Friday, December 5, 2008

Santa Who?

I am just really interested in why people do what they do at Christmas. For instance, the other night on facebook, our pastor posted something about santa....the lie we tell our kids. It started this whole string of people commenting. The people who do not do Santa were kind of just neutral. Their comments were like, "No, we chose not to do Santa, but you know, different strokes...." BUT the people who do Santa with their kids were mean. Making comments like, "Oh, so pretending is wrong and imagination is sinful etc...." I just want to know why people are so PASSIONATE about wanting to force people to "do" the Santa thing, yet these same people might be Christians and never fuss about evolution being taught. It just really intrigues me. Do they feel guilty for lying so they must passionately argue why we all must do Santa? If you have any thoughts, please comment. I am NOT trying to be controversial or argumentative, just conversational. I think there is not right or wrong on this topic. I just found it to be really interesting.

3 comments:

Trinka said...

I think it's probably defensiveness ... everyone is so concerned that you're criticizing them that they get nasty when defending their choices.

They throw up the straw man that you're denying children fun, and creativity and etc. But I'm not convinced that it's about anything more than their own insecurity.

Clifford Jeffery said...

Good insight Trinka!!! Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

I am not sure why they would react that way. Maybe some of them debated it themselves??? I have a best friend who never did Santa, and because they never did it, she never knew what it was like. She was the first person I ever knew who never believed in Santa Claus. Personally, Santa was a HUGE part of Christmas for us. We always drove two hours to see the "real" Santa Clause and when I did find out the truth, I never thought "My parents lied to me!" Not once. I was dissapointed, but it wasnt something that scarred me. I think you just have to make that decision on your own. Everyone's convictions are different and I don't think that either decision is any more right or wrong than the other! I think it is just important to be respectful of what all the other parents around you decisions are, no matter if they are the decisions you would make, afterall, they have their kids and you have yours (that is in reference to the parents who commented on what the pastor said)!