Why do People think its okay to ruin Santa for kids? Update - p. 21, post 307

[Mkrop]

Were my kids the only to attend a Catholic School where Santa Claus and Christmas parties were not allowed. There was reason for the conversation to be a problem since the month of December was dedicated to the birth of Christ. As our Monsignor aged, we did have some Christmas Carols (church based carols) and a cookie day. But that was it.

Our children's Mass was based on the honor of the children to perform the Living Nativity scene and being the first in the congregation to see Christ in his manger.

I really wish that the OP could confront the teacher and get their side of the story. I dislike the condemning without hearing both sides of the story. No I wouldn't not believe my child, but I would confirm it, and then take proper actions.

I attended 3 different Catholic school growing up in two states do to moving, my kids currently attend Catholic School and we always had both the birth of Jesus AND Santa.

We also have a beautiful Living Nativity at our church but we also have Breakfast with Santa.

 

[mlynn]

I would be so MAD!! because in all fairness.Santa AKA St Nick was a real person at one time. He was a Bishop not to long after jesus.

http://mymerrychristmas.com/2005/santa.shtml

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Guys, Santa is real, as is the magic of Christmas. If you don't believe, I invite you to look around you over the course of the next month. Only something as magical as Christmas, with someone as magical as Santa, can create and sustain this level of love and good cheer in times like this.

Keep the spirit alive in your hearts in whatever way works for you, but keep it alive.

 

[mlynn]

Guys, Santa is real, as is the magic of Christmas. If you don't believe, I invite you to look around you over the course of the next month. Only something as magical as Christmas, with someone as magical as Santa, can create and sustain this level of love and good cheer in times like this.

Keep the spirit alive in your hearts in whatever way works for you, but keep it alive.

Nicely put!!!!!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

Curious....why do parents feel the need to lie to their children about something mythical?

Same reason people lie to themselves about a losing football franchise having a chance... the right to believe.

If we have trouble with Santa, why the heck are we hanging out in a discussion forum about a Magical place that all started with a talking Mouse.

It's really not that much of a deviation...

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

I would be so MAD!! because in all fairness.Santa AKA St Nick was a real person at one time. He was a Bishop not to long after jesus.

http://mymerrychristmas.com/2005/santa.shtml

St. Nikolas is my boy! (we share a holiday )

 

[rainy~daze]

OP, I don't know if this was mentioned yet, but I would suggest your friend have her kids watch (or read to them) Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Clause.


That might help them understand and not be so sad.

 

[RadioFanatic]

OP back - sorry I got lost. Work and all. Wow, we went from drinking teachers to Chuck Norris to mandarin all in one santa thread!

Anyway, for the record, this happened to a coworker's kid, not mine. She is waiting to hear back from the religious ed director today. I will update when I hear anything. But she got it consistently not just from her kid but other kids in the class as well that they were talking about christmas and jesus and the teacher on his own brought up that santa was a lie parents make. And I don't care if it was done by mistake, to be mean or whatever, it was wrong.

When my oldest was a toddler, Santa came into the church at the Christmas Eve Catholic Mass and knelt before the manger scene & said a prayer, before he went on his route. I know some thought that was silly, but this was a Mass was geared toward children and you should have seen the wide eyes on the little ones....priceless!

So I would have been quite upset if my 7 year-old came home from CCD class to tell me that the teacher told him that there is no Santa. Not when the area Catholic Churches didn't indicate no tolerance of Santa.

Our church used to do the same thing.

Have a question for the posters who see nothing wrong with what happened in a religious ed class - essentially saying that's what you get. Are you catholic? Or are you a religion that doesn't allow the use of Santa? Bc I truly think there is a difference bw a family with kids that is knowingly in a religion that doesn't allow Santa and a religion, like catholicism, which as a whole is not only fine with it but uses it. If I decided to have my son in a Jewish class, I can't then be upset that they aren't doing Christmas trees, celebrating Christmas, etc. But as a catholic, one does not expect someone to debunk Santa as that is not a tenet of catholicism.

And we are leaving for WDW tomorrow. All my 2 year old is talking about is how he can't wait to hug and kiss Tinkerbell (he also wants her to sleep in his bed, but that's another thread! ) Should I tell him that really it's just a girl dressed up like Tinkerbell? No way Jose!

