Clicky Poll: Let's talk Santa

[Sammich_Cat]

Does your significant other agree?

[nerdykitten]

I am sure we will do Santa and probably the Easter Bunny, but we haven't talked about the tooth fairy.

[Sammich_Cat]

We'll are doing Santa only, and only on my family's side. My H's side won't be participating, but won't try to ruin it either. They'll just say they don't believe in Santa.

[tincupchalice]

We're doing santa. Not sure about the others.

[teraiin]

Mh wanted to do none of them but now w that we actually have DS he has reconsidered.

[starfishy]

We do Santa And the tooth fairy (it's kind of a long running tradition thing). We hide eggs and leave a basket for Easter but I tell them it's from me. I said "I am the Easter bunny." Kid doesn't care- still believes in the Easter bunny.

[westiemom]

Santa and tooth fairy. Easter Bunny is a no. We will hide eggs and such but it will be from us, not the bunny.

[helloerrbody]

We will be doing all the magical make-believe things including Santa, Easter Bunny, and Tooth Fairy.

[mrssqueegy]

Aug 12, 2016 22:46:44 GMT -5 helloerrbody said:

We will be doing all the magical make-believe things including Santa, Easter Bunny, and Tooth Fairy.

+1

[k3am]

We do Santa. Well do the tooth fairy. Inlaws do the Easter bunny.

[dandb925]

Aug 12, 2016 23:12:34 GMT -5 mrssqueegy said:

Aug 12, 2016 22:46:44 GMT -5 helloerrbody said:

We will be doing all the magical make-believe things including Santa, Easter Bunny, and Tooth Fairy.

+1

+2 😊

[wanderingheart]

Definitely no to Santa and Easter Bunny. Undecided on tooth fairy at this point. MH agrees, he was actually the one to first bring it up.

[babycaps]

Santa: yes.
Easter bunny: He creeps me out, so we won't seek to do bunny pictures but we do easter egg hunts. We also don't do "easter gifts". For easter, we go on vacation!
tooth fairy: hmmm I don't know yet. we haven't talked about it at all!

[PAruby525]

We do them all. It's tradition for us and a fun part of our childhoods we want to share.

That said all magic is modest. Tooth fairy leaves $1. Easter bunny hides eggs but usually no basket. Santa's gifts are moderate and big gifts come from DH and I. That way Vs mom doesn't have to "compete" when Santa comes to her house and also when Vs friends get smaller things from Santa.

[k3am]

Aug 13, 2016 14:14:21 GMT -5 PAruby525 said:

We do them all. It's tradition for us and a fun part of our childhoods we want to share.

That said all magic is modest. Tooth fairy leaves $1. Easter bunny hides eggs but usually no basket. Santa's gifts are moderate and big gifts come from DH and I. That way Vs mom doesn't have to "compete" when Santa comes to her house and also when Vs friends get smaller things from Santa.

I read an article about Santa gifts years ago with the same concept the resonated with me.. Let the big gifts come from you. Little jimmy doesn't understand why Santa only buys him something small but other kids get big stuff.

[snoris]

I've talked to MH before about it but I can't say we are decided. I'd like to do Saint Nicholas and take a more spiritual approach to Santa and let kids "be Santa" too, teach about giving and hopefully make the fun part of Christmas be selecting/making gifts for others and surprising them. Probably no to Easter Bunny and tooth fairy. Or we will just play pretend with them.

[wanderingheart]

Aug 13, 2016 18:02:22 GMT -5 snoris said:

I've talked to MH before about it but I can't say we are decided. I'd like to do Saint Nicholas and take a more spiritual approach to Santa and let kids "be Santa" too, teach about giving and hopefully make the fun part of Christmas be selecting/making gifts for others and surprising them. Probably no to Easter Bunny and tooth fairy. Or we will just play pretend with them.

We're doing something similar. We will teach B and O that Santa was fashioned after Saint Nicholas, who was a real man who served the poor, but Santa is not real. We will tell them not to ruin it for other kids, of course.

[helloerrbody]

I have so, so many fond memories from childhood of these magical "creatures." I was never upset, mad, confused, etc. when I "found out" they weren't real. I also was raised in a strong Christian home and knew the real reason for Christmas and Easter without a doubt. I respect anyone's decision either way of course, but for my children I'm so excited for the magic of these traditions.

[jbeans27]

We will definitely have Santa but honestly all gifts from us are very modest as DS (and now DD) have a lot of other people buying them gifts. We probably spent less than $50 on each of DS christmas's so far. We also normally go out of the country with my family at Christmas so we celebrate with people, not things on my side.

