santa is a fun thing to pretend. You know, like daddy and his friends pretend to fight orcs when they play D&D.

The notion that Christmas is a time for the giving of gifts, rather than the receiving of them, is a totally separate one to the Santa Claus issue, at least in my book. I haven't seen any issues with that yet, but should an overly self-centered holiday attitude develop, I'm more than capable of taking steps to remedy the situation.