Why do we perpetuate the story of
Santa Claus for children? We instill this stranger danger fear amongst them
that they must fear anyone they do not recognize. Some children are too social
for such a thing, and it is good to teach them to not go off and be comfortable
with everyone. I’ve had students who would go off and talk anyone’s ear off and
ask them to play. Perhaps these children do this because a familiar adult is
around and they feel safe. Likewise, when I worked at a children’s boutique I
had a prominent basket ball player’s wife come in a few times and each time one
of the little girls would start chatting me up, and if you know me you know
that I’m pretty damn good with children. Each time, I almost slipped in the
name, the mom, would scold the little girl about talking to strangers. “I’m sure
the lady is fine but we don’t talk to strangers, they could kidnap you.” What
kind of fucking bullshit was she instilling in her kids? So we put this fear
into children of not talking to strangers as kids, then send them off to camps
and groups where they have to interact with all sorts of strangers and trust
them.
Now
going back to Santa Claus, why do we keep this story going and going and think
it’s just sweet and innocent for children to believe in this garbage? Surely
children have gotten into trouble with this big lie of a jolly, full-bodied man
with a beard who gives away candy and gifts. Don’t we usually tell children to
walk away or run from the stranger claiming to be looking for their puppy? Don’t
we teach them to be leery of the creeper in a van offering candy and video
games? So we teach kids about pedophiles without spelling it out, but then we
throw in Santa Claus. This man, who for no reason, just gives toys out to
children every year during Christmas, and sorry if you’re poor, but Santa doesn’t
like you too much unless some family adopts you, thus taking away the illusion
other children get during this time. Stop to think of it, we tell children that
it’s okay to sit on a strange, grown mans lap, some grandpa of sorts, and this
age factor makes him trustworthy. We tell children that we can take his candy
and tell him our material dreams and goals. Then we tell children that this
jolly old St. Nick comes into our homes and leaves toys but do we stop to tell
them what happens if they actually see someone in the home that doesn’t belong?
That it’s breaking and entering and an adult should be alerted and they should
hide and not be excited to sneak a peak of Santa? When did society decide what
pedophile type stories were acceptable and which ones weren’t? Don’t get me
wrong, I love Santa Claus, he gives me candy canes and lets me take pictures
with him at holiday events, but why have this intense stranger danger culture
when we go and throw it out the window during Christmas for this jolly, fat man
who is so damn giving that he just wants to share all this material joy. Do we
do it to keep the holiday magical, so we’re not just a bunch of assholes giving
gifts and trying to outdo each other and hoping for the latest gadgets and
hoping that our friends and family spend butt loads of money on our gifts each
year?
