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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> When did you stop believing in Santa?
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12/09/2005 11:29:40 AM · #51
Originally posted by roadrunner:

he IS still real to me.. otherwise how on earth would WE afford to buy a 70-200 IS L ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????


I have a few ideas.
12/09/2005 11:40:16 AM · #52
I swear to God I have yet to figure this out. Last Year there was a gift under my tree from 'Santa'. I lived alone at the time and only 1 person has keys to my house. The gift is not something that person would have gotten for me....

Santa??
:-)
12/09/2005 11:42:15 AM · #53
Originally posted by dassilem:

I swear to God I have yet to figure this out. Last Year there was a gift under my tree from 'Santa'. I lived alone at the time and only 1 person has keys to my house. The gift is not something that person would have gotten for me....

Santa??
:-)


Stalker.
12/23/2005 11:36:41 AM · #54
This is what I tell my daughter Ellie, 10 years old and I told Melissa when she was about the same age.

"I still believe in Santa Clause but at my age it's more of a spiritual belief. Yes, parents help Santa Clause on Christmas because there is just no way he can make it all around the world in one day but at least once in a child's lifetime, sometimes twice the real Santa comes to see you and leaves you more than you could have imagined."

And then I remind both my girls of 2 years ago when Santa came to our house, unannounce, and left them more toys and clothes and goodies than any of us could have imagined, I swear to them that their father and I had nothing to do with it and I'm not lying to them either. Through the generosity and kindness of others my daughter's Christmas two years ago was wonderful, something they will always remember and cherish. They went to bed thinking Santa wasn't going to make it at all that year and woke up to a living room full of love, joy and surprises! :)

Deannda
12/23/2005 11:53:30 AM · #55
I was typing when the other thread by the same name was locked....thought I'd bring my bah-humbug over here so y'all can let me have it:

"You might find these posts interesting to read:
//parents.berkeley.edu/advice/holidays/jewish-santa.html

Meanwhile, I think your neighbors are being unreasonable to think that Christmas is "ruined" and that somehow your daughter is to blame! Children start questioning the "truth" about Santa around 2nd or 3rd grade...mostly they continue to try to believe or pretend to believe so their cache of goodies and presents won't be taken away from them.

People who continue to try to keep the myth about Santa "real" to their children are guilty of some of the worst crimes a parent can commit!
1. They are liars....and their children will eventually find that out.
2. They instill false beliefs...and if Santa isn't real then what's next, god?
3. They are deceivers....good things happen by "magic" not because real people are charitable and loving.
4. They are bribers...if you are good you get rewards. (I remember thinking I had been so bad one year that I wasn't going to get any gifts. Therefore, I reasoned, it no longer mattered if I was "good" because I had already blown it. I was 10.)
5. They squash healthy curiosity and critical thinking....don't listen to other opinions, just believe what I believe because I said so.
6. They repress their children....just how long is childhood supposed to last? If a 10 year-old has to believe in Santa, why not allow her to suck her thumb, throw tantrums, and believe her "real" parents will find her one day and put her on her princess throne so she can have anything she wants?
7. They open their children to ridicule...pretty much self-explanatory if you think of your playground days.
8. They subvert the true meaning of Christmas...not elves, reindeer and presents--but child, love and the story of the greatest gift ever given.

I doubt this helps you much in your dilemma--but I had to get it off my chest. Thanks for the opportunity to rant. *<|}:-) "
12/23/2005 12:15:46 PM · #56
Nice to see a thread about christmas that isn't totally dominated by American Media driven Pro-Santa isms.

I was never told by my parents that there was a Santa, and like Hsteg, my family never celebrated Christmas.

Many people I have met as I have gotten older have commented on difficult times as children finding out that their parents lied to them. Especially in really christian families. It really turns some kids' worlds upside down when they find out that their parents are good honest christians who lie to their kids and belittle charitable actions by hard-working and self-sacrificing people.

My parents also recommended to me strongly to make sure that good deeds I do to others span the whole year around (same goes for thanksgiving).