 

[McKelly]

I agree the teacher was wrong. We are Catholic and during Christmas Day Mass, the priest even talks about Santa when he addresses the kids!!

 

[mskayjay]

Curious....why do parents feel the need to lie to their children about something mythical?

People like you amaze me..... My kids believed in Santa. They also believed in Jesus and knew full well the "real" reason and meaning behind Christmas. At a certain age they both came and asked if Santa was real and we gently explained that he wasn't truly an elf-type creature who wore a red suit but that was a good way and fun way for people to picture him because he was just a special magical part of the holidays.. And they still believed.....

Years later as my then high school aged daughter was standing with me at our front door accepting another huge donation to a holiday program we were running for under-privileged children and families out of our home I turned her around and directed her attention to our family room at the farthest end of our home. You could barely see the tree in that huge room. We were taking care of 65 families with over 200 children that year and in our family room there were groceries for a whole week for each family and a gift for each child and their parents piled in there. I quietly asked her if she saw Santa and she nodded yes.

Two years ago one of the children who received a gift in the program walked up to me in a local bar. He is now a dad and all grown up. He is and always was one of my son's dear friends and when he got a special gift one year, it was very hard for my son to say nothing when he showing his friends that special present in school. That night in the bar, he came over and gave me a huge hug and whispered in my ear...."thank you Santa Claus". Why then after all those years is beyond me, but he still remembered and it was amazing. I've got the chubby part down but I am no elf but for him I was. He saw Santa.....

I guess it is all in how you choose to view it. Be the cynic and insist that magic and the goodwill of the holidays can't be embodied in the likeness of a jolly old fellow in a red suit but don't assume the right to tell anyone else's child that something a parent shares with them is not real.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You know, Chuck Norris counted to infinity. Twice.

I heard he did it counting backwards...

Backwards? Please. That's not special. Even I can do it backwards.

Infinity minus one.
Infinity minus two.
Infinity minus three.
Infinity minus...

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am Catholic, the teacher made a mistake (you will be hard pressed to convince me he did it with intent to be malicious), mistakes can be wrong, I still don't think he needs to be "fired". While there is no "rule" that we cannot have Santa, he did not violate any Portion of the faith. He is guilty only in the lack of common sense and compassion for the kids that he taught. I don't think he should be "fired". But it does seem that the director needs to have "sensitivity training" on the subject to avoid such a mistake in the future.

I hope my credentials are enough to validate my opinion. (That is a joke by the way!)

I hope you have fun at Disney.

OP back - sorry I got lost. Work and all. Wow, we went from drinking teachers to Chuck Norris to mandarin all in one santa thread!

Anyway, for the record, this happened to a coworker's kid, not mine. She is waiting to hear back from the religious ed director today. I will update when I hear anything. But she got it consistently not just from her kid but other kids in the class as well that they were talking about christmas and jesus and the teacher on his own brought up that santa was a lie parents make. And I don't care if it was done by mistake, to be mean or whatever, it was wrong.



Our church used to do the same thing.

Have a question for the posters who see nothing wrong with what happened in a religious ed class - essentially saying that's what you get. Are you catholic? Or are you a religion that doesn't allow the use of Santa? Bc I truly think there is a difference bw a family with kids that is knowingly in a religion that doesn't allow Santa and a religion, like catholicism, which as a whole is not only fine with it but uses it. If I decided to have my son in a Jewish class, I can't then be upset that they aren't doing Christmas trees, celebrating Christmas, etc. But as a catholic, one does not expect someone to debunk Santa as that is not a tenet of catholicism.

And we are leaving for WDW tomorrow. All my 2 year old is talking about is how he can't wait to hug and kiss Tinkerbell (he also wants her to sleep in his bed, but that's another thread! ) Should I tell him that really it's just a girl dressed up like Tinkerbell? No way Jose!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would be so MAD!! because in all fairness.Santa AKA St Nick was a real person at one time. He was a Bishop not to long after jesus.

http://mymerrychristmas.com/2005/santa.shtml

St. Nicholas was real; Santa Claus is not. That's simply a created character based on the real person. Because saints can't be designated as saints while living, it's impossible for St. Nicholas to be distributing gifts - in actuality or in spirit.

 

[wvjules]

Seriously, the teacher should be fired....and SUED? That is getting a little carried away, don't you think?

