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The debate over whether to encourage children to believe in Santa Claus at Christmas is controversial. Some see it as a harmless tradition while others view it as a lie. Families can find a middle ground by teaching the symbolism of giving and generosity. Ultimately, parents should decide what is best for their family and teach children to respect others’ beliefs.
Santa Claus causes a lot of controversy when families celebrating Christmas must decide whether to encourage their children to believe in him. Some people are adamantly against children believing in Santa Claus, while others feel it wouldn’t be the same without children thinking he’s visiting them on Christmas Eve. Many parents try to walk a middle line between a belief in possibility and a consideration of reality.
People who want their children to believe in Santa generally cite two reasons. Some may not want this Christian holiday to be dominated by belief in a pagan symbol. They often point out that it can detract from the celebration of Christ’s birth and take away the true meaning of Christmas.
Other families object to encouraging children to believe in Santa Claus because they believe this is an outright lie to children. They feel that they are breaking their children’s trust by telling them a lie that will sooner or later be discovered. These adults may remember the disappointment of learning that Santa did not exist when they were children and may not wish to inflict the same disappointment on their own children.
Some parents, on the other hand, argue that not believing in Santa steals some of the magic of Christmas. From a Christian point of view, they could argue that it is symbolic of the giving spirit of Christmas and, therefore, is related to Christ. They find no harm in telling children this and encouraging belief, because childhood may be the only place where such belief can occur.
Parents who encourage faith in Santa Claus may have a specific ritual for telling children about Christmas, or they may let the children find out for themselves. When children find out, however, parents should be aware that this could be a cause for grief in children. They may want to tell the children themselves and make them part of the holiday spirit by having them help distribute presents.
Families can walk a middle line between belief and unbelief. They could teach that Santa Claus is a symbol of giving and that believing in that symbol is a good thing. Christian parents can also point out that it is only a symbol while Christ is a reality. Thinking about Santa can therefore take on a quality of the whole family pretending and imagining together.
When children are giving presents, they are playing Santa Claus in the middle road approach. A parent can, therefore, encourage their children to be part of the symbol of generosity and miracles. However, children tend to understand how gifts arrive in a few years, but faith in the symbol, according to some parents, can last a lifetime.
There is no right way to answer whether parents should encourage faith in Santa Claus. Parents should judge by what they think is right for their families. Whether they decide to go down the path of unbelief, or when disabusing children about the reality of Santa Claus, it’s important for children to realize that not everyone believes the same way. In fact, it can be a little mean for kids to tell other kids that Santa doesn’t exist. So children who don’t believe should be encouraged not to screw things up for those who do.
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