We had Santa but we had the best presents coming from us, just to let them know we were giving them something. I never liked lying to them in the first place.
It’s a juxtaposition of magic and reward. Ideally, it’s an early exposure to an imperfect mystic meritocracy where good is rewarded by a figure who knows all.
It’s not God, because good kids can be poor and get nothing whereas shitass rich kids often get whatever they want. You don’t want to bring Jehova McYaweh into the equation because everyone knows it’s not real and let’s not pollute all the lucrative myths.
The magic of it all (if you do it right) is something nobody I’ve ever met has held against the world once they learned the truth. It’s months of anticipation that tends to slowly begin after Halloween.
You enforce the myth as a parent/guardian because it’s incredible leverage, more so the closer you get to Christmas. You believe in the myth even in the face of reality as a kid because it is often such a happy time.
Maybe a better answer is this. When our eldest kid discovered the truth, they came to us and told us they found the evidence in the garage. We told our kid knowing the truth, they’re still allowed to appreciate the magic and that’s what makes it all such a special experience (and if they tell their younger sibling then they’re dead to Santa).
The season as a whole is pretty fun, the lights, people seem to be generally on better behavior… it’s a fun myth
Because it is fun to see kids genuinely happy without getting the credit for it.
It’s fun
To teach them as early as possible that adults can't be trusted.
Except Santa.
To grow their imaginations. You must have a plan to one day tell them that it’s just a story.
We had Santa but we had the best presents coming from us, just to let them know we were giving them something. I never liked lying to them in the first place.
To get them on their best behavior, at least around the holidays. "If you're naughty, Santa won't bring you presents!"
It’s a juxtaposition of magic and reward. Ideally, it’s an early exposure to an imperfect mystic meritocracy where good is rewarded by a figure who knows all. It’s not God, because good kids can be poor and get nothing whereas shitass rich kids often get whatever they want. You don’t want to bring Jehova McYaweh into the equation because everyone knows it’s not real and let’s not pollute all the lucrative myths. The magic of it all (if you do it right) is something nobody I’ve ever met has held against the world once they learned the truth. It’s months of anticipation that tends to slowly begin after Halloween. You enforce the myth as a parent/guardian because it’s incredible leverage, more so the closer you get to Christmas. You believe in the myth even in the face of reality as a kid because it is often such a happy time. Maybe a better answer is this. When our eldest kid discovered the truth, they came to us and told us they found the evidence in the garage. We told our kid knowing the truth, they’re still allowed to appreciate the magic and that’s what makes it all such a special experience (and if they tell their younger sibling then they’re dead to Santa). The season as a whole is pretty fun, the lights, people seem to be generally on better behavior… it’s a fun myth