In a pensive moment today I was thinking about the pros and cons of encouraging children to believe in Santa Claus at such a vulnerable and impressionable period of their lives.
With a degree of concern I also wondered about a child ultimately submitting to the devastating truth about the non-existence of Santa yet still being asked to believe in Jesus Christ as the true meaning for the celebration of the Christmas season. If the one is a myth, why not the other one too? Lie to me once, but two times in a row...?
It really is a lot of ask of a small mind! But those developing small minds are wonderful things.
It turns out that there are a number of factors that children use to decide whether or not to believe in fantastical stories. One of those things is what researchers call testimony, or what people tell you. Parents, friends, and relatives likely tell children over and over again that the things they see on TV aren’t real, and that Peter Rabbit, Elmo, and Harry Potter aren’t real animals, furry monsters, or people, despite how realistically they are depicted in the pages of their books or on the big screen.
This isn’t the case for Santa Claus. In contrast, for Santa, children are likely to hear repeatedly from others, especially from people they trust like their moms and dads, that Santa is real. In fact, children are most likely to believe in Santa if their parents endorse the Santa story, which isn’t surprising, since parents are generally a reliable source of information for young children.
Around the ripe old age of 7 or 8, children’s belief in Santa and the world of fantastical beasts seems to wane. It isn’t that parents confess that the Santa story was all just a fabrication, or that they try less hard to push the story once children reach grade school; instead, it seems to be that as children get older, they start to question the physical impossibilities of the Santa story—a story that they didn’t even think to question a few years earlier.
As children start to understand more about physical impossibilities, they seem to naturally learn for themselves that the Santa story just couldn’t be real. Indeed, research suggests that children tend to figure out the truth about Santa on their own around this time, and that their reactions are generally quite positive.
In spite of my reservations, there is no scientific evidence that finding out the truth about Santa causes children any distress or makes them doubt whether their parents are trustworthy. Some kids don’t even tell their parents that they’ve figured it out—they understand that even parents get joy out of the Santa myth, and so children sometimes let their parents hold on to the holiday magic for a few more years.
But there is still the question of transitioning to the Christian belief system that ideally should stay with an adolescent for the rest of their life, a matter that is not always handled effectively by well-meaning parents.
As an aid in this delicate process, I like the following Letter "From" Santa Claus. It is not necessarily suggested that it be used in the format presented, but it may serve as a catalyst for parents as they attempt to explain the real meaning of the Christmas season. Up to this point parents have been exceptionally creative and there is no reason for that creativeness to stop when setting the stage for the balance of their children's lives after a subtle exit by the Jolly Old Gent..
The letter can be printed out and kept handy for when needed, or it can be read aloud using your own words in places deemed necessary.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I know you're going through a time right now when you're not sure if I am real or not. I know most of your friends no longer believe in me. But I know you want to believe for yourself, and for that little sister and brother you've got. Well, I hope I can help work out some of the confusion you might have.
I am Santa. I may not exist like the story goes. I am not a single man who makes millions of toys each year, and gives them all out in one long night on a sled pulled by 8 (or 9) magical reindeer. I am not in thousands of malls and Wal-Marts all at once throughout the season. But, make no mistake, I am real.
I am as real as the love in your heart. It is love that has perpetuated my story all these many centuries. I am as true as the spirit in your soul. Santa's spirit is the giving spirit of all of those who care for others. My magic is the miracle of reaching out to someone else and bringing joy to their hearts.
I do not see every thing you do. But someone does. I do not know when you're not asleep at night. But my friend, I hate to break it to you, your mom and dad do. I do not know if you've been bad or good, but you know. So for goodness sake, be good to yourself and others. It shows. And how you treat yourself and others is so important. I will not reward you for good, but your mom and dad will. And you'll soon find that internal reward of your own conscience. You know, that feeling you get when you've made someone else feel better?
As you grow older, I hope you'll learn to more appreciate the real gift of Christmas - The gift of Jesus Christ. For without his love, spirit and miracles, I would not exist at all. It is time now for you to realize the magic of Christmas and Santa is nothing more than the miracle and gift from God. This is the message I want you to carry with you.
You can teach your sister and brother about God's love through me. Showing them kindness and love throughout the year, and helping them find the magic in Christmas is how you keep me real. Teaching them and others, by example, about God's love for each one of us, and demonstrating kindness and giving to all in need will be how you share the spirit of Santa.
You'll always find gifts under the tree from me as long as you believe in what I represent. You'll always see my magic and feel my spirit at Christmas time when you make that miracle of selflessness and giving. And may you know the blessings and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ now, and forever.
Sincerely,
Santa Claus
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