How Do You Raise Children Not To Believe In Santa Claus?
• Avoid bringing Santa Claus into Christmas celebrations in your own family sphere. Not doing it from the start is the easiest way to not raise children who expect Santa to be a part of their Christmas experience. • Explain to your children that Santa Claus is a pretend thing much like other pretend things. Explain that Santa is seen everywhere because many shops like to use a picture of Santa Claus to help make it feel like Christmas but that that is all. • Help children to understand that it is all right to see shows with Santa Claus in them (as they inevitably will) but to treat Santa like any other cartoon characters. • Introduce your children to Saint Nick. Explain to them that Saint Nick lived centuries ago but is deceased now. Borrow books from the library about his life and read these to the children so that they know the origins and see this as a historical lesson. Avoid being mean spirited about Santa. Your children will see many other children getting gifts from Santa and be
