Santa Claus Is Coming To... Get You

Parents dread the day they have to have "that conversation" with their kids. You know the one. About Santa Claus.

With kids getting better with technology and being attached to high speed internet soon after being detached from the umbilical cord, I wonder how they still don't find evidence of Santa's non-existence. I wonder if this belief in Santa will ever be something that dies out.

My brother never believed in Santa. I guess I gave my parents a hard enough time when I learned the truth that they decided they didn't want to go through the same guilt with my brother. I don't think it made a difference in his upbringing. I know that going to see Santa to sit on his lap to tell him what you want for Christmas can be a magical experience-- that or a terrifying one, depending on the child. He knew the story, but he always knew it was just a story. He knew that it was something special for other children to believe in and he knew not to say anything- he was a smart boy, believe me... He was reading at 2 years old. How did he learn? On his own with Sesame Street computer software. I'm not kidding, kids these days are hooked to their computers younger and younger.

I read yesterday that children ages 8 to 18 spend more time in front of video screens than any other activity except sleeping... An average 44.5 hours every week.

Anyway, about Santa... How do you go about it with your children? Do you think it will ever fade out? I'm not sure what to think of it, but here are the facts I have come up with while considering your decision.

My letter to Future parents:
At some point as a child you start to question, why are there all these magical characters associated with holidays and significant life events, and why do my parents break the rules of letting these strangers into my life and house to give items that otherwise wouldn't be accepted from other strangers.

The toothfairy comes into your bedroom while you're sleeping and goes into your bed to put a gift under your pillow in exchange for your tooth. Well that's creepy. Realistically, why not meet her half way in the same format as a bottle depot? Go to the tooth depot, give the tooth, get a quarter (or whatever). Take out the equation of some stranger entering your bedroom at night.

The Easter Bunny. Another stranger our parents allow to come into our homes and hide candy for us. Accepting candy from strangers was a big one on the list of no-no's in my family. But we ignore this to celebrate Jesus' rising, and selfishly lay our hands on all the chocolate we can get.

Aaaaand Santa. He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake. I've never felt more violated. Intruders in my house while I'm sleeping is one of my biggest fears, but somehow society tells us as children that we can accept this because this kind stranger who spies on us will leave us presents. Think of all the privacies and rights and privileges society might give up in exchange for presents!!! It starts young, with Santa!

Don't even get me started with ethical problems of Halloween.
-not that I would ever discourage Halloween. Dressing up and Trick-or-treating is awesome! But you see my point?