SPIN OFF OF SHAMMA'S SPIN OFF: Those who will not be raising their kids with Santa...

I just read Shamma's post about raising kids with Santa and it made me think. For those of you who stated that you will not be raising your kids with Santa, I'm curious how you plan to deal with the whole Santa issue. I'm Jewish, and honestly can't remember how my parents explained to me about Santa. I'm sure they told me that Santa is for those kids who celebrate Christmas and not for us, but I don't remember if they let me believe that Santa existed for a while or not. I vaguely remember seeing Santa in the mall and maybe even getting to meet him, but can't be certain.

Anyway, my question is this...even if you will not be raising your kids to believe in Santa, they will hear about Santa and wonder why Santa doesn't come to their home. Will you tell them that he simply doesn't exist and that's it, or will you explain to them how other children believe in Santa and that they should be mindful of not revealing the truth to them so as not to spoil their 'magic,' as so many others put it.

Just curious.

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Posted by jannshari

explain to them how other children believe in Santa and that they should be mindful of not revealing the truth to them so as not to spoil their 'magic,' as so many others put it.

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we are undecided...but this sounds like the best/polite thing to do...

children should learn early to respect other peoples views

Sigh.

God help my poor children

I NEVER EVER EVER was told that a fat man in a red suit or the presents under the tree had ANYTHING to do with Christmas.

My mother was so very devout. God was god. Not to be misinterpreted, not to be questioned, not to be represented by any idol god.

We were never give the choice of thinking Santa had anything to do with the season of Xmas. Santa was somehow explain to us as a part of the 'feel' of the night but strongly and clearly explained to us that he nor gift giving is part of Xmas. TV, school and other kids taught me more about Santa than my mother. She just made VERY sure we had our ducks in a row in beliefs (hers). She nailed it into us all the time.

*sigh*

I hope never to do that to my own children.

I'm Jewish. I was too smart when I was a kid, so the only local preschool that could handle me was a local Catholic school. It didn't teach religion yet, so my parents sent me there. But I was the only Jew, so the teacher didn't think about it when she said that Santa came to the houses of all good little boys and girls.

Well wait a second.

Santa doesn't come to my house - I must be bad. Santa doesn't come to my house because I'm Jewish, so that must be the reason that I'm bad. In fact, Santa doesn't visit any Jewish kids, so all Jewish people are bad.

My mother had a hysterical child on that Christmas Eve. What on earth could she do? She can't tell me that there is no Santa because I was the kind of kid who would tell all the other kids and she'd have every parent in the neighborhood on her front step. And there was no way my Dad would allow Christmas in the house. So she did the only thing she could do. She wrapped an extra present from Chanukah, and left it by the fireplace with a note saying 'Dear Rachel, Happy Chanukah, Love Santa Claus.'

And from then on, Santa brought me Chanukah presents until I was about 12 or so. I freaked out a bunch of Mall Santas with my Chanukah wish-list.

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Posted by PrincessRose
I freaked out a bunch of Mall Santas with my Chanukah wish-list.

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LOL!!!!