Easter is an egg hunt at MHs uncle's house put on by his uncle and his wife who don't have kids so I can't take that away from them.

I guess we'll do the tooth fairy? Really haven't talked about it...

[mrssqueegy]

Aug 13, 2016 23:00:32 GMT -5 helloerrbody said:

I have so, so many fond memories from childhood of these magical "creatures." I was never upset, mad, confused, etc. when I "found out" they weren't real. I also was raised in a strong Christian home and knew the real reason for Christmas and Easter without a doubt. I respect anyone's decision either way of course, but for my children I'm so excited for the magic of these traditions.

This x 1000000

[Deleted]

We're atheist so no point on Santa or the Easter Bunny, and we probably won't do the tooth fairy either. I never had any of it growing up so I don't really feel like she'll be missing out on anything.

[wanderingheart]

MH and I were both raised in Christian homes believing in Santa and all that too. My mom was actually really upset when I told her B and O would not be doing Santa, so please don't buy outfits with Santa on it. We had good experiences with Santa and Easter Bunny as kids, but we just decided we didn't want anything to distract from what we believe is the reason for Christmas and Easter. They'll still get presents and do Easter egg hunts, but we want them to know where those gifts come from and why. In our view, The idea of Santa in today's society is the opposite of what Jesus did.

My sisters do Santa for their kids, and I loved believing in Santa as a kid too, so I don't care if people do Santa either. To each their own

[k3am]

Aug 14, 2016 0:41:40 GMT -5 @led said:

We're atheist so no point on Santa or the Easter Bunny, and we probably won't do the tooth fairy either. I never had any of it growing up so I don't really feel like she'll be missing out on anything.

I found out recently that a ton of families celebrate the Easter bunny without any religion involved. I learned this the hard way by pissing off my atheist inlaws when I made other plans for an Easter hunt. It NEVER occurred to me that they would want to celebrate Easter with our kid when they don't have any religion.

Anyways, according to the consensus parenting board, the two are not related at all. I'm really not sure where my feels are on it.

[k3am]

We do Santa and Easter bunny pics with DD at the mall. She's traumatized each time - it's a right of passage and I love the screaming pics. I'm a sadist apparently.

Last year, she was only willing to sit on either laps to tell them DO NOT COME TO MY HOUSE PLEASE!!! It was hysterical.

And they don't come to her house, they go to grandma's or Nana's.

[helloerrbody]

Aug 14, 2016 11:31:14 GMT -5 k3am said:

Aug 14, 2016 0:41:40 GMT -5 @led said:

We're atheist so no point on Santa or the Easter Bunny, and we probably won't do the tooth fairy either. I never had any of it growing up so I don't really feel like she'll be missing out on anything.

I found out recently that a ton of families celebrate the Easter bunny without any religion involved. I learned this the hard way by pissing off my atheist inlaws when I made other plans for an Easter hunt. It NEVER occurred to me that they would want to celebrate Easter with our kid when they don't have any religion.

Anyways, according to the consensus parenting board, the two are not related at all. I'm really not sure where my feels are on it.

Throughout 10 years of teaching Kindergarten, I had students who were from families that were Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and atheist.  (And I'm probably missing something.)  Every year almost every single one of my students (sometimes all of them) did both Santa and the Easter bunny regardless of their family's religious/spiritual beliefs.  It could be because of where I live, but just throwing it out there that there are many families who are not Christian and still do Santa, etc.  In fact, many of the Hindu and Buddhist families put up Christmas trees.  Not saying it's right or wrong, just sharing my observations.

[k3am]

Honestly, I think most of the Santa/Easter bunny traditions have evolved to the point that there is no religion involved and it's purely a social thing. (I can't even really trace any of the Easter bunny traditions back to a religion at all.. Can you?)

[snoris]

Truth. Tbh I've been just a little confused about having Easter dinner with my SIL who was raised Hindu and my brother, both agnostic. I mean, foods good so whatevs. Definitely a cultural thing these days.

[k3am]

But I swear I get rage when I see elf on a shelf on FB. I hate that thing. I acknowledge that one day, DD may ask for it and we'll get one, but it doesn't need to be on FB.

[babycaps]

We also travel for Xmas to see family. Christmas growing up was alway aHUGE family gathering. That is what it will continue to be for us. We buy our kids one gift. They get so much from so many ppl.

[babycaps]

I think if we ever do the elf on a shelf there are two things it will come with: ZERO mention of it on Facebook or other social media. It will not be mischievous. It will do kind and nice things and I will likely forget about it every night. Soooo yeah, a Christmas tree is plenty. We don't even do stockings. It's not something I grew up with. I grew up with Christmas in 90F heat!