With Christmas near, excitement and joy fill billions of households across the world as families welcome the holiday season. From Advent calendars to decorating with Christmas lights, kids deeply appreciate Christmas time; importantly, several parents encourage Santa Claus in their household for the sake of their children’s imaginations.
“I do believe that parents should encourage Santa Claus in their household. For me, I think Santa is such a fun and cute way for kids to get excited for Christmas. I think that every kid deserves the same amount of excitement, and that does not just come from getting gifts, during the holidays. Santa is also such a good way for children to feel creative and imaginative as well,” senior Kristy Gonzalez said.
Santa Claus represents an important figure for kids, and parents should continue to encourage their young children’s belief in him. Over 36 million children under the age of 11 use technology or find ways to access the Internet. During the holidays, increased technology use among children may lead to a lack of engagement with their families. Introducing Santa Claus to children can, at least during Christmastime, lead to extra attention and excitement toward an amusing belief.
Parents may feel that allowing children to believe in Santa demonstrates cruelty — due to Santa’s completely fictional status — solely for a day of happiness. However, studies show that children’s belief in Santa Claus helps their mental growth. When children mature and they realize that Santa does not exist, their cognitive development strengthens.
“I definitely remember the moment when I found out that Santa was not real. I remember being a bit older, maybe eight or nine years old, and I got over it within five minutes. Looking back, I enjoyed that my parents allowed me to believe in Santa cause it made me more excited for Christmas day. It almost felt like I had an extra family member who was getting me gifts, but I still had to prepare the house for it. Leaving cookies out for Santa was always my favorite part cause I felt like I was energizing him before he would visit other houses,” senior David Achamaja said.
Additionally, the awareness of Santa helps children in ways beyond developing their critical thinking; for kids who do not yet know the truth, Santa can act as a positive role model. The fictional character helps parents by maintaining a way to encourage their children to act properly, especially for the holidays. Certain Santa references in pop culture suggest proper behavior from children. Lyrics from the hit song, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” such as, “he knows if you’ve been good or bad so be good for goodness sake,” incentivize children to behave well for the man who will bring them gifts on Christmas morning.
Even if parents do not struggle with their children’s behavior, believing in Santa still grows their imagination and teaches gratitude. Setting out cookies for ol’ St. Nick on Christmas Eve excites children and reminds them to show appreciation. Another tradition, writing letters to Santa, not only helps parents learn what gifts their children wish for but also acts as a proper imaginative spark and a way to improve kids’ writing skills.
Additional encouragements and traditions include tracking Santa’s path with a Santa tracker and participating in “Elf on the Shelf.” These concepts work to excite children before they experience Santa’s arrival. Regardless of the lies associated with the encouragement of Santa, allowing kids to enjoy Christmas time fosters a sense of creativity and wonder which leads to a memorable childhood holiday season.
