Over the past few weeks, I've noticed a huge surplus of people who don't keep Christmas. While that is your own business, and I didn't start this thread to discuss religion, but rather the sentimentality of Christmas itself (such as Santa Claus), it saddens me to see so many people who even impose this on their children. Again, that is your prerogative, and I certainly would never be so presumptuous as to tell anyone how to raise their children, but personally, I just don't think it's right to rob children of their innocence. Kids grow up too quickly and become biased and jaded towards life fast enough as it is. I just don't see any point in rushing them to it. Let them be kids. Let them have fantasies. There is no harm done. They will find out reality soon enough on their own.

Again, if you choose not to believe or keep any sentimentality as an adult, that's your own concern, but please don't deny the kids. That's all I ask.

Thoughts?

I agree. I think each family has their own values, traditions and customs when it comes to Christmas and all holidays. My sister in law is very religious, and their kids know the real meaning of Christmas. They know that Santa is not real, however they also know NOT to say anything to kids who do believe. I joke with my brother's kids about Santa, but they know that mom and dad are the ones who get their gifts for them. My neice knows he isn't real, but still goes to see Santa in the malls, etc and tells him what she wants for Christmas.

I buy my family/friends and co-workers presents and I put up a tree but I dont really "celebrate" Christmas anymore.Its just another day to me.

I think we only celebrate in our family because there are so many little kids. I have one child, my sister has one and my brother has four. Its all about decorating, its all about gathering together and actually spending time together. Our lives are so busy that we really don't get the time anymore except holidays to all be together and enjoy our time.

Christmas is the one day where everyone (mostly) is a little bit more considerate, a little more tolerant, a little more charitable


that is the "Christmas Spirit"

Thank you, folks, for your input.

Myself being single and alone ,I look at christmas as being just another day.

I'm not so much talking about the adults, I'm more focused on the children and those who deny them the magic.

It just makes me sad.

*ah-choo!*

I would never try to tell a child that Santa isn't real or anything like that. I remember being 5 years old and hearing other kids at school talking about how their older siblings told them Santa wasn't real and I argued to the end with then that he was. When I wrote a letter to him that year the only thing I asked for was to know that he was real.

I actually didn't stop believing in him until I was 13 years old. That was only 6 years ago for me. So I remember how much that hurt for me. (I was a very sheltered child up until my second year in high school).
I would never want to be the one to bring that hurt upon a young child. It is never good to lie, but it's not a lie when you're referring Santa to simply being Christmas Spirit.

Bless you!

I don't have kids, so I missed out on what I think is wonderful part of Christmas. Some of my fondest memories are Christmases as a kid. It's hard for me to understand why anyone would deny a child these magical moments of youth and the wonderful memories they become.

Have you ever seen the expression on a young child's face when all the colorful lights are illuminated on a Christmas tree? Or when they see all those wonderful presents? Or having them hear the haunting sound of a cheerful "Ho! Ho! Ho!" coming from nowhere and everywhere?

That look is priceless. I can't imagine taking that away from any of them.

Growing up we never told my mom we knew that Santa wasn't real. We truly thought she believed in Santa. Every year, for all the years we were home, we continued to play out the traditions. There were many. Presents didn't come out until Christmas Eve after the kids were in bed. Mom and Dad snuck around and giggled as they filled up our stockings and took bites out of the cookies we layed out for Santa. They stayed up long hours into the night putting together toys and basketball hoops and skateboards.

Come Christmas morning we were only allowed to look in our stockings (which always included socks and an orange among other little goodies) until after we ate cinnamon rolls and drank our orange juice. I can still remember that special feeling of excitement and anticipation at opening our gifts and playing with our toys as a family. My mom was always in her green robe and my dad always had a cup of coffee and a silly grin on his face. He would put on a Santa hat and pass out only one gift at a time and we all had to wait patiently while each person opened it up and we all exclaimed over how nice it was. When gifts were over us kids dressed up in whatever cool new clothes we had gotten and everyone bundled up for a trip (usually in the snow) to Grandma's house for dinner.

God, how I miss those days. I'm working hard at keeping those traditions alive for my own kids. It's always about making memories. No matter how bad life gets you down, you can fall back into your mind and know that somehow, everything will be ok, especially if you have the support system of family and friends who appreciate the same sentiments that you do.

Merry Christmas to you OP, and to all the Mingle Family.

Awwww... I knew it...you're just an ol' softie!

that part of it, that magic, is almost as important - to me anyway - as is the real reason for the celebration of christmas

i STILL go outside and leave reindeer prints for the kids, and eat some of the cookies, drink half the milk, leave a handwritten note from santa.

i go even further than that: the tooth fairy also writes to them, leaves photos and letters.

we also have pixies living in the various lanterns around the garden and every couple of weeks or so, there's pixie dust and some trinket left inside.

Being raised as a Jehovah's Witness, we were taught right from the beginning that there was no such thing as Santa Clause and that Christmas was bad. Boy am I glad I'm out of that!

My daughter is 10, and I think she's kinda putting two and two together as to where the presents come from, after all, she's been with me to buy everyone's presents. But she is still putting out the cookies and milk again like she always does, and is determined to stay up all night to wait for Santa to come like she does every year, even though she falls asleep within 15 minutes of her head hitting the pillow.

When she comes to realize the truth of everything, it's not going to matter, cause she'll be right there teaching her new brother or sister all of the traditions that she got to do growing up and she will understand why I did what I did, and the fun I have in sharing these lifetime memories with her.