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Average age Santa isn't real

Discussion in '2003 Archive' started by Gina B, Dec 1, 2003.

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  1. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    When did you tell your kids Santa isn't real, or when did they figure it out?
    I was a bit suprised when one of my daughter's friends insisted he was real. I've never told my kids he was so it was never an issue, but apparently they were talking about Santa and my kids thought it was funny that she thought that, then they all came to me to have me tell her he wasn't. I got the story then took my kids in another room to tell them to just leave her alone about it and that it was up to her mom to tell her. The child immediately went home to talk to her mom and gramma and came back reassured that Santa is real. She's eight years old.
    Oh, all my kids except one. She's convinced herself he's real all on her own. LOL I'm not quite sure what that's all about...she just all of a sudden decided to tell me I was wrong and that he was...oddly enough it's my 6 yr. old who is the most logical...trying to convince her older sister that he just can't be because reindeer can't fly, but the older replied "they can if God makes them, and maybe he told them to fly for Santa!"
    Oh well, anyhow, that's the question. Is it just me or is 8 really really pushing it??
    Gina
     
    #1 Gina B, Dec 1, 2003
  2. Joseph_Botwinick

    Joseph_Botwinick <img src=/532.jpg>Banned

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    Three months old :D


    Joseph Botwinick
     
    #2 Joseph_Botwinick, Dec 1, 2003
  3. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    People who don't believe in Santa get underwear for Christmas!

    Diane
     
    #3 dianetavegia, Dec 1, 2003
  4. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    The year we were saved. I think they were 9 and 10.
     
    #4 donnA, Dec 1, 2003
  5. Karen

    Karen Active Member

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    Honestly,
    When they asked around seven or eight, I told them the truth. YES!! (Not the answer they were expecting!) :D
    Ie., the first Santa Claus lived in Asia Minor long ago, threw gold coins down chimneys, was known for his good deeds......etc.
    Never claimed Santa Claus had attributes of Deity.
    I told them some things about Santa Claus are pretend, some are based on real events, and all fun.

    My kids still help their cousins leave out cookies for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, and still regard it as a lot of fun. (One is 18.)
    You can have fun and imagination without shaking their faith in God in the way that so many worry about.
    When we were at Yorkminster Cathedral recently, one of the main chapels is the St. Nicholas chapel, with paintings of his life. [​IMG]

    Karen
     
    #5 Karen, Dec 1, 2003
  6. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me Santa Claus isn't real? Then who's been filling my stocking for the past 40 years? Answer me that!
     
    #6 rsr, Dec 1, 2003
  7. Bob Farnaby

    Bob Farnaby Active Member
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    Always had Santa as an unreal figure ..
    Saw no point in misleading the kids into beliving in him, so told the truth.
     
    #7 Bob Farnaby, Dec 1, 2003
  8. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    WHAT???? SANTA NOT REAL?
    I play Santa at my house. I give my children the presents.
    I must be real....

    I think....

    Wait a minute.... OUCH!
    That pinch hurt. Yep I'm real.
     
    #8 tinytim, Dec 2, 2003
  9. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Last Christmas I dressed in a Santa suit. It was my son's, but his 4 year old was saying "his daddy was santa".

    Then I came in and he looked at me and at his dad and his eyes widened. Such joy.

    No different than seeing Mickey Mouse "in person" at Disneyland. Harmless fantasy.

    Convinced too many of us see Satan instead of Santa and think it evil.
     
    #9 Dr. Bob, Dec 2, 2003
  10. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    Santa was very real when he held up a bottle of Coca Cola, the beginning of an advertisement campaign. This is the origin of the red suit, bearded Santa Claus.

    It was Father Christmas in England. He was the one who stuffed our stockings with either coal or sweets, depending on whether we had been good or bad through the year.

    Santa Claus generally sparks a renewed good attitude in people during this season and that is a good thing.

