I was really hurt to realize that I couldn't trust my parents anymore and will always remember that exact moment in third grade. It was kind of horrible.

Besides that, there's really no explaining why Santa always thinks your rich friends have been much more good this year than you. I don't even like the message "You should be a good person because you'll be rewarded with presents" but that just makes it worse.

-------
click and please click
^use head phones

I guess I kind of figured it out on my own.  My parents never told me there was no santa.

-------
"Say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude,
at least it's an ethos."
--Walter Sobchak

"Good news sir, your wife is miraculously unharmed! No, no, I'm kidding, she's dead but  I'm glad to have given you that moment of joy."

-------
click and please click
^use head phones

---

Have you seen "Miracle on 34th Street"?

I guess I kind of figured it out on my own. My parents never told me there was no santa.

---

no I don't think I've seen that

Post edited at 6:22 pm on Dec. 15, 2008 by Bearsy

-------
click and please click
^use head phones

---

The original is a classic. It makes the argument that pretending that santa clause is real is no different than any of the other imaginary games that children play, and that there is nothing wrong with childhood adventurism and fantasy and lack of truth. I don't see any harm in children believing in santa, other than the blind consumerism that results.

---

The Santa lie is outright deception.

There is no lack of truth when they read about the princess and the pea or play those types of games.

Plus, how is a judgmental fat man giving you presents better than your parents giving you presents, other than that it's easier to threaten your kids with fat man because they're more likely to believe that he'll actually withhold your presents?

Post edited at 8:18 pm on Dec. 14, 2008 by Bearsy

-------
click and please click
^use head phones

---

I don't know...I think I asked my parents because I always knew it wasn't real. I never believed them in the first place. I just don't think they were very convincing liars.
When I have kids I'm not gonna tell them Santa is real.

---

People are going to, as always, accuse me of being overdramatic but it was like a big thing for me.

-------
click and please click
^use head phones

---

Also, I think it would be easier if kids were taught from the start what an animal's death really was so they could accept it as reality rather than making them try to kid themselves for years that their dog went to heaven.

---

It has indeed been proven that it is damaging to tell young children that 'Mummy's gone to sleep for a long time' etc. and other euphemisms, because they get confused, and also can become very afraid of going to sleep, even later in life when they know the truth. It only makes the mystery of death worse, when it is shrouded in euphemisms and lies.

-------
We've seen those mountains kneeling, felten and grey
We thought our very hearts would up and melt away
vivere senza rimpianti

I've never believed in such things. So maybe I'm biased.

---

The original is a classic.  It makes the argument that pretending that santa clause is real is no different than any of the other imaginary games that children play, and that there is nothing wrong with childhood adventurism and fantasy and lack of truth.  I don't see any harm in children believing in santa, other than the blind consumerism that results.

---

Where's adventurism and fantasy in a myth that they didn't create?

I was always that kid who asked questions like "How does Santa climb down chimneys? He's fat, after all. Not even a normal-sized person could fit through there?" and "Why does he take the trouble to climb down chimneys when he could just come in the front door?" and "There's no possible way he could fly to every house in the world in one night." and "What does Santa even have to do with Christmas?"

My mom didn't even bother to try to answer my questions.

-------
And while the seagulls are crying,
We fall but our souls are flying.

---

After my father died, I stopped believing in pretty much everything.  

I was always that kid who asked questions like "How does Santa climb down chimneys? He's fat, after all. Not even a normal-sized person could fit through there?" and "Why does he take the trouble to climb down chimneys when he could just come in the front door?" and "There's no possible way he could fly to every house in the world in one night." and "What does Santa even have to do with Christmas?"

My mom didn't even bother to try to answer my questions.

---