Do you believe in Santa?

[Escapay]

I've only been to Disney World once, when I was 10 or 11, so I knew the characters weren't real but it was still a magical time for me where I at least pretended they were real.

I think it has to do with what we *want* to believe when we're down there. I mean I knew three different Peter Pans when I worked there (the 30-year-old chain smoker, the looks-like-he's-12 high school kid, or the hot girl that can pass for a guy when wearing green tights and a wig), but whenever I saw them onstage, I always felt they *were* their character. And I knew a real a$$hole who played Goofy, but when I saw him onstage, I would really believe it was Goofy, not the a$$hole.

I guess really little kids might think that Mickey and Goofy and Snow White are the real versions of the characters they know, but even the smallest of children can tell a cartoon from real life, can't they?

Well, it's like George the Squirrel from Enchanted. In the cartoon world, he can speak, but when he's in the real world, because real squirrels don't speak, he can't. So when the fur (big mask) characters visit the parks, they can't speak, even though a majority of the face (no mask) characters can.

(And I know the squirrel's name isn't George, but I name every squirrel George. One of my many idiosyncrasies, I know...)

ETA: And now I'm just remembering that it isn't even a squirrel, but a chipmunk named Pip. So disregard all the "George the Squirrel" talk.

But if my child hugged Mickey and then asked if he was the real Mickey Mouse, right now, without studying child phsycology or having a child of my own yet, I would like to think I would say to them: You have to fogure that out for yourself. It's up to you. If you believe he's really Mickey Mouse, he's really Mickey Mouse. Or maybe I would say, "Well, he's right there in front of you, isn't he?" Or something that hopefully will have me avoid both lying to my child or crushing my child's dreams.

I'd tell my kid this: "Well if he isn't Mickey Mouse, then maybe you aren't (name of my kid...something fun like Jet Rocket or Whirling Dervish)." To which my kid would say, "But I *am* Jet Rocket/Whirling Dervish!" To which I'd cryptically reply, "Well, there you go..." and let him be confused while we wait in line for Peter Pan's Flight.

That way, I'm not outright lying to my kid, but I'm not exactly telling him the truth. Which is bad of me, as I'll prove in my next point...

And for all you Catholics out there, from religion class I learned it's a sin to lie to someone no matter what, but you're allowed to lead them on and make them think something without actually lying (like "lying by omission" or acting like you don't know the truth without saying you don't know the truth if you know it).

Well, I'm Roman Catholic, but I still consider lying by omission to be a sin. If we allow someone to believe something is or isn't true, and we know that it isn't or is true, it's as much a lie as lying about it in the first place.

And just like every other Roman Catholic out there, it's hypocritical of me to say/believe that, since I do lie occasionally, and lie by omission even more so.

Scaps

[I Love Bambi]

Well, you could say that the spirit of giving is 'Santa Claus'...

What the heck, I'll go ahead and vote yes. It's Christmas time.

[Aladdin from Agrabah]

What the heck, I'll go ahead and vote yes. It's Christmas time.

Oh well...I guess you're right after all.

[Disney Duster]

Jasmine1022, actually, all over the world are variations of Santa, like there's even one version where he has an alter-ego who looks like a horned devil and he whips all the naughty children.

Well, Escapay, all I have to say is good thinking and I agree with just about everything. I might need to debate with my preist, if I can find him in my old Catholic High School. I don't know if we're Roman Catholic or...just Catholic?

[PeterPanfan]

I like the debate going on here.

I Love Bambi,are you I Love Nala on DCF and ILB on Classic Disney Fans? I'm clemxens on DCF and Daniel on CDF.

[Disney Duster]

Another thing I find despicable is telling your child to be good all year or they won't get presents (or sometimes get lumps of coal in there stead). It is just human nature to make mistakes, to "sin", and not a person can be expected to be good all year, especially children who would be "weaker" and more easily give in to temptations, especially when they don't know why or why not something they do is bad. I think it's actually impossible to have a perfect record all year, especially for children who are learning what is or isn't acceptable behavior as they go along.

Bribes also aren't good, since it would teach children to only do things when they get something in return. I suppose there's the argument chilren can't understand why they shouldn't do something, but I think most adults could say, "If you touch the fire it will burn you and it will hurt you!" instead of, "Don't touch the fire because I said so and I'm in charge and I know better!"

And if children forever listen to their parents, how will they ever learn to challenge authority or think on their own, develop their own morals and their beliefs in right or wrong? I know, we've all had Santa and we've all turned out okay, I'm just wondering why we should bother with Santa's punishments for the wicked at all.

[I Love Bambi]

"If you touch the fire it will burn you and it will hurt you!" instead of, "Don't touch the fire because I said so and I'm in charge and I know better!"

I fail to see how this has anything to do with Santa. And also, I had enough reason to understand why my parents told me to be good: not because of presents, but rather because it was the right thing to do.

And if children forever listen to their parents, how will they ever learn to challenge authority or think on their own, develop their own morals and their beliefs in right or wrong?

Life teaches you these skills, whether the parents taught it or not.

I know, we've all had Santa and we've all turned out okay,

Exactly.