Is it acceptable for parents to lie about the existence of Santa Claus? Options

[Joanne]

Last year in my Academic Reading & Writing class, we had a debate about whether it is acceptable or appropriate for parents to lie to their children about the existence of Santa Claus. I found it really interesting... so why not bring the debate here?

We were each given a 1897 New York Sun article as 'background information' Okay, so she gave this to us because she found it interesting and it's related to the topic. = ='':

Dear Editor: I am 8 years old.

Some of my little friends say, there is no Santa Claus.

Papa says "If you see it in the Sun it's so."

Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would they prove? Nobody sees Sanata Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see.

No Santa Claus! Thank God, he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

So... yes or no?

[coconutter]

And so what if they cry? I mean it is kind of sad, but it isn't like someone died, or someone got hurt, they never met him or knew him, and its not like its traumatizing.

In a way when children find out Santa isn't real at a younger age, (which people like to spoil it for younger children sometimes), Santa does die to him or her. He no longer exists, he is no longer alive in their minds. When children are younger they should not be exposed to that form of trickery. Also, I would care if my child was crying. There should not be any time where you should not be concerned about a child's emotions. Even if it is over something very silly.

The kind of Santa advocated by the Sun is supposed to counteract this kind of brash materialism. A big part of Santa is the presents, but he also represents fairness (he gives what people deserve, if you're bad, you're getting a lump of coal) and goodwill/benevolence/charity (he gives out of the goodness of his heart).

Christmas would not be as big as it is without this type of materialism. Santa wouldn't either. There are other, more honest ways of teaching children fairness. Say, if your child had done well in school that year, or had behaved then they would receive more presents, but you could tell them this and they would understand. In a way, it's a bad generalization for someone to say "If you've been bad you don't get anything". That's just not the reality of real life. It's also unfair because there is no way a person could do only bad things. Children, whether or not they're cold-hearted, still have love, and lying to them about getting presents from an imaginary man is NOT the healthy way to bring out love.

Santa really doesn't bring as much joy to Christmas as he is believed to. In other parts of the world forms of Christmas celebration and other celebrations are just as joyous and spiritual without Santa. It's frivolous to say "without a certain thing there is no holiday", especially since Santa has nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas. Although, modern Christmas is more like "xmas" to most people. The meaning of "xmas" has became basically the time of giving and receiving and fun (such as decorating, and spending time with family". The world would do well without Santa.

I don't know if parents actually lie about Santa. Santa's such a large part of the cultural imaginary that it's different than an outright lie.

Just because it is widely accepted and part of mostly imagination does not mean it is not a lie. All lies are lies, whether or not they are accepted. Being widely accepted does not give people the authority to lie. The definition of of a lie is "not telling the truth", and the truth is there is no such living thing that does exactly what the speculated Santa is supposed to do every Christmas. For that reason, it IS a lie.

[hi-C]

In a way, it's a bad generalization for someone to say "If you've been bad you don't get anything". That's just not the reality of real life. It's also unfair because there is no way a person could do only bad things. Children, whether or not they're cold-hearted, still have love, and lying to them about getting presents from an imaginary man is NOT the healthy way to bring out love.

I didn't mean it as an absolute, but okay. For the most part, I think (the concept of) Santa understands that there's no way for a child to be completely horrible all the time. Why do you think he gives presents to children and not adults? It's an acknowledgment of the magic and innocence within a child's heart. And the point is that he inspires goodness and behavior.

But I do agree, if a kid needs only Santa to be good, then the parents aren't doing their job right.

Just because it is widely accepted and part of mostly imagination does not mean it is not a lie. All lies are lies, whether or not they are accepted.

I said, "imaginary," not imagination. Santa's creation and subsequent popularity and ubiquity obviously mean that he's filling some sort of social void.