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I think it's wrong to teach about Santa Claus since Christmas is really about the birth of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, God's Holiest Son Our Lord. Everything else is just heathen heresy, contributing to the downfall of our mighty christian nation, the United States of America.
Kids have to grow up soon enough, and it absolutely does no harm to let them hang onto things like the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, and Santa for the short time they will have to enjoy them. Kids always have great imaginations and have imaginary friends, so what is the harm ?
I LOVED Christmas when my Sons were young. We played the Santa game for as long as we could and were a little saddened the day they told us they no longer believed. It was a magical time for us as parents too. We hid stuff, set up tape recorders with Santa and Rudolf putting out the gifts, and stuff like that. It was so cool to see the sparkle in both of my Sons eyes at that time of year.
I have a deep voice, and would offer to call the children of co workers and pretend that I was Santa phoning them. My co workers came back to work the next day and would say "You just made my little girl's or boy's Christmas, they were SO excited to talk with Santa on the phone !" I did the HOHOHO routine many times ! I also did Rudolfs voice, but in a higher pitch.
Let them be kids for as long as possible, they will have to face the harsh realities of the world soon enough, so this little bit of fun is so precious to so many of them while it lasts.
I think it's wrong to teach about Santa Claus since Christmas is really about the birth of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, God's Holiest Son Our Lord. Everything else is just heathen heresy, contributing to the downfall of our mighty christian nation, the United States of America.
One fantasy is better than another fantasy?
I consider the Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, etc., to all be part of our culture. It's part of childhood!
And I've never heard of a kid being traumatized at finding out they weren't real.
It is so sad that our entire culture as American people is being supplanted with 'diversity' and 'multi-culturalism' to the point where we no longer wish to carry on traditions that are based on anything that smacks of Christianity. It is even sadder when this affects our children.
St. Nicholas (where "Santa Claus" comes from...say the saint's name quicky) was a persecuted Christian in the 4th century AD, from the area we know as southern Turkey. Supposedly he was told by Christ to sell all his things and give the money to the poor...which he did. Thus, what he represents.
These are your children and I'd fight to give you the right to raise them as you see fit.
- Father of 2, grandfather of 6.
Santa Claus doesn't necessarily come from St. Nicholas. He does in some traditions but he comes from elsewhere in other traditions. In our tradition he comes from the Christmas Goat who demands gifts and food, gradually turning into giving them instead (in return for food) - not from the Christian tradition.
That said, I'm all for people carrying on their traditions, wherever they come from. Same with immigrants preserving their traditions.
I let my kids find out as they find out. My 11 year old was still a believer at Christmas and we'll find out what she thinks about the Easter Bunny pretty soon. The other two have known for a while.
I like the Santa tradition because it is fun. I tell my kids that Santa started out helping people by giving and sharing. We continue to believe in Santa to continue that sharing and giving. My kids realized that there are different Santas, but that's ok because they are helpers.
Elf on the Shelf showed up after the first two stopped believing. He has nothing to do with whether my child has been good or bad. In fact, he is often naughty himself and gets into all kinds of predicaments. I'm not sure if him and Barbie are still dating, but they were an item for at least the first year. He is a spirited elf and sometimes does nice things like bringing leftover donuts from the North Pole Christmas Party. He brought cupcakes this year.
Traditions are what you make them. If you don't like current traditions, change them or adopt some new ones.
I was brought up Society of Friends (Quaker), and my parents didn't tell us Santa existed for the same reason Friends "affirm" rather than "swear" in court: telling the truth at all times is an integral part of the faith. (Traditionally, Friends didn't celebrate Christmas or Easter as holidays, as every day was meant to be a "holy day"; many do now, but it's pretty low-key.)
I knew that "Mall Santas" weren't real by age 6/7. My father was used as a Santa Claus for my Cub Scout Pack's Pack Night in December to give the scouts pinewood derby car kits. I only knew because one, I didn't see him for hours and two, I heard later on (I forget how later.) To me as a kid I was fine with that because I didn't think of cloning Santa to make "Santa helpers." What did ruin it was when I was 10 and caught my parents laying the presents out (though I remember my mother going out shopping in about 1993 and my father saying "She's talking to Santa."
Personally, I still believe in Santa if you mean the spirit of giving and being good to all. I'll probably tell my children (when I have them) at about 9 or so that Santa isn't really real. If they have a younger sibling to them, tell them I'll personally give them coal for the rest of their lives if they tell the younger sibling.
I remember seeing an editorial cartoon when I was a teen in which a kid with a wagon full of toys was saying to a kid in ragged clothes, "The reason I got presents and you didn't is because I was good and you were bad." That was when I first started to consider whether the Santa myth that I grew up with was something I would want to pass on.
I also question its value for religious reasons: I'm a person of faith, and the atheists I know all lump God in with Santa and the Easter Bunny as nonsense that their parents laid on them that intelligent people are supposed to outgrow -- hence, it seems to me that lying to kids about Santa makes them distrustful and begets skepticism about things that I would want my kids to take on faith. (I suppose those with different worldviews might see that as an argument in favor of telling them these stories.)
Setting aside the religious issue, I would like my kids to know that there is at least one person in the world who will never lie to them about anything, and I hope that they will return the favor. BUT I don't have any kids yet, so I don't know how well this would work in practice.
As soon as my children were old enough to talk & comprehend, I told them the truth about santa claus, a man who lived a long time ago, the tradition lives on, etc, but don't worry there is no flying sleigh, no reindeer, no worries about fireplaces. I do not believe in perpetuating the Santa Claus myth to children.
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One fantasy is better than another fantasy? 
