Should you tell your child that Santa Claus doesn't exist?
TNN | Dec 24, 2018, 13:46 IST
The day of merriment and gifts is officially here! There is something about winters that makes everything magical and gifts under the Christmas tree, definitely top the list. While Christmas celebrations go hand-in-hand with the new year, it is the tales of an old man with kind eyes, a big belly and white beard -- who sneaks in from the chimneys and keeps the gifts under the tree -- which is usually the essence of Christmas for kids growing up.
Most children grow up believing in Santa Claus inadvertently and deciding what to tell your kids about the big, old man can sometimes be a difficult decision for parents. Breaking the news can be a tough task, as you don’t want to crush their childhood Christmas fantasy, but on the other hand, you don’t want to lie to them either.
How should you tell them the truth?
What if we told you that there is a way of revealing the truth about Santa, without taking the magic away from Christmas? Yes, the answer is actually pretty simple. You can treat the whole story in the way you will actually treat a fictional piece. You can tell them it is a fictional story but they can still enjoy the concept of playing the Santa game! Your kids can still hang socks and enjoy the outpouring of gifts and love.
Explain it to your kids that they can treat Santa Claus like the way they treat superheroes, something to play make-believe with, someone to learn from.
The best part about Christmas is knowing that you are responsible for someone else’s happiness, without expecting anything in return; it is actually the spirit of kindness and generosity.
Christmas is all about giving regardless of who you are -- a 10-year-old child who got his/her grandmother a new pair of spectacles, a kind neighbour who fixed the streetlight for kids to play, a loved one who came back all the way home for Christmas or a parent who gave his or her child the gift of their choice--you, at that precise moment, were the Santa.
It is also important that you do not use Santa as a tool for your child to do good. Parents often tell their kids to behave properly or else they would end up on Santa's ‘naughty list’. Teach your child the importance of making someone else happy and we are sure they will look forward to it, all year long.
The bottom line
Ultimately, it is your decision. If you’re a parent who believes that there’s no harm in letting the kids believe in Santa, as either way they will find out on their own, once they grow up and if you want to retain the ‘Santa magic’ for as long as possible, it is your call.
On the other hand, if you want to tell them the truth, you are not wrong either. You can also opt to take the middle ground i.e. letting them discover the truth on their own, the moment they start asking questions.
Rest assured, you are not taking any ‘magic’ away from Christmas by telling the truth, rather you are gifting them something which will last a lifetime--the spirit of giving.
Most children grow up believing in Santa Claus inadvertently and deciding what to tell your kids about the big, old man can sometimes be a difficult decision for parents. Breaking the news can be a tough task, as you don’t want to crush their childhood Christmas fantasy, but on the other hand, you don’t want to lie to them either.
How should you tell them the truth?
What if we told you that there is a way of revealing the truth about Santa, without taking the magic away from Christmas? Yes, the answer is actually pretty simple. You can treat the whole story in the way you will actually treat a fictional piece. You can tell them it is a fictional story but they can still enjoy the concept of playing the Santa game! Your kids can still hang socks and enjoy the outpouring of gifts and love.
Explain it to your kids that they can treat Santa Claus like the way they treat superheroes, something to play make-believe with, someone to learn from.
The best part about Christmas is knowing that you are responsible for someone else’s happiness, without expecting anything in return; it is actually the spirit of kindness and generosity.
Christmas is all about giving regardless of who you are -- a 10-year-old child who got his/her grandmother a new pair of spectacles, a kind neighbour who fixed the streetlight for kids to play, a loved one who came back all the way home for Christmas or a parent who gave his or her child the gift of their choice--you, at that precise moment, were the Santa.
It is also important that you do not use Santa as a tool for your child to do good. Parents often tell their kids to behave properly or else they would end up on Santa's ‘naughty list’. Teach your child the importance of making someone else happy and we are sure they will look forward to it, all year long.
The bottom line
Ultimately, it is your decision. If you’re a parent who believes that there’s no harm in letting the kids believe in Santa, as either way they will find out on their own, once they grow up and if you want to retain the ‘Santa magic’ for as long as possible, it is your call.
On the other hand, if you want to tell them the truth, you are not wrong either. You can also opt to take the middle ground i.e. letting them discover the truth on their own, the moment they start asking questions.
Rest assured, you are not taking any ‘magic’ away from Christmas by telling the truth, rather you are gifting them something which will last a lifetime--the spirit of giving.
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