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If you go out of your way to tell kids Santa isn’t real, you’re a bad person.

Do you let kids enjoy believe in Santa in peace?

  • Yes

    Votes: 690 78.1%

  • I’m the sadistic evil bastard who spoils it for them.

    Votes: 194 21.9%
  • Total voters
    884
Lightning Count

Lightning Count

Member
Jan 27, 2019
16,081
Fuck off
Normally I'm against letting kids believe in things that are obviously not true, but in this case, I make an exception, if kids want to believe in Santa, then I will not shatter that illusion. I will play along with it, because it's harmless and if they enjoy Christmas more because of this then that is fine by me.

When they eventually figure it out if they choose to stop believing that's up to them, but I won't be that person who spoils it for them, it's not a good thing to do and I don't like the sort of people who go around spoiling it for the innocent kids.
 
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Noppie

Noppie

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,778
Why is it ok to ruin their believe in the tooth fairy, easter bunny or whatever other fantasy figure and not Santa Clause?
 
bananas

bananas

Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,863
Snata?

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Spacejaws

Spacejaws

"This guy are sick" of the One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,863
Scotland
Its the same mindset as Twitch viewers who want to dictate how to play a game to a streamer especially on blind/first playthroughs. Irredeemable sick bastards.
 
MinusTydus

MinusTydus

The Fallen
Jul 28, 2018
8,204
"Thanks for nothing, Mom and Dad, you never bought me fucking anything for Christmas, it was always Santa! YOU NEVER DID ANYTHING FOR MEEEEE!!"
 
Yeef

Yeef

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,440
New York
I would argue that letting kids believe in Santa can be more harmful in a lot of situations. "You didn't get any presents, because Santa thinks you're bad," when really dad just lost his job and couldn't afford them for instance.

But in general, you shouldn't go out of your way to tell other people's kids that Santa doesn't exist unprompted. At the same time, if a kid were to ask you outright if Santa exists, I don't see much issue in telling them the truth then. You're certainly not obligated to lie for other people.
 
Dekuman

Dekuman

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,028
Let them realize Santa isn't real on their own. Don't go out of your way to encourage the belief after a certain age, and it will be fine.
 
TheGummyBear

TheGummyBear

Member
Jan 6, 2018
8,810
United Kingdom
I feel santa is a mixed bag. My nephew still believes in him, and I bite my tongue because it makes him happy. But the whole modern Santa myth stems from from capitalism, and the pressure parents feel to get what their kids want often drives them into debt that they can't afford to take on.

I really wish that culturally we could move towards ending the toxic parts of Christmas.
 
OP
OP
Lightning Count

Lightning Count

Member
Jan 27, 2019
16,081
Fuck off
Yeef said:
I would argue that letting kids believe in Santa can be more harmful in a lot of situations. "You didn't get any presents, because Santa thinks you're bad," when really dad just lost his job and couldn't afford them for instance.

But in general, you shouldn't go out of your way to tell other people's kids that Santa doesn't exist unprompted. At the same time, if a kid were to ask you outright if Santa exists, I don't see much issue in telling them the truth then. You're certainly not obligated to lie for other people.
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Situations like that parent Losing a job or falling on hard times or into debt are always tricky and you have to find way to let the kids down gently and explain carefully. That's one of the few times I would make an exception and shatter the illusion.
 
rjinaz

rjinaz

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
28,432
Phoenix
I think the idea of Santa can be problematic when you have wealthy kids clearly getting better things from "Santa". I always had a decent xmas but I used to have a poor friend and I I remember thinking what he must do wrong not to get anything good at Christmas when I was like in grade school. I thought he must be kind of bad.

Mostly though it is harmless, and I think I would let my child believe in it until they reach a certain maturity age. Once you get past 12 or so it's probably time to reel it in if they haven't figured it out by then or had it spoiled by older kids. At some point it can be a source of mocking from other kids.

But no I would never do that to ANOTHER child or even teenager. It's not my business.
 
StrayDog

StrayDog

Avenger
Jul 14, 2018
2,624
Teaching kids to give credit to imaginary being for their presents is nothing more a preparation to giving credit another imaginary being when they become an adult.
 
kmfdmpig

kmfdmpig

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
19,385
StrayDog said:
Teaching kids to give credit to imaginary being for their presents is nothing more a preparation to giving credit another imaginary being when they become an adult.
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My kid is an atheist but believed in Santa for several years. Santa can just be a fun thing it's not an indoctrination into religion.
 
Invictus

Invictus

Member
Oct 25, 2017
653
TIL I'm an asshole for not lying to my kid. I didn't go out of my way to do anything. He was curious and asking questions I could only answer by lying….
Want to know his response? Do I still get presents?
When told yes he shrugged and went back to playing. Kids dont give a shit about an imaginary religious figure, they care about toys. I don't think this is as big a deal as many of you seem to think it is.
 
Hero_of_the_Day

Hero_of_the_Day

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
17,377
If it's your own kids, it is obviously fine not to do the whole Santa thing. But, if they aren't your kids and you decide you should be the one to end that shit, you are a fucking piece of shit.

But, I hope and assume there aren't many of those assholes invited to family gatherings.
 
Jombie

Jombie

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,392
Telling your kids the truth never makes you an asshole. It's always the people without kids trying to preach to parents on how to parent. gtfo with that shit, and have a merry Christmas.
 
Hero_of_the_Day

Hero_of_the_Day

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
17,377
StrayDog said:
What is so fun? I was not rised in a western family... so I don't get the fun part.
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He's a fantasy dude you write letters to as a kid with a list of demands (what you want for Christmas). And then that shit appears magically on Christmas morning.

I wish I could write a letter to someone and just have the shit appear tomorrow morning!
 
Lobster Roll

Lobster Roll

signature-less, now and forever
Member
Sep 24, 2019
34,444
Let kids figure things out on their own. Santa is a fun thing for kids to believe in, and then as they get older they develop mental skills such as skepticism. They'll figure it out one way or another, and it's probably better for a kid's growth to question Santa and to let the belief come to a natural end rather than solving it for them.
 
Basquiat

Basquiat

alt account
Banned
Apr 2, 2020
369
I see the whole thing as a form of acceptable gaslighting. Not for me.

I'd rather keep Xmas as a time to spend with my family. We still get to share stories, gifts, food and drink without that myth.
 
Nepenthe

Nepenthe

When the music hits, you feel no pain.
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
20,759
Tell the truth if a kid asks you. But don't be an asshole and try to break their beliefs unprompted.
 
milkyway

milkyway

One Winged Slayer
Member
May 17, 2018
3,010
When/if I have kids I'd like to think I could teach them to eventually deduce the truth. My first big clue was noticing different handwriting in different Santa notes and also noting the similarity to my mother in mine lol.
 
Akira86

Akira86

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,598
kids are over santa, you know what they'd prefer over some age old convolued fantasy featuring some big red ape?

maybe a balanced budget?
 

Deleted member 26591

Member
Oct 30, 2017
3,295
My kids find it magical and I will absolutely not spoil it for them. We leave crumbs behind from the mince pie, and leave carrots with tooth marks to further their sense of magic.

However, we also make it VERY clear that the toys under the tree are from family - and put them out with them on Christmas Eve - and only the small silly things in their stockings are from Santa/father Christmas.

That way we avoid the whole issue with comparing to other kids who's parents might be able to afford more, or those who have very little. It's the best of both worlds.
 
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