No, Virginia: Santa Claus and the Glorification of Lying

There is no Santa Claus

This is a harsh truth that many of us had to learn when we were kids. Do you remember when your parents finally stopped trying to convince you that a morbidly obese man in a magical sleigh would sneak into your house at night and leave you gifts? Santa Claus is a western tradition that goes back centuries, but the modern incarnation, that of a jolly fat man in a red suit, is an invention of Coca-Cola, and this image has permeated modern culture. Of course, even if he is based on a historical figure, he is no more real than Shakespeare's portrayal of Julius Caesar. However, this has not stopped modern adults from perpetuating the lie to their children. In fact, people have gone to great lengths to do so. Parents will leave half-eaten cookies and an empty glass of milk, as well as a note and presents signed “from Santa,” and of course by the time they are old enough to recognize the fact that Santa's handwriting bears a remarkable resemblance to mommy or daddy's, they are informed of the dupe. NORAD claims to track Santa with its radar, and even sends “honour guard” jet pilots to escort him on his journey. One can write letters to Santa and send them through the mail, and he will reply. Children can even go meet him at a shopping mall, and tell him what they want for Christmas.

This of course is all a farce, but to what end? One can simply chalk it up to “tradition” and leave it at that, but there must be another reason. It seems to me that the reason for this large web of lies and deceits is a way for people to get used to being lied to by society at large. Of course, we are lied to by our governments constantly, as well as our employers, our friends, our spouses, and any other figures in our lives. Perhaps Santa Claus is designed to present children with a massive lie, so that when the rest of the world lies to them it doesn't seem as Earth-shattering.

But is this right?

Should we be grooming our children to “get used to it,” or should we be working toward a world with fewer lies and deceits? Should we be breeding our children for “more of the same,” or should we try to create a better world for them?