Two days before Christmas, I posted this message on Facebook.
Imagine. You are a teacher of five year old children just before Christmas. A little boy puts his hand up in class and asks. “Does Father Christmas bring presents for all children?” If you say “yes”, you are deceiving the children. If you say “no,” many children in the class will feel very confused, perhaps even start …crying. What is your response? A very happy Christmas to one and all on Facebook.
Here are some of the responses. I have added my response to the children at the end.
You can say, everyone gets presents but presents come in different ways to different people. This is actually true if you view everything as a ‘gift.’
Tell them there is a man with a beard who lives in the sky, controls everything, and will send you to eternity in hell if you don’t abide by his rules, but actually has absolute unconditional love for you. after that santa will be a doddle.
You just smile and say: i dont know.
We could stop lying to our children and tell them the real reason for giving. That it may be out of love for each other, not consumerism. Some presents are just the presence of each other showing up in a real way. love to you.
You can say, this year your papa or your mama will put on a very funny beard and be Santa for you because they love you.
My supporter told me how hard he have to hide, but it is also a good moment in hiding and see the joy off his kid too.
In Holland they celebrate Santa Claus around early December and Christmas on Christmas this already helps in making it more fun for kids and easier for parents with young and( still) innocent kids…with my daughter when she was younger I felt divided between telling het the truth and deceiving her…I waited a bit longer and finally told her.
One could point out that the world is a large and diverse place and that not all children celebrate Christmas. And that not all children are fortunate enough receive or expect presents at Christmas — or any other time. It’s avoiding a direct answer, but kids are pretty smart and will — sooner or later — work it out that Santa isn’t exactly (or remotely) what he’s represented to be. 🙂
Its a complete mystery who Santa gives presents to and why but it seems to help if you beleive in him and if you are good,
It’s a well honoured tradition to deceive the child about Santa, who are we to break it! Happy Xmas Christopher 🙂
It’s a good koan. There’s no right response to be found inside the box.
When the children are ready, the parents tell…Anyway Santa is not a bad lie, compared with all the stuff we stuff into children’s heads even at age 5. :*)
Tell them the true story of Saint Nicholas (270-346), a saint and Greek Bishop of Myra, Turkey. Also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker, he had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus.
I would maintain a “Noble Silence”
Great Question, CT. Thank you for the opportunity to consider this. I’d want the child’s question to be responded to in the moment, honoring where the asker of the question is in that moment of asking, as well as addressing the question beyond the child’s view. No formulas here. I’d trust what came from my heart’s attunement in the moment.
Christopher’s response.
If a child in the class asked me, I would tell the children that Father Christmas comes in many shapes and sizes and in my different ways and forms.
PS. I’ve put another question on Facebook.