When I was around 10, my parents bought me a medium sized-single volume encyclopedia by some British company that was printed in the mid seventies. I thought it was cool as it had neat stuff about chemistry and history and mechanics set up on transparent film layers. I learned a lot from that encyclopedia. It also had a brief section on holidays including the big 3 or 4 (Easter, Christmas, Halloween and maybe one other?). I have since noted without paying too much attention to the fact that if you look just a little, you will find out a whole lot about christmas.

I personally find the whole thing distasteful, offensive and repulsive. From the christmas tree which comes from ancient Baal worship to the mistletoe to force the unwilling in Roman orgies to the........ I won't bore you all with the details. They are readily obtainable elsewhere.

I'm all for doing nice things and helping people, but don't tie that to christmas please. That's an inappropriate and overused sugar coating.

While I'm not a "pagan" myself, I found it interesting that when I worked at a health food store with about 1/3 or more of the employees describing themselves as "pagan", when they requested gently to restrict christmas music to just the one day instead of the entire month, management responded by telling them not to "shove their religion down other people's throats".

yum.
12/23/2005 12:19:33 PM · #57
A friend of mine just stopped by my house. His son is 8 or 9, I'm not sure. His son asked to borrow the Camcorder, because he wanted to set it up to prove there's no santa. My friend could have said no to borrowing the camcorder, but he said yes. Now he's on his way to rent a Santa suit and he's going to climb out from inside the chimney for the camera. LOL! I can't wait to see the video.
:-D
12/23/2005 12:40:07 PM · #58
Originally posted by mandyturner:

My family never did the "Santa" fantasy. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.


Same here.
Christmas = Mass of christ, anyone?
12/23/2005 12:53:34 PM · #59
Originally posted by KaDi:


2. They instill false beliefs...and if Santa isn't real then what's next, god?


I fail to see why a child questioning God is a problem. A child learns by asking questions. It is healthy to question others spiritual beliefs, it is how a child forms thier own.
12/23/2005 01:07:51 PM · #60
Originally posted by mesmeraj:

Originally posted by KaDi:


2. They instill false beliefs...and if Santa isn't real then what's next, god?


I fail to see why a child questioning God is a problem. A child learns by asking questions. It is healthy to question others spiritual beliefs, it is how a child forms thier own.


To clarify, I was trying to say that children should question beliefs--Santa, God, Easter Bunny, etc. By telling children it is wrong to discuss these things with their peers, parents send the message that belief is received (from them). When the child eventually decides that there is no Santa, the logical conclusion is that the parents' beliefs have little credibility--they lied to me about Santa, maybe they're lying to me about God, too.
12/23/2005 01:10:35 PM · #61
Originally posted by KaDi:

People who continue to try to keep the myth about Santa "real" to their children are guilty of some of the worst crimes a parent can commit!


I think children should be sent to work straight from the womb so they get a sense of the real world! No goofing around on someone else's dime.
12/23/2005 01:27:38 PM · #62
Originally posted by eschelar:


While I'm not a "pagan" myself, I found it interesting that when I worked at a health food store with about 1/3 or more of the employees describing themselves as "pagan", when they requested gently to restrict christmas music to just the one day instead of the entire month, management responded by telling them not to "shove their religion down other people's throats".


And I do not have to keep quiet because you don't want to hear my Christmas music. I am putting up a CHRISTMAS TREE, not a Holiday Tree....I will be celebrating Jesus Christ, and enjoying the wonderment of Santa. I quote the musician Kenny G. (Jewish) He has released 2 Holiday albums. As he writes, he 'acknowleges that some Christmastime music is the most beautiful music written and it would be a loss not to share this remarkable music'

So, Merry Christmas to all who wish to accept my sincere sentiment... Have a nice day to those who don't.
12/23/2005 02:12:07 PM · #63
Originally posted by mk:

Originally posted by KaDi:

People who continue to try to keep the myth about Santa "real" to their children are guilty of some of the worst crimes a parent can commit!


I think children should be sent to work straight from the womb so they get a sense of the real world! No goofing around on someone else's dime.


