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This is something I was pondering today and I have a few half-formed ideas on the subject. However, I would love to hear your opinions as well.

1. To foster the belief that wonder and magic can still happen in the world
2. To enforce "proper" behavior
3. To help determine when a child is no longer a "child"
4. To spread the spirit of good will
5. Because the cultural impetous is to contiue to foster the belief
6. It is fun to trick the kiddies and make up elaborate stories and lies- just ask Nixon!
7. My partner/spouse made me and it wasn;t worth objecting
8. To drive the economy
9. Some combination

As a parent who has encouraged the belief of Santa I have my own ideas about what motivated me to do so. However, why do parent spromote the belief?

Tradition is also a thing.

People do lots of seemingly inexplicable things in the name of tradition.

A mix of No.1 and No. 6 for us.

Kids like a bit of make believe and it is surprisingly good fun pulling the wool over their eyes.

1. To foster the belief that wonder and magic can still happen in the world

4. To spread the spirit of good will

Mostly 1 and 4 I think. My wife and I take the middle ground approach. "No, Santa isn't real. But he IS a fun thing to pretend, like when we do make-believe. Just like the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy."

1. To foster the belief that wonder and magic can still happen in the world
4. To spread the spirit of good will
5. Because the cultural impetous is to contiue to foster the belief (I would call this tradition)
6. It is fun to trick the kiddies and make up elaborate stories and lies- just ask Nixon!

Belief in santa is not really any different from all the other imaginary stuff that kids like. If I try to dissuade my kids as to Santa's existence, should I also tell my 3yo that he's not "a really fast steam engine" (his words) or that Sodor Island (the home of Thomas) doesn't exist? It's something fun for kids to believe in and as long as you don't push it too hard it's got a natural expiration date that they will figure out on their own.

It's also alot of fun.

Heh, just watched "The Hogfather" the other night (movie of the Discworld book of the same name) and it had an awesome explanation.

People have to start off believing the little lies like Santa and the Tooth Fairy, in preparation for believing the big lies like good and evil, justice and honour.

(I don't remember the quote word for word, so it's paraphrased)

When I have a kid(Just one damnit, Im not made of money)
Im sending her to school in a shirt that says "Santa Isnt real, you have all been lied to"
I mean, Why break her heart when she finds out Santa wasnt real.. My heart was broken when I found out.
Annd it isnt too early to start them off being cynics

+1 to that Hotsauce

I was raised knowing Santa wasn't real, and my kids when they come along will know the same.

 Grey Templar wrote:
+1 to that Hotsauce

I was raised knowing Santa wasn't real, and my kids when they come along will know the same.

Although, I have a feelig that my future wife and my mother will override me on that

 Easy E wrote:
This is something I was pondering today and I have a few half-formed ideas on the subject. However, I would love to hear your opinions as well.

1. To foster the belief that wonder and magic can still happen in the world
2. To enforce "proper" behavior
3. To help determine when a child is no longer a "child"
4. To spread the spirit of good will
5. Because the cultural impetous is to contiue to foster the belief
6. It is fun to trick the kiddies and make up elaborate stories and lies- just ask Nixon!
7. My partner/spouse made me and it wasn;t worth objecting
8. To drive the economy
9. Some combination

As a parent who has encouraged the belief of Santa I have my own ideas about what motivated me to do so. However, why do parent spromote the belief?

You know, this reminds me of another famous mythological figure.

Tradition, and to give some magic into my kids lives.
As they get older, they get initiated into the Santa club. They love at kids the mystery, and when older, they love giving their younger siblings the sense of wonder they enjoy.

 Easy E wrote:
This is something I was pondering today and I have a few half-formed ideas on the subject. However, I would love to hear your opinions as well.

1. To foster the belief that wonder and magic can still happen in the world
2. To enforce "proper" behavior
3. To help determine when a child is no longer a "child"
4. To spread the spirit of good will
5. Because the cultural impetous is to contiue to foster the belief
6. It is fun to trick the kiddies and make up elaborate stories and lies- just ask Nixon!
7. My partner/spouse made me and it wasn;t worth objecting
8. To drive the economy
9. Some combination

As a parent who has encouraged the belief of Santa I have my own ideas about what motivated me to do so. However, why do parent spromote the belief?

I say 2, 4 and 4. Rewards and Punishments works best when it comes to 'shaping' one's own kid(s). Kids of these ages still believes in the existence of magic, fairlytales, and any sorta... (and usually grown up with fairytales involving wonderlands, the war between noble knights and witches (which knights were usually described as 'good'.... witches are always 'evil'.. through reality is not neccessary follows this patter, knightly order may be exploitive and oppressing while the decieving witches do the works of Sailor Moons and Shojo girls) ....

About the 'Santa' identity. When did Saint Nickolas left Roman Empire towards the norseland? when did the Saint Nicolas 'boss over' elves (and did he really convert these pagan elves to Christianity too?)

 Ouze wrote:

 Easy E wrote:
This is something I was pondering today and I have a few half-formed ideas on the subject. However, I would love to hear your opinions as well.

