I told myself I wasn't going to open up this can of worms. But what the hell.
So those of you who think that parents should stop lying to their kids about the presence of a big fat guy with a white beard who makes dreams come true...
Is it somehow then okay that they teach their kids to believe in God? Someone that we can't tangibly prove the existence of? The disappointment they receive when they pray for something and don't receive it - is it any different than the disappointment when they ask for something from Santa and don't get it? Is it okay that we tell our kids they should pray each night for something good to happen when we have no way of ensuring that their prayers will be truly heard? Aren't we lying?
We don't know for sure, do we? No. We go on our faith and our spirit to believe in something greater than us.
People - and not just kids - have faith in the idea and the spirit of Santa Claus. This isn't about bullshitting your kids. It's about giving them something greater than just black-or-white logic to believe in. It's that kind of thing that allows people to experience the wonder of life, whether they're 6 or 60. I feel bad for those who can't dream past what they see in front of their eyes.