My world used to be whimsy and bliss. But was it all built on a lie?
I was nine years old when my whimsy was destroyed. My childhood was full of bliss until this one girl came along and ruined the feeling that I have long forgotten. The feeling of believing that otherworldly things could possibly exist in this plain, uninspiring world. Before that fateful day, I was a hopeful child. I thought that I could be anything–do anything. Now I’m just a shell of who I used to be.
On that world-shattering day this evil little nine-year-old with her heart full of malice, of course, told me Santa Claus wasn’t real. The nerve of this child–if she can even be called a child. What child crushes dreams like that? Had she never felt the tender feeling that was being joyful? She was sent to rain on my party and she knew exactly where it hurt. She sharpened her words like they were her pointed tools and dug them straight into my heart.
I asked my parents when I got home. I thought that they would tell me. I trust my parents and I thought I could trust them to tell me the truth but like the manipulators they are, they lied once again. So I took matters into my own sticky hands. I found my kindle (which my parents hid but I could always find) and searched up what would change my viewpoint forever. “Is Stana Clause riel?” I wasn’t the best speller.
I read the heartbreaking words on the screen. The rumors were true. There was no such thing as Santa Claus. My parents had been lying to me for years. Telling me that if I was good, Santa would bring me toys. Turns out, it was just a cheap way to get me to behave. I never told anyone. I wouldn’t– couldn’t be like that monster of a 5th grader. So I hid the fact I knew. When I came back from Winter Break, I felt different. I was holding back a secret so that no other kid would feel the pain I had experienced.
I remember one kid asked me what I got from Santa. How I craved that innocence, I thought to myself. This poor fortunate kid doesn’t even know Santa isn’t real.
I could never look at that girl the same. She took my childhood dreams away from me and I would never forgive her for that. I could never look at my parents the same. Lying to my face for all those years, making me believe that this made up fat man with a white beard and who brought Christmas presents to our homes once a year to bring cheer to little kids around the globe. All those years of presents that said “From Santa” which in fact weren’t from Santa. Let’s just say that year I found Christmas to be a scam.
I won’t be too judgmental towards my parents. After all, most parents lie. A lot. I heard about this study not too long ago. In that study, adults either modeled honest behavior or dishonest behavior to their assigned child. By no surprise the children did the same as their assigned adult. Those with honest adults tended to behave more honestly and those with dishonest adults tended to be dishonest almost immediately. Children learn from watching their parents, and if the parent lies, most likely the child will too.
I saw this debate a few years ago between parents. On one hand you had parents who didn’t tell their kids Santa brought the presents and on the other hand parents who did. Trust is one of the most important things to build with your children. Do I think a small fib about Saint Nick will ruin your relationship with your child forever? No, not at all. However, trust is the base layer of all relationships. Building your relationship, especially a parent-child relationship, on lies is probably going to end in a distance or even lost bond between the two individuals.
In all seriousness, I’m not mad at my parents for lying to me. When I think about it, it was thrilling waking up, seeing presents underneath a colorful pine tree and believing that a jolly old man brought them for me. Knowing that Santa Claus wasn’t real all that time didn’t ruin the holiday for me, but in fact made it better. My parents stayed up late just to make every year special for my sister and me. Their willingness to go beyond for us truly shows their love.
But where’s the line? Is lying about Santa Claus better than lying about something actually important? In my opinion, the intent is very important in this gray area. The Santa Claus myth brings so much magic to many different kids all over the world. Parents’ intent when they tell their children about this magical man isn’t to harm them, but to add lasting memories to this special day. No matter if you do or do not tell your children about Santa Claus, parents are ultimately doing what their children trust them to do—look after them.
“Santa-Vespa” by John Niedermeyer is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
The Pine Needle 