Santa Claus

Santa Claus is a fictional character recognized in the holidays of many European and North American cultures. While celebrating the secular aspects of Christmas, many parents willingly deceive their children into believing that Santa Claus will visit their home to bring gifts. Much controversy exists concerning this widespread, cultural deception. Upon hearing the truth, however, children typically do not feel betrayed; they instead take the truth as a rite of passage into adulthood.

The myth of Santa Claus coalesced from a number of cultural stories and traditions dating back to the 17th century, most from European/Christian regions. Saint Nicholas, a Greek religious figure in the early and mid-4th century c.e., was known for his acts of generosity and kindness to those in need, including clandestinely placing gifts and coins in individual's shoes. Removing even the Christian associations, the influence of this figure can also be traced back to pre-Christianized Germanic tribes' reverence of the pagan god Odin, a bearded old man who was thought to ride through the sky on his mystical horse.

The modern-day interpretation of Santa Claus owes much of its inspiration from Clement Clarke Moore's 1822 poem “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” more commonly known as “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” This poem described Santa Claus much as he is today: an old, overweight man who enters people's houses through chimneys on Christmas Eve in order to bring children gifts, flying from house to house on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Since the introduction of this character and characters like him, parents all over the world have been happily deceiving their children.

The current practice of giving gifts around the Christmas holiday varies among Western countries, but the same pattern applies: children believe a mythical figure visits and leaves them with presents and candy. Whether these gifts are found in shoes, stockings, or under a tree, it is the parents' responsibility to deceive their children by secretly placing the items in these designated locations. “Evidence” of the visit by Santa Claus does not stop with the appearance of gifts: In places such as North America, many parents construct the visual remains of cookies and milk as “proof” that Santa Claus did indeed visit and enjoy a snack while inside the home.

Most parents who engage in the creation of a Santa Claus myth and the corresponding deceptive practices foster the idea with their children from a very young age. From the time a child is able to understand the concept of Santa Claus, parents reinforce the truth of his existence, even reassuring against doubts that occasionally arise, especially as the child increases in age.

There is some controversy about this practice of lying to children. One concern is that the role of parents as authority figures, sources of information, and conveyors of trust to children can be undermined. Other concerns focus on the potential to bias children's perceptions of the world when unrealistic and fantastical ideas are willingly promoted by adults.

There are several justifications of maintaining the Santa Claus myth and deceiving children. One argument is that belief in Santa Claus and the corresponding rituals tend to bring families closer together, while exploring creativity and cultural expression. In addition, this deception, while elaborate, is considered by many to be too small of a lie to cause any significant harm or distrust between children and their parents.

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