For most American children, belief in non-existent beings that magically watch over them and bring gifts(when they've been good), is the norm. Parents from all over the country have joined together and decided to lie to their children. That can not be denied. Why, is the question. Do they do it for the children or for themselves? Is a world without magic too cold to live in? Why would parents, that work very hard to earn enough money to spend on Christmas presents, give the credit to a made up jolly old man? We are all so committed to these fabrications that children who've found out there is no Santa will continue to pretend to believe for years in order to appease the parents or a younger sibling. How does our society benefit from these massive myths? It's fascinating how the idea of Santa Claus is negotiated [with children] and it's almost inevitable that it will end in disappointment and heartbreak. Do you think that parents should be lying to their children about these things, or do you even call it "lying"? Is a White Lie less infectious to the system than, say, a Bold-Faced Lie? Is there any difference between a "lie" and an "untruth?" We don't lie to children only about Santa Claus. Many parents also lie about the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and, some may claim, ideas of Heaven and Hell and the characters that inhabit those mystical lands.
The answer to your post is faith. Having faith whether it be a god or Santa Claus is the same thing. Faith unites people of every race, creed, and ethnicity. It not whether these "lies" are right or wrong. Santa Claus, Easter bunny, tooth fairy are about making the kids happy. When I was a kid I was a good kid and knowing that Santa Claus was watching over me. It made me think about not doing bad things in fear of not getting presents. So, these "characters" are not only for faith, but they are also a form of control. I know the extremes some people take to there faith and is why some people refuse to believe in that said faith.
A form of control may be one good use, but that doesn't change the fact that the parents are still lying to their kids. Also, what if they lose some trust in you (particularly with really young ones) once they find these fictitious characters are not real? Is that a price worth paying as a parent for the sake of "control" or maybe "tradition"?
I have no faith. I never believed in the Easter Bunny or Santa, and I like the concept of God, but it seems bogus. Do you remember when you questioned Santa's existance and your parents would say "if you don't believe in Santa, there won't be any presents". Blackmail, nothing more. It worked though, I kept my mouth shut for another 2 years. But what about God: "If you don't believe in God you won't go to heaven". See the link? Underlying moral: Believe or SUFFER!
First off; nobody believes, has ever believed, or will ever believe in the Easter Bunny. As for Santa and the Tooth Fairy: they're a way to excite children, and sometimes make an uncomfortable (or downright painful) situation easier to deal with. The Tooth Fairy is the only reason that I was cool with my father pulling out my loose teeth (and later, pulling them off myself). Losing a tooth sucks, but finding a dollar or two under my pillow was freaking sweet. And Santa? It's a way of setting up a little operant conditioning on children. "Be good and you'll be rewarded, behave in ways deemed unacceptable by society and you'll miss out." That seems like a damn good lesson to me. Heaven seems so far away. As a child, I wouldn't be to excited for a present that won't receive until I DIE (If I can even appreciate the "present" at such a young age). Santa provides an easy incentive to behave well, as well a lesson in patience, and a little gas for the imagination.
My Opinion Santa:Well I had believed this little lie untill the day came that my parents forgot to put presents under the tree. When I woke up, my parents were like "Oh crap, the presents!" They told us to go into a different room because they had to Change Clothes. When we came back, there were presents. LOL!!! The Easter Bunny:Well the fact that I never even was told to believe in this was a relief. Because I never got crap from the easter bunny. When my friends at school would be like "Dude! What did you get from the easter bunny!?" I would be like "What's the easter bunny!?" LOL!!! Tooth Fairy:4th of July, neighbor across the street had a pair of plyers, I had a loose tooth. Nuff said... tooth fairy didn't give me any money so my mom said she would give me money and deliver the tooth to the tooth fairy... right? LOL!!! God:A kind loving man who created earth but will make us go to hell if we don't go to his house every sunday and give him money? What kind of god needs money!!!!??? LOL!!!! All In All: None of them exist... simple enough?
God doesn't need the money, the church does. Also, it is still possible for God to exist. What the OP is asking is if it is right to lie about these things, and why do we do it. I think it's wrong.
Oh! Okay. Yes, I think it is very wrong that people lie about these things. It doesn't make any sense. If everybody just quit with The Tooth Fairy, then we wouldn't have to lie? And we'd save a couple bucks. Same thing with everything else. Point is, who started these lies? And why do we all still lie about them?
I think it is just a thing with what parents tell you and make you believe, bu I believe in God, but I don't Santa or Easter Bunny, I used to but not anymore.
Well, you simply can't compare God to the Easter Bunny and Santa. They made that with a lie in mind. Christianity wasn't made with a lie in mind. The original disciples truly believed it, and watched miracles before their eyes.
omg the whole thing is to bring out the imagination in there children...it gives them something to look forward to and its been going on for ages...Children dont get heartbroken when they find out cause when they do find out there already mature enough to understand why there parents lead them onto beleiving in such a thing. It just gives kids excitement on christmas when they know santa has been here....ooo how magical....why would you want to ruin something as innocent as that? easy question you wouldnt thats why older siblings dont tell there younger ones.
lol, my parents never told me Santa was real, so when I heard that other kids thought is was... I ended up making about 10 cry in kindergarten and the parents were kinda pissed. Spare the heartbreak, don't make them believe.