    As far as connecting Santa with Jesus, I don't think this is a very real fear. Most children I know "believe" in Santa, the concept, but do not equate him with Jesus of Nazareth, the infant in the "manger". It is up to us to teach about Jesus and nevermind Santa Claus and his tiny reindeer, especially the one with the blinking red nose.

    Ho ho ho ho, http://www.icubed.com/~colagrrl/xmas.htm

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #10 Jim1999, Dec 2, 2003
  11. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

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    No Santa Claus? :confused:

    Next you will have me believing there is no Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy! :eek:

    [​IMG]
    §ue (a believer)
     
    #11 I Am Blessed 24, Dec 2, 2003
  12. LauraB

    LauraB New Member

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    I do not feel it is wrong for a child to believe in Santa. My son who is 3 knows Jesus, who He is and that He is very important. He does not associate Santa as being an idol. I do not push him to the malls and force him to sit on Santas lap weather he is crying or not. I believe that is going too far.
    But I do not think there is anything wrong with a child believing in Santa.

    My twins were about 10 when I finally told them. I thought they would figure it out sooner but they didn't. I felt they were getting too old to go on with it.
    I myself found out about the same age when I caught my mom and dad sneaking presents under the tree! :eek:
     
    #12 LauraB, Dec 2, 2003
  13. RaptureReady

    RaptureReady New Member

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    Such joy to believe in a fantasy? Why not have such joy to believe in something real, like your dad or mom or Jesus Christ. I have told my kids about Santa not being real as soon as they could comprehend things. I told my kids that Jesus provides daddy and mommy the health and finances to provide the toys and clothes for Christmas and throughout the year. The joy that I have is when they open their presents thanking Jesus Christ and not the fat man in a red suit. BTW, do you all sit down with your children and tell them the story of Christmas, the real story before presents are opened?
     
    #13 RaptureReady, Dec 2, 2003
  14. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    Just for the record, I'm not saying it's wrong for others to believe, it was the age I was worried about!
    I PERSONALLY believe it's wrong, yes. Last year's postings on the subject cemented it for me and made me glad I'd never done it with my kids, as one of the posters brought up the question of why should kids believe God is real after we lie to them about Santa? (and in a child's mind Santa's probably easier to believe in than God because he doesn't have wild bears attack and kill smart aleck children or let people burn in hell so as a child who would YOU rather believe in?)
    But that's not the point of this thread. The question is at what age is it appropriate to continue, and wouldn't you think that after a certain age it's more than just a harmless fantasy?
    Gina
     
    #14 Gina B, Dec 2, 2003
  15. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    Is There a Santa Claus?
    From the Editorial Page of The New York Sun,
    written by Francis P. Church, September 21, 1897


    We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

    "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 O'Hanlon
    115 West Ninety-fifth Street

    Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the scepticism of a sceptical 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 of 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 were no Virginias. There would be no child-like 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 in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa 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. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

    You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

    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.


    When they can understand that editorial...until then let them play.
     
    #15 Artimaeus, Dec 2, 2003
  16. Debby in Philly

    Debby in Philly Active Member

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    Amen. [​IMG]
     
    #16 Debby in Philly, Dec 2, 2003
  17. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    An eight year old could easily understand that if worded properly, and perhaps even if not if they've been taught good reading skills. I know for a fact because that's basically what I've told my kids and at a much younger age and they had no problem with it.
    Gina
     
    #17 Gina B, Dec 2, 2003
  18. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    What do you mean Santa isn't real?
     
    #18 Johnv, Dec 2, 2003
  19. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    I know John, I struggled with it myself for quite a while. It's still hard. Maybe there should be a support group for those who still have issues! :eek: Admitting it is the first step. I suggest you have plenty of friends around you the first time you actually say the words outloud.
    Gina
     
    #19 Gina B, Dec 2, 2003
  20. timothy 1769

    timothy 1769 New Member

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    [​IMG]

    Note that in this version of the story, Santa gets saved. Praise God!
     
    #20 timothy 1769, Dec 2, 2003
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