Comments on: Ugh. Santa. http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267 just your stereotypical demographically-correct family Sat, 11 Sep 2010 01:06:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tenth To The Fraser » Blog Archive » Huzzah! for the ‘beta-Santa’ at the Burnaby Museum http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267&cpage=1#comment-266 Tenth To The Fraser » Blog Archive » Huzzah! for the ‘beta-Santa’ at the Burnaby Museum Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:33:34 +0000 http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267#comment-266 [...] Jen at the Arbolog shares her misgivings about buying into the Coca-Cola Santa in a recent post, and reminds us of a great alternative for those who prefer to hearken back to Yule logs and mistletoe rather than deadly Wal-Mart shopper stampedes and Christmas With The Chipmunks (Vol. 1). Says Jen:  I did some research and found Father Christmas at the Burnaby Village Museum, who is willing to listen to children’s wishes and you can take your own photos. Huzzah. Father Christmas is the pre-Santa, the Beta-Santa, if you will. He’s a kindly old thin dude, with a long beard and robe - sort of Gandalf type of dude - and was around way before Toys R Us and the Sears Wish Book and iPods and Wii’s were, and is more of a Sinterklaas than a product of a good marketing department at Coca-Cola. [...] [...] Jen at the Arbolog shares her misgivings about buying into the Coca-Cola Santa in a recent post, and reminds us of a great alternative for those who prefer to hearken back to Yule logs and mistletoe rather than deadly Wal-Mart shopper stampedes and Christmas With The Chipmunks (Vol. 1). Says Jen:  I did some research and found Father Christmas at the Burnaby Village Museum, who is willing to listen to children’s wishes and you can take your own photos. Huzzah. Father Christmas is the pre-Santa, the Beta-Santa, if you will. He’s a kindly old thin dude, with a long beard and robe – sort of Gandalf type of dude - and was around way before Toys R Us and the Sears Wish Book and iPods and Wii’s were, and is more of a Sinterklaas than a product of a good marketing department at Coca-Cola. [...]

]]> By: Tenth To The Fraser » Blog Archive » And Now for Something Completely Different… http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267&cpage=1#comment-265 Tenth To The Fraser » Blog Archive » And Now for Something Completely Different… Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:32:36 +0000 http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267#comment-265 [...] on our favourite Arbologger’s post about the Coca-Cola Santa, here’s another ‘Beta’ Santa, perhaps soooo proto that [...] [...] on our favourite Arbologger’s post about the Coca-Cola Santa, here’s another ‘Beta’ Santa, perhaps soooo proto that [...]

]]> By: Sleep and Christmas Notes at The Arbolog http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267&cpage=1#comment-233 Sleep and Christmas Notes at The Arbolog Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:24:17 +0000 http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267#comment-233 [...] I started decorating the house. I know my post re: Santa may have given you all the impression I hate Christmas but NO, I actually ADORE Christmas. I just [...] [...] I started decorating the house. I know my post re: Santa may have given you all the impression I hate Christmas but NO, I actually ADORE Christmas. I just [...]

]]> By: Chris http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267&cpage=1#comment-232 Chris Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:44:54 +0000 http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267#comment-232 I've been reading a couple months - don't remember where I found you but I had to comment here. I feel the exact same way as you, and my husband feels the same way as yours. I thought I was the only one with the basic, "You'll be an evil parent if you don't perpetuate Santa" type reactions I got early in my son's life. So I relented and there is Santa... but I refuse to lie. Santa has never been at the mall, or Christmas parties. As my oldest is now 10, he has asked, and I have answered with, "What do you think?" As far as I know he still believes despite many (if not all) of his classmates disagreeing. So, somehow a person who could do without Santa altogether managed to create "the last believer". I don't know what all this means for us, but I wanted to put that out there. I will say I have NEVER used Santa as a threat... so at least I have that going for me. I’ve been reading a couple months – don’t remember where I found you but I had to comment here. I feel the exact same way as you, and my husband feels the same way as yours. I thought I was the only one with the basic, “You’ll be an evil parent if you don’t perpetuate Santa” type reactions I got early in my son’s life. So I relented and there is Santa… but I refuse to lie. Santa has never been at the mall, or Christmas parties. As my oldest is now 10, he has asked, and I have answered with, “What do you think?” As far as I know he still believes despite many (if not all) of his classmates disagreeing. So, somehow a person who could do without Santa altogether managed to create “the last believer”. I don’t know what all this means for us, but I wanted to put that out there. I will say I have NEVER used Santa as a threat… so at least I have that going for me.

