most 'precious' christmas stories

The Tooth Fairy in your daughter's house was Jewish, though. I guess I never will get it. I put my baby teeth under my pillow, too. And my parents put a dollar there in the morning. And I thanked them when I woke up.

 

Again, I don't have a problem with the idea of telling your kids about these things. It's culturally accepted and harmless.

But I don't see the benefit. And I do have a problem with the judgmental bullshit shockey is preaching.

 

What a putz you are.
Are you single?
It would explain a lot.

 

I do agree that a lot has been explained on this thread.

 

I take the position that you are not irreparably harming your children by not telling them fairy tales are real, and I am the putz.

Got it.

And yes, I am single.

 

I wouldn't want them to turn out like you, either.

 

Vers, you're heading toward old-style Dick Whitman "big fucking deal it's your birthday" territory here.

My best memories of Christmas are all about after I knew the whole Santa thing, because I have younger sisters and I got to watch them go through the whole deal. Kept the feeling alive for me well into my high school years until my youngest sister was 8 or 9, plus I got to help my dad build everything and put it under the tree. Setting up our gifts on Christmas Eve is the time I miss my dad the most now that he's gone.

My kids now are 12 and 10 (obviously know the scoop) and 4 and newborn (still in Santa mode). So my oldest son is going to get to live in a "Santa" house until he's in college even. It will be nice memories.

The one thing that keeps hitting me is I can't believe Black Friday and all the craziness. Couldn't even tell you what I got growing up except 1) an Intellivision, probably in about 1982; and 2) my sister got a one-speaker boom box with cassette in the early '80s that we probably used for the next 10 years. I just remember waiting at the top of the stairs to hear if my dad turned on the record player with the scratchy Christmas music, because if we heard that it meant Santa had been there and we could come down.

I also remember falling asleep during the Aloha Bowl just about every year.

 

Won't enter into the fray except to say not even close.

 

My only problem is with shockey's perspective that kids who aren't told Santa is real will be scarred or friendless or unhappy or something. Seriously, I don't see how that point of view is being accepted.

waterytart, what did you tell your daughter about Santa Claus?

 

Watching my sister go through the Santa Claus excitement told me everything I needed to know about why we do it. It's a goddamn gift that so many of us keep this giant secret and follow through with it, from household to household, no matter our backgrounds or bullshit. It's for little, little kids. It's easy. We don't have to get over think it. And if you don't want to do it, don't do it.

The end.

 

Just pointing out that there is a difference between "not teaching about Santa" and "telling kids Santa isn't real."

 

Not really. Kids will hear about Santa. He's in commercials, at stores. When he and/or she asks "Who's that?" Well, then, not teaching about him sure as hell becomes telling them he's not real.