""Are there no prisons?" said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with
his own words. "Are there no workhouses?""
12/23/2005 02:29:18 PM · #64
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, nonaddictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holidays, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all... and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "AMERICA" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, sexual preference, or choice of camera brand of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law. It is also revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.

This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

The wishee further agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the wisher, along with his heirs, assigns, and his employer and its officers, directors, shareholders.

-edit this isn't my material, but I thought it fit well with the retentive nature of a few ppl here, and would amuse the rest. :-P

Message edited by author 2005-12-23 14:33:21.
12/23/2005 02:30:35 PM · #65
Slippy, can I copy that and hand it out at Wal-Mart? And to all the xmas grinches?
:)
12/23/2005 02:57:54 PM · #66
Originally posted by Strikeslip:

Please accept with no obligation....


Love it !!
12/23/2005 03:02:30 PM · #67
We grew up relatively poor (in a third world country), so Santa wishes and church prayers were pretty much the same thing, except one was seasonal. We *believed*, but concluded that Santa handled the western hemisphere and Father Christmas handled the eastern. Father Christmas was a bit strapped for money and resources (he never seemed to have reindeer or elves either). I'm not making a political statement here, I'm just recalling my childhood point of view.
Since hope is one of the most powerful things in the universe, my mother taught us that we had to be the ones to keep the beliefs for those who were losing hope. I have fond memories of sneaking about, leaving things at people's doorsteps. :))

Anyway, all things being equal, I believe in the preciousness of hope and in the fun of an unexpected gift. And if that means I believe in Santa Claus/Father Christmas, then by golly, I do!!!
12/23/2005 03:07:08 PM · #68
Never believed...
12/23/2005 03:13:11 PM · #69
Originally posted by Ennil:

Never believed...


....and yet you live where the "real" Saint Nick comes from: "Santa is a variant of a European folk tale based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas, a bishop from present-day Turkey, who gave presents to the poor." Hmmmmm....interesting.
12/23/2005 03:26:46 PM · #70
A few years ago my daughter asked if Santa was real. I told her that I had quit beliving in Santa years ago, and that when I did I no longer got any presents under the tree from Santa anymore. Upon reflection she decided that she might still belive in Santa after all.

Did you hear about the dyslexic devil worshiper who sold his soul to Santa?
12/23/2005 03:40:35 PM · #71
i hardly think that allowing your child to believe in Santa Claus equates to a crime. it's pretty obvious in watching the nightly news that there are far worse things that could befall a child in this day and age.

i've never understood how we throw Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, etc., at children and then get bent out of shape because they believe in Santa Claus for a little while.

i say let a child be a child and do everything you can to help foster a child's imagination and creativity. they will grow up and become jaded about far too many things fast enough...no need to push them.
12/23/2005 03:54:05 PM · #72
Originally posted by KaDi:

Originally posted by Ennil:

Never believed...


....and yet you live where the "real" Saint Nick comes from: "Santa is a variant of a European folk tale based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas, a bishop from present-day Turkey, who gave presents to the poor." Hmmmmm....interesting.


Actually he gave money to three sisters so that they can get married and be able to take care of themselves after the death of their father. But they stole Nick from us, damn those italiens.
12/23/2005 03:58:26 PM · #73
Originally posted by sher9204:

i hardly think that allowing your child to believe in Santa Claus equates to a crime. it's pretty obvious in watching the nightly news that there are far worse things that could befall a child in this day and age.


Allowing your child to believe in Santa is just fine.
Forcing your child to continue to believe in Santa is not.

I realize my post was a little out of context in this thread--I wrote it in response to another thread that was locked because the topic was somewhat similar and the title was the same. In that thread, the OP stated that her neighbors were blaming her 13 year old daughter for spoiling Christmas for their child because she told the other kid that Santa wasn't real.
12/23/2005 04:58:53 PM · #74
This was on the radio yesterday:

There are 3 stages of Santa

Stage 1: I believe in Santa
Stage 2: I do not believe in Santa
Stage 3: I am Santa
12/23/2005 05:00:20 PM · #75
He's not Real?
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