Here we can all be heard for a little while. Part 2

codemonkey

:eek: Well, it's technically an offer I guess :rotfl:

I need to start practicing my cookie making for my hampers. Gingerbread or choc chip? I've engaged my colleagues as guinea pigs.

Georgiegirl256

I guess! :rotfl:

I like them both, but IMO gingerbread definitely! Personally I prefer the taste, I love ginger and cinnamon etc, but also, it's more Christmassy too.

heartbreak_star

I thought that said cookie making for hamsters.

I need to go to bed.

HBS x

codemonkey

Aww I want to make cookies for hamsters now.

jobbingmusician

I quite like Santa and the tooth fairy. Could you explain it by saying it's something that adults like to preserve, that it's an old mythology and adults have a sort of social contract to tell it to their children, even though it's something that normally would be considered a lie - a very special case?

You can explain they are things which adults try to share with children to make childhood more special - that's why there is even the FC website showing where the sleigh is, etc. etc.

Wellyboots6

Thanks everyone, I just need some perspective sometimes! I suppose you are right about not needing to decide what to say this year. I just remember how awful I have felt when finding out people have lied about things, especially things that can make you feel silly.

Pyxis

(Comes out of duvet hibernation status as this is important)


1)
Father Christmas is the embodiment of the Christmas spirit of giving, generosity, kindness to the less fortunate, etc., and as such, he is not a lie!
It is Father Christmas, as that spirit of Christmas, who brings presents to children, albeit through the medium of the parents. After all, if there were no Christmas, (or midwinter giving festival), there would be no presents.

There's no lie, then.

2)
On another level, it's a fairy story, and there's nothing wrong with fairy stories. Fairies, elves, pixies, etc. etc. all exist in our imaginations.
No lie there, then, either.

3)
Finally, I defy anyone to say that the 'discovery' that Father Christmas might not be a real, physical person as such, gave them traumas or made them view their parents as lying deceivers!
I'm sure that most people just gradually come to realise, with age, that it is their parents etc. who act 'in loco' Father Christmas. It's a vague, gradual realisation that does no harm at all.
Why?, because children aren't daft. They appreciate that while the actual physical person might not be there, the spirit of Christmas is alive and well! And it's that spirit that counts!


(Crawls back under duvet and pulls it over head)

tea_lover

WaS - do you like wintry weather when it comes inside, or does it need to stay firmly outside? We've just had rain pouring into the office. Started off around the bottom of the fire door, then I was convinced I could hear dripping and we tracked it down to a socket next to me:eek: It's coming around the double glazed window and pouring into the electrical trunking. Gonna be a fun drive home.

welly - I felt similar when my niece was born. I wasn't at all keen on the whole santa thing as it doesn't really fit with my traditional views of Christmas. However, I now have amazing memories of her little excited face at the nibbled carrot, of visiting santa with her, of watching the sleigh ride they put on around the town*. She's 13 going on 35 now and obviously way too cool to like christmas or even speak to us most of the time lol. Clich! alert - but seeing it all through a child's eyes really did change my perspective, and I wouldn't change those memories for the world.

* the rotary club do this every year. The sleigh comes along my road, playing Christmas music, etc. It makes me cry every single year - what a wuss! :rotfl:

tea_lover

Also - said niece had a complete tantrum when she found out the tooth fairy wasn't real (she was about 4 or so). Rang my mum (her nan) in disgust and complained about it all. She was upset for all of about 10 minutes, but we still love reminding her about it now - stroppy mare lol She doesn't seem to have been scarred for life by the discovery.

codemonkey

Thinking about it in hindsight, I think I'd be more angry with my parents if they hadn't let me have the whole Santa experience, because those are some of my best memories.

I think I've mentioned this before but in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia and Poland, they celebrate Mikulas (St. Nicholas Day) on 6 December. On this day Mikulas walks around with an Angel and a Devil (usually students for holiday money). The angel gives the good children treats and children are told that the devil will punish them. The day before kids leave boots out for Mikulas which have to be polished because Santa doesn't give presents to boots that are not shiny enough. Pretty cool.