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And kids love this kind of "dream world" stuff. If anything, it helps develop their imagination. Not sure why anyone would be against that.
I wonder does it develop their imagination all that much though? I am not entirely convinced it does. Mainly because when parents sell the Santa Narrative to children they are not selling it as "dream world" stuff or "imaginary". They are selling it as being entirely true.
So it might be worth considering which develops a child's imagination better..... actively engaging in fantasy and imagination that the child KNOWS to be fantasy and imagination........ or actively telling them outright falsehoods are true.
My own experience with watching children interact with their parents on the subject of Santa would seem to bear this out. Children sometimes ask questions about Santa. How does he do this, or why does he do that. And the parents imagine up answers for it. Not the children. So the PARENTS are doing the active imagination stuff and imply feeding it to the child quite often. They are doing the imagining FOR the child in many ways.
So if anything, maybe the best claim someone can make is that it helps developer the GROWN UPS imagination. And sure, who would be against THAT
About the time my kids hit kindergaren, I gently started introducing the idea that Santa Claus is real because we are all Santa Claus. I told them the story of St. Nicholas and encouraged them to think in terms of how they could give to others just like St. Nicholas did. The transition from belief to non-belief in the mythology of Santa Claus was therefore not traumatic. I see no reason for anyone to hit a child upside the head with it. The pastor was totally in the wrong.
Ugh! The arrogance of that thinking everyone needs his narrow-minded, ignorant version of how to celebrate the holidays. Back when I was still a church-goer, our church even had "Breakfast with Santa," with a baby Jesus in a manger next to Santa. People should be free to teach their children any, all, or none of the holiday stories.
Well, I may not agree with what this guy did, but Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ...'Christ' is even in the name of the holiday. Isnt it somewhat strange so many non-believers still celebrate and recognize this holiday?
I was raised catholic and still attend a catholic church, last week our priest spoke about the modern Christmas, and tried to get the point across how blasphemous 'christmas' actually is today iin the secular world, especially for the corporate, retail industry, as they are using/taking advantage of Christ for the sake of pure greed.
Last edited by toosie; 12-14-2016 at 04:20 PM..
Reason: Edited quoted material
I grew up in a non religious Jewish home in a small prairie town. The only Santa I experienced was through school. I do not think that I ever believed in Santa but my nephews and nieces did when they were young. Even when they were at the wondering if he is real and after they knew he was not real they still enjoyed the whole concept of Santa. To me the idea of going to a Mall where there is a Santa to meet children and tell the children in the line that Santa is not real would be the same as me going into a church and telling the people there that God or Jesus is not real and frankly I should have as much rights to do that as that pastor has in going to a mall organized event and ruin it for the kids. I do not believe in any gods nor in Santa but I sure would not do what he did nor could I support or even defend it in any way. As far as Freedom of Speech goes, maybe he was not breaking any laws but what he was doing was purely wrong. Just because you can do something does not mean it is right for you to do it. Selfish and self importance and a plain jerk.
Is there really a law prohibiting the saying of Merry Christmas? Or is it some stores wishing to include everyone as there are so many holidays around that time of year?
So, let me get this straight. People take a Christian holiday that has some secular traditions. Then they relentlessly repress the Christian part of the holiday, to the point that you can't even mention the word "Christmas" because it has the word Christ in it and you have to say that you're "on winter break" instead of "off for Christmas" (which you are, like it or not). But they keep telling their kids about Santa Claus because ...uh ...right. And then they get mad that some guy tells them Santa isn't real. That all makes sense.
The guy is basically taking everyone at their word, which people hate. People claim they are tired of the commercialization of the holiday. Religious people claim they want "the reason for the season" and to "put Christ back into Christmas." Non-religious people claim they're too smart and advanced to care about imaginary and fictitious beings. Sounds like everyone should applaud what he's doing, regardless of your views. I mean, unless everyone is a gigantic liar. Which they are.
Ruin what for the kids? That some fat guy gives them presents on a random day in December? I mean, that's all they believe if they're secular, right? Does it "ruin" their birthday when the people who give them presents are you and other human beings not named Santa? No. So what exactly is being ruined?
LOL, I dont think they even realize what they are doing.
I'm not absorbed with Santa Claus. In fact, when my children were little, I told them the truth about Santa Claus just being for fun, that it was pretend stories based on a real man from long ago. I also taught them about it being the day that Christians celebrate the birth of Christ.
So what exactly is your beef with me?
Also I noticed you ignored the part of my post that said Christians had co-opted the Dec 25 holiday from pagans, so why should you care if anyone else co-opts it for their own version of celebrating?
Quote:
Originally Posted by TXNGL
What you did in your family is your business, your prerogative. Did you go and announce your beliefs about Santa and Christmas to a bunch of strangers' children in line to see Santa? Boundaries people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kayanne
Ugh! The arrogance of that thinking everyone needs his narrow-minded, ignorant version of how to celebrate the holidays. Back when I was still a church-goer, our church even had "Breakfast with Santa," with a baby Jesus in a manger next to Santa. People should be free to teach their children any, all, or none of the holiday stories.
TXNGL, you must be getting me mixed up with someone else. I'm not ok with what this guy did! He is a complete jerk!
I believe in everyone celebrating the December holidays (and any others) however they choose, and not trying to ruin anyone else's version.
Last edited by toosie; 12-14-2016 at 04:20 PM..
Reason: Edited out profanity
...Is there really a law prohibiting the saying of Merry Christmas? Or is it some stores wishing to include everyone as there are so many holidays around that time of year?
Who on earth convinced you of that? No, there is no law prohibiting people from wishing each other a Merry Christmas. There are some businesses, however, whose policy it is to wish customers Happy Holidays instead, out of a desire to be inclusive.
No, it is. See, the irony is you're trying to reject the Christian part of Christmas while you're absorbed with Santa Claus. That's pretty hilarious. And you don't even see it.
Everybody doesn't have to see things as you do. We have freedom of thought.
Like I said, it's hilarious that you can't even say "Merry Christmas" any more ...but the same people are like "anyone who messes up Santa Claus is a jerk." And if you say "I can do both because Santa has nothing to do with Christmas as a religious holiday, which is what I oppose with fervor," then why should I give a rat's rear end that someone ruined Santa for your kids?
This is such crapola. Due to another of these threads about how you can't say "Merry Christmas" anymore, this year I decided to sort of keep a rough running count. At least 29 times this month...so far...I've had people say "Merry Christmas" to me. Why do you feel the need to make stuff up? Just to argue?
Who on earth convinced you of that? No, there is no law prohibiting people from wishing each other a Merry Christmas. There are some businesses, however, whose policy it is to wish customers Happy Holidays instead, out of a desire to be inclusive.
One poster earlier stated that one was no longer allowed to say Merry Christmas and I hear about the War on Christmas that has people saying Happy Holidays instead so if people are not allowed to say Merry Christmas there must be a law against it. LOL I thought the next sentence made that clear as well as the reason for that, the same reason that you gave.
And to the person who thought it strange that non believers celebrate Christmas most of it is we all have friends and family who are either believers or were brought up with Christmas as a family celebration. Just because I do not believed in Jesus or have the tradition of celebrating Christmas does not mean that I am no willing to go along with it to make my wife, sister in laws and brother in laws and their children happy. Same with Halloween. Besides when it is minus 30 outside it is nice to have something to do other than shovelling snow.
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