]]> By: karina http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267&cpage=1#comment-231 karina Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:52:08 +0000 http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267#comment-231 This is the first year that Jenna (now 5) has been remotely interested in Santa-- previous years he freaked her out and she did NOT want this creepy dude coming into her house. We talk about Santa as someone who used to live who gave presents. The Mall Santas are NOT the real santa- they just dress up like santa. I agree with Margaret, however, Jenna has picked up the whole x-mas fever thing from our society. In fact, the other day she made a point of pointing out a nativity scene and telling me that "Look mom it's the Baby Jesus!" I almost choked! This is the first year that Jenna (now 5) has been remotely interested in Santa– previous years he freaked her out and she did NOT want this creepy dude coming into her house.
We talk about Santa as someone who used to live who gave presents. The Mall Santas are NOT the real santa- they just dress up like santa. I agree with Margaret, however, Jenna has picked up the whole x-mas fever thing from our society. In fact, the other day she made a point of pointing out a nativity scene and telling me that “Look mom it’s the Baby Jesus!” I almost choked!

]]> By: melanie http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267&cpage=1#comment-230 melanie Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:46:50 +0000 http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267#comment-230 Okay - just so you know, I am writing this Exact post right now! Actually, I have been writing it for a couple weeks now. I'm not even going to read your post until I finish writing mine because I don't need anything else to write about. I'm going to come back and read your post after (but first I have to get someone to bed). Okay – just so you know, I am writing this Exact post right now! Actually, I have been writing it for a couple weeks now. I’m not even going to read your post until I finish writing mine because I don’t need anything else to write about. I’m going to come back and read your post after (but first I have to get someone to bed).

]]> By: Margaret http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267&cpage=1#comment-229 Margaret Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:56:59 +0000 http://www.arbolog.com/?p=267#comment-229 I actually agree with your take on being honest with Kale from the beginning, but unlike Ross, Ben actually agrees wholeheartedly with my take on this. We both believe that it is more important that the child understands the concept of Santa as 'symbol' and understand that Santa truly represents 'giving' instead of 'receiving'. Thusly once our spawn has been spawned we'll probably be doing the Santa thing for the first few years just to have the memories, but when they get to the point of understanding the concept (early school age) we'll be honest with them. This will not preclude visiting Santa, but will include more historical information on the origins of Santa and what the concept of Santa means for children around the world. My sister in law has already told me that it's a bad idea...what about other kids...yadayadayada. I'm sorry, but I don't feel I need to be responsible for the fact that other people choose to lie to their kids. Same goes for the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. I am assuming that this won't be easy because we're working against the standard but I have a whole wack of cousins in Taiwan who weren't raised with Santa, the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny and came out pretty darned okay! I actually agree with your take on being honest with Kale from the beginning, but unlike Ross, Ben actually agrees wholeheartedly with my take on this. We both believe that it is more important that the child understands the concept of Santa as ’symbol’ and understand that Santa truly represents ‘giving’ instead of ‘receiving’.

Thusly once our spawn has been spawned we’ll probably be doing the Santa thing for the first few years just to have the memories, but when they get to the point of understanding the concept (early school age) we’ll be honest with them. This will not preclude visiting Santa, but will include more historical information on the origins of Santa and what the concept of Santa means for children around the world. My sister in law has already told me that it’s a bad idea…what about other kids…yadayadayada. I’m sorry, but I don’t feel I need to be responsible for the fact that other people choose to lie to their kids. Same goes for the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. I am assuming that this won’t be easy because we’re working against the standard but I have a whole wack of cousins in Taiwan who weren’t raised with Santa, the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny and came out pretty darned okay!

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