Guest opinion: Virginia, there is no Santa Claus

    In an unsigned Sept. 21, 1897 editorial, veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church answered 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon’s query, “Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?” with this reply:

    “…Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist … Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus … We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished … Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies!”

    The last I checked, fairies don’t exist, do they? Given the opportunity to “Please tell [Virginia] the truth,” Mr. Church not only lent his credibility to the Santa Claus lie, but he also tied belief in Santa Claus to a belief in “love and generosity and devotion.” When Virginia grew up, and realized that Santa Claus was not real after all, did it cause any sense of disappointment, or betrayal, or, worse, a cynicism about these important virtues?

    There seems to be a silent agreement among adults that we should not ruin children’s dreams by robbing them of a belief in Santa Claus. Unlike a belief in God, who may or may not be real, every adult knows without a shadow of a doubt that Santa Claus is just a story. Upon deeper reflection, the Santa Claus myth is really a child’s precursor to a belief in God. If any readers are religiously inclined, think about how the discovery of the Santa fiction might create a hesitation to believe in God: “My parents told me Santa Claus was real, and he wasn’t. My parents tell me God is real. Hmmm.”

    There are five main reasons for adults to refuse to teach the Santa Claus myth:

    It is a lie. It is far better for our children to trust what we say to them, than to diligently try to persuade them of something we know they will discover is false anyway. There are countless stories of this discovery, and the heartbreaking feelings of betrayal it brings.

    Many parents who are sympathetic to the criticism of the Santa myth reluctantly go along with the story because they don’t want their children to spoil it for others. Would we make this same argument about any other lie? Instead of feeling worried and upset that their children might discover the truth, shouldn’t these parents feel ashamed that their children are telling a bunch of lies?

    Santa Claus is used by some parents to threaten their children into good behavior. Note the similarity between Santa Claus and God. They are both omniscient, and offer punishments and rewards for behavior: “You’d better watch out!” Psychological research urges caregivers against manipulating children with fear of reprisal. Yet, how many parents have told their children, “You had better behave, or Santa Claus is going to put coal in your stocking!” There are better, more positive ways to teach children to behave than threats.

    Santa Claus is a poor reflection of his origins. St. Nicholas (in the Latin, San Nikkolaus, later transformed into Santa Claus), a fourth-century bishop in present-day Turkey, had a reputation for generosity and kindness. The legends about him spoke of miracles he performed for the poor and those who were unjustly condemned. By contrast, Santa Claus is a fat guy who fuels our children’s desires and envy for the toys they have to have. Perpetuating this story forces one into participating in the crass materialism of the season and teaches that there is a connection between possessions and happiness.

    Santa Claus is a bigot. Coincidentally, children from wealthy parents receive more gifts than children from poorer parents. How about that for a reversal from the example of St. Nicholas! Is this the lesson we want to teach children at Christmas time?

    Our children can gain, in love, generosity and devotion, from knowing and appreciating the people who really gave them their gifts each year. We need not try to bolster our children’s relationship with the fictional Santa. Our children need a relationship with their parents.

    Dr. John D Rich Jr. is professor of psychology at Delaware State University. He specializes in the field of educational psychology and research/evaluation design.