1. To foster the belief that wonder and magic can still happen in the world
2. To enforce "proper" behavior
3. To help determine when a child is no longer a "child"
4. To spread the spirit of good will
5. Because the cultural impetous is to contiue to foster the belief
6. It is fun to trick the kiddies and make up elaborate stories and lies- just ask Nixon!
7. My partner/spouse made me and it wasn;t worth objecting
8. To drive the economy
9. Some combination

As a parent who has encouraged the belief of Santa I have my own ideas about what motivated me to do so. However, why do parent spromote the belief?

You know, this reminds me of another famous mythological figure.

Indeed.

Though as my wife and her family love christmas, I guess Santa will have to be real for a while.

Just to chime in for the religious crowd. I'm teaching my child the basics of Christianity and we do the Santa thing too. While I don't think that belief in things like Santa and the Easter bunny are essential for understanding larger theological concepts, they are easier to understand and it certainly can't hurt. Who knows, maybe Santa and the tooth fairy are a foundation for the acceptance of larger spiritual truths.

Certainly Santa is easier for a kid to grasp than soteriology or the the doctrine of the Trinity.

No mention of a cat yet.....

Wait, are you saying santa isn’t real?



Thanks for ruining my Christmas guys!

Why not?

It's fun.

One time in Afghanistan Camp. Someone stuck a Santa plastic lawn ornament on top the Esco barrier....taking down eight days later since it was drawing to much fire. 33 hits on Santa

 Jihadin wrote:
One time in Afghanistan Camp. Someone stuck a Santa plastic lawn ornament on top the Esco barrier....taking down eight days later since it was drawing to much fire. 33 hits on Santa

I grew up without christmas. This year is my first proper christmas and all I can think is expensive. Growing up we used to randomly buy gifts every so often, there was never a set day to buy gifts like birthdays etc.

It had the bad side effect of me thinking I was smarter than the other kids. One day some kid started making fun of me for not believing in Santa, so I pointed to the poor kid and said "how come he got socks for christmas and you got a playstation 1?" I think some of those kids didnt believe in Santa after that.

So I dont see the point personally.

Santa is a tradition, and its modern usage stems from the commercialisation of Christmas.

Santa wasnt a notable part of Yule or Christmas festivities prior to this.

 Ouze wrote:

 Easy E wrote:
This is something I was pondering today and I have a few half-formed ideas on the subject. However, I would love to hear your opinions as well.

1. To foster the belief that wonder and magic can still happen in the world
2. To enforce "proper" behavior
3. To help determine when a child is no longer a "child"
4. To spread the spirit of good will
5. Because the cultural impetous is to contiue to foster the belief
6. It is fun to trick the kiddies and make up elaborate stories and lies- just ask Nixon!
7. My partner/spouse made me and it wasn;t worth objecting
8. To drive the economy
9. Some combination

As a parent who has encouraged the belief of Santa I have my own ideas about what motivated me to do so. However, why do parent spromote the belief?

You know, this reminds me of another famous mythological figure.

The similarities are certainly quite striking. There is, of course, another possible explanation,

It's always seemed to me as a way to keep kids interested in religious holidays. If you give them candy, they will celebrate. It's also a thing where if you don't teach the kids about Santa you might get other parents angry when (as kids do when given the option of doing something innocently mean) tell other kids that he isn't real.

As a parent and former child, it is fun for parents and children.

 Nevelon wrote:
Wait, are you saying santa isn’t real?



Thanks for ruining my Christmas guys!

At no point do I say that in the OP.

I'm personally Agnostic on his existence.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:

 Ouze wrote:

 Easy E wrote:
This is something I was pondering today and I have a few half-formed ideas on the subject. However, I would love to hear your opinions as well.

1. To foster the belief that wonder and magic can still happen in the world
2. To enforce "proper" behavior
3. To help determine when a child is no longer a "child"
4. To spread the spirit of good will
5. Because the cultural impetous is to contiue to foster the belief
6. It is fun to trick the kiddies and make up elaborate stories and lies- just ask Nixon!
7. My partner/spouse made me and it wasn;t worth objecting
8. To drive the economy
9. Some combination

As a parent who has encouraged the belief of Santa I have my own ideas about what motivated me to do so. However, why do parent spromote the belief?

You know, this reminds me of another famous mythological figure.

The similarities are certainly quite striking. There is, of course, another possible explanation,

And, for the trifecta:



My stepson and his girlfriend decided they wouldn't pretend Santa exists with their kid, who is now 7 and was never told the Santa lie, with the exact reasoning that the OP indicates: they want to always be truthful with her in all things small and large and felt the santa myth could undermine her trust in them. I don't think total honest as a parenting technique is possible or even desirable*, as I do believe in the concept of a white lie, but there are definitely people who feel that way.

*Actual really happened example: "Where are we going? The Doctor. "What are we doing there? "You need some shots before you can start school." tantrum that lasted the whole way there ensues.

And not to mention all the work you put in with not thanks. Sure sweetie, Santa got you that Xbox one, not daddy.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
And not to mention all the work you put in with not thanks. Sure sweetie, Santa got you that Xbox one, not daddy.

Spoken like a person with no kids.

Doesn't matter who "provided" the gift. Seeing the joy and happiness on the kids faces is the real reward.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
And not to mention all the work you put in with not thanks. Sure sweetie, Santa got you that Xbox one, not daddy.

They thank Santa, and in this circumstance, you are Santa, so they're still thanking you.

Hell, at least they're polite enough to say thanks to anyone, Santa or parents; loads of children won't.