 

[mhsjax]

time out. your friend enrolled her kid in a RELIGIOUS EDUCATION class and is upset when the teacher teaches the kid about a RELIGIOUS holiday?

Uhm sorry but Christmas is the celebration of Jesus's birthday. I'm trying to figure out why you are upset because the teacher told the truth?

Sorry OP, but if you want to teach kids about the secular celebrating of Christmas, don't send them to religious school.

Teacher is totally right.

Sorry, but in all my kids years at church,(they are older now) Santa was never even discussed. That is right, it is a religious class, Santa isn't religious, he shouldn't have been brought up. No church I have ever been in contact with ever did this to kids, it is wrong and besides St Nick was real. If the teacher wanted to talk about Santa, just bring him up.

Even still, it isn't the teachers place to educate the kids about Santa, That church would have a piece of my mind and never have a piece of my wallet again.

 

[mhsjax]

Sorry but imo when you send your kid to a religion class the natural assumption would be they would teach the class from a religious aspect. this is not public school this is a religious class. You send your kid to a christian school don't complain when they say there is no Santa, it's about Jesus.

Why should she have to figure out how the parents is handling santa, her job is to teach the religious aspect of christmas. The place for kids to learn about the non christian aspects of christmas is called public school.

No way would my church be preaching the santa claus line, they wouldn't say the parents were lying but they definitely would not say that christmas is about Santa. no way.

What's next: Easter is about the Easter Bunny?

Exactly, you said it yourself, religious class is to learn about Jesus, not Santa, so WHY did she bring it up, there was no need what so ever. Sound likes on old bitter witch to me.

We very much include Jesus in Christmas, we just told out kids that Santa gave gifts because Jesus was all about giving, so Santa gives gift to kids. Wow, yep that is really damaging and very secular.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Seriously, the teacher should be fired....and SUED? That is getting a little carried away, don't you think?

Depends on how it went down and the teacher's attitude going forward. Sued? - No. Fired? - Maybe.

Teachers are not free to say whatever pops into their heads. Teachers who think otherwise need to be removed from the classroom.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

People like you amaze me..... My kids believed in Santa. They also believed in Jesus and knew full well the "real" reason and meaning behind Christmas. At a certain age they both came and asked if Santa was real and we gently explained that he wasn't truly an elf-type creature who wore a red suit but that was a good way and fun way for people to picture him because he was just a special magical part of the holidays.. And they still believed.....

Years later as my then high school aged daughter was standing with me at our front door accepting another huge donation to a holiday program we were running for under-privileged children and families out of our home I turned her around and directed her attention to our family room at the farthest end of our home. You could barely see the tree in that huge room. We were taking care of 65 families with over 200 children that year and in our family room there were groceries for a whole week for each family and a gift for each child and their parents piled in there. I quietly asked her if she saw Santa and she nodded yes.

Two years ago one of the children who received a gift in the program walked up to me in a local bar. He is now a dad and all grown up. He is and always was one of my son's dear friends and when he got a special gift one year, it was very hard for my son to say nothing when he showing his friends that special present in school. That night in the bar, he came over and gave me a huge hug and whispered in my ear...."thank you Santa Claus". Why then after all those years is beyond me, but he still remembered and it was amazing. I've got the chubby part down but I am no elf but for him I was. He saw Santa.....

I guess it is all in how you choose to view it. Be the cynic and insist that magic and the goodwill of the holidays can't be embodied in the likeness of a jolly old fellow in a red suit but don't assume the right to tell anyone else's child that something a parent shares with them is not real.

 

[mhsjax]

Actually yes!! My kids never believed they were anything but actors in costume. Never truly understood how kids could think anything else, they aren't exactly realistic with the hard heads and unmoving fingers etc. My DD pointed this out when she was a tiny preschooler. We have always talked about how Disney does stuff and the special effects and the facades, why wouldn't you.?
They have also seen specials on the building of Disney world.

Sorry, but my DD3 went to WDW for the firs time, you better believe that she thought Cinderella was real, and anyone that told here differently would have had me in their face. Why in the world would I take a beautiful little 3 year old whose face literally lit up when she saw cindy and tell her no sweetie, it is all a lie, it is just a woman dressed up. That is wrong.

Now they are older, sure, but when they are little kids why in the world i ruin that for her. There is no good reason except just being cruel and unfeeling.

 

[mhsjax]

Please don't tell me you're a parent ~ seriously ?

Amen.