Parents who perpetuate the racist, atrocious falsehoods of caucasian Santas, Easter Bunnies, tooth fairies, and so on, deserve to have their children taken away from them.

with them and national institutions also lying to other people's children

No one lies better than them...oops..oh yes the pastors.

I never learned that presents came from "daddy." My "daddy" didn't raise me, and while we knew each other, he never gave me a gift. Ever. My gifts came from my mother. From my grandmother. From my great Aunt.

The idea that gifts come from "daddy" is somewhat sexist and patronizing, imo.

My grandmother was HORRIFIED when I asked, and my mom told me, that Santa and the Easter Bunny weren't "real." She wanted the magic to last a little while longer, because that's something that the myth does; it keeps the magic of childhood alive for adults who don't have enough in their lives. The transition from magic to metaphor for unselfish giving, or for spring and new life and energy, or whatever the myth happens to be, is part of growing up.

At least it was, for me.

I never stopped to think about Santa's color or gender or anything else, except his wonderful generosity. And when I realized that the generosity was really based in everyone, I wanted to join in the giving.

I don't see how Santa or these other myths enhance the magic of childhood - we used our childish imagination for a plethora of magical things. I do love the unselfish giving and I know many persons who grew up without either religion or these myths who share with people they know and complete strangers.

Giants and witches eating people? WTF

thing is the magic via imagination; the particular shapes it takes may be cultural, and can be as myriad as snowflakes.

to pretend and what they are not allowed to pretend, then it's not imagination anymore. That is when the magic disappears. There is no need to ruin children's imaginations because we as adults have power struggles among ourselves. Don't punish the children. Plus there is an upside to imagination. Those with imagination are more likely to be independent thinkers. They think outside the box. They come up with answers that the masses simply can't come up with. They are innovators. They are problem solvers. They are not just mindless drones just following orders given by the boss.

If the point of Christmas is to teach children how to give as well as to be thankful to receive and the importance of family then it is hardly a lie if they grow up having learned how to give and receive of others. The child that has imaginary friends, conversations with stuffed animals, etc... have a different perception of the world than adults. Parents often use that imagination to teach value lessons to them which is why children's books are filled with magic, talking animals, fantasy worlds etc...

Plus parent deserve milk and cookies too

She is magic

Rides in the sky too

Who the hell eats those cookies and drinks that milk?

and it turns out the little girl was making cookies for ...ding ding......have a look
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=595231083859265&set=vb.168342453214799&type=2&theater

Thanks a lot, Mom and Dad.

....I'm not even going to get into it....but fuck you Megan Kelly for starting this shit.

both parties will have made a political football out of everything in their quest for winning elections. It's getting ridiculous.

Santa Claus was an early casualty.

There were good reasons for the "no gun" rule in my parent's house.

especially in the context of Santa gives you presents if you are good.

My kids believed in Santa for as long as they wanted and each of them stopped believing at different times when they wanted to stop believing. My son is autistic so he believed for a longer amount of time than my daughter who began to question not only Santa but the existence of God in about the second grade. My husband and I neither encouraged or discouraged the belief. My kids are free to believe whatever they want to believe. There is nothing wrong with having imagination and pretending.

hating everything.

Having grown up Jewish there was no Santa, or wise men in my life. Hanukah Harry is something to laugh at, (yes Madison Ave, we are laughing at you). The closest was Purim, and all that involved real people, not magical beings. (Ok or as real as the story of Esther can be). And Purim is still a minor holiday as far as holidays are concerned. Oh and it is a festival of dressing in costumes, making noise and eating pastries. (Show me, outside of Yom kippu, and tis he D'av' a Jewish holiday that really does not involve food)

I always knew my parents were the ones behind the gifts and December was a time to give to charity, assuming I even won at Chanukah games. Ok, ok I confess, I still gave.

Yup, growing up in western culture Prince Charming was the closest we got to magical make belief, and I did cry when Bambi's mom got killed in the movie theater.

The idea of Christmas is that of renewal in the middle of winter, and a celebration of life in the middle of the darkest time of the year. So sue me and comparative religion classes as an adult.



To me that is where Santa belongs.