Photo: @sierra.cm / @jill_gives_bad_advice / TikTok / Instagram
He sees you when you're sleeping...
By Megan Quinn — Written on Dec 10, 2022
Christmas is quickly approaching, and many children are writing their lists and preparing for Santa Claus’ arrival this year.
However, some families are choosing the break the tradition of promising their children gifts from Santa.
They claim that their decision is to protect their children from trauma.
Some parents on TikTok believe that Santa is causing trauma to their children.
The fictional man in the red suit was once the root of excitement for many children who celebrated Christmas.
Now some families fear that incorporating Santa into their holidays is causing trauma to their children since they are being fed lies that a man at the North Pole “sees you when you’re sleeping,” and “knows if you’ve been bad or good.”
Parents took to TikTok to share that while they still allow their children to participate in holiday festivities including writing lists, baking cookies, and watching Christmas movies, the Santa Claus myth is something they choose to be honest with their kids about.
Sierra McKenzie, a mother of three, is one of the parents choosing this route.
She lists things she will not be doing with her children for Christmas this year, including “lying to them about Santa, Santa/Grinch pictures, no presents from Santa…all from Mom and Dad.”
“You can still enjoy Christmas without Santa,” McKenzie writes in her caption.
Jillian Taylor is another parent who is debunking Santa Claus for her children and reveals that she recently informed her seven-year-old that Santa is entirely fictional.
“I do this with all of my kids once they get to a certain point when they’re just trying to debunk the myth and they’re extremely aware of their surroundings,” Taylor explains.
She says that she gently breaks the news to her children that there is no Santa, however, emphasizes that it does not diminish the magic of Christmas.
“I tell them what is real about Santa is the magic and the Christmas spirit, which is such a beautiful thing and it’s so fun to be a part of that, so I allow them to be a part of it with me.”
Taylor also advised her children not to spoil the truth about Santa for those who still believe and acknowledges that every family has different holiday traditions they follow.
Other TikTok users agreed with McKenzie and Taylor.
“I grew up without the magic of Santa and I’m fine lol. He was just like a character in a movie for us. Doing the same for my children,” one user shared.
“That’s exactly what I did, and my kids didn’t believe in Santa. I don’t like lying to my kids. I believe in telling them the reality of life and not a fairytale,” another user wrote.
Others revealed their own reasons why they choose not to Santa in their households, one reason being that some families could not afford extravagant gifts from “Santa” while others woke up to mounds of gifts under the tree.
“I didn’t want my [kids] bragging about what Santa got them and their friends wondering what they did wrong to not get the same,” one user pointed out.
“Same here. Where was Santa when Mom and Dad were working to buy those presents?” another user mentioned.
However, other parents’ criticized the mothers for seemingly robbing their children of the “magic” revolving around Santa Claus, and that they should let kids be kids.
“I’m going to just let my children grow out of it just like I did,” one user expressed. "It’s the magic of Christmas, baking cookies, elf on the shelf, polar express ride."
“I loved my Christmas’ and the magic of believing in Santa. Finding out Santa wasn’t true didn’t give me trauma either,” another user argued.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.