Spring Break
Resurrecting Santa Claus
Jason M. Wallace
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Opinion
When I was a kid, I knew that around this time of year Santa was gearing up to visit my house to drop off toys and delights. When I learned that Santa had never been real, popular images and the exciting advertisements I saw on television filled the Santa void. This caused me to turn into another child who pressured his parents into getting the biggest and most expensive plastic or electronic toys seen on TV. With Santa on their side, parents at least have the excuse that he couldn't bring that toy this year for some reason or another. For that reason, Santa must come back in order to help relieve parent's financial stresses around Christmas time.
Every year there will be the toys that every child wants to have. Tickle Me Elmo, video game systems and any doll or action figure with the right play set all cause a frenzy among kids because of the constant advertising. Every year there's a story in the news about people who have waited in line, in the freezing cold, for hours only to stampede inside and trample over one another for one of those toys. The toys are presented as the ultimate play things to the point that some parents believe that buying the new Hannah Montana microphone will make their children love them more. If Santa Claus was left as a real person, a carefully guarded secret by parents until a child has a job of his own, then the pressure to appease the children's toy lust would be a bit easier.
If children are anything like I was, then they probably aren't aware of their parent's financial problems. With parents playing the role of Santa, they have the option to pick and choose what they can afford for their kids and say that Santa will try real hard to bring what wasn't presented next year. I didn't realize how fast money goes until I had to spend a large portion of my first paycheck to fill up my gas tank. After that, I felt really guilty about constantly telling my parents that I needed a Nintendo 64 when I was in the fourth grade.
Every year there will be the toys that every child wants to have. Tickle Me Elmo, video game systems and any doll or action figure with the right play set all cause a frenzy among kids because of the constant advertising. Every year there's a story in the news about people who have waited in line, in the freezing cold, for hours only to stampede inside and trample over one another for one of those toys. The toys are presented as the ultimate play things to the point that some parents believe that buying the new Hannah Montana microphone will make their children love them more. If Santa Claus was left as a real person, a carefully guarded secret by parents until a child has a job of his own, then the pressure to appease the children's toy lust would be a bit easier.
If children are anything like I was, then they probably aren't aware of their parent's financial problems. With parents playing the role of Santa, they have the option to pick and choose what they can afford for their kids and say that Santa will try real hard to bring what wasn't presented next year. I didn't realize how fast money goes until I had to spend a large portion of my first paycheck to fill up my gas tank. After that, I felt really guilty about constantly telling my parents that I needed a Nintendo 64 when I was in the fourth grade.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 4
Carthy-letter from santa
posted 11/20/08 @ 12:55 AM EST
Your opinion is absolutely right! There are hundreds of Santa coloring books sold during Christmas.We can make our kids to use them in writing letters from Santa. (Continued…)
Cody
posted 11/20/08 @ 7:36 AM EST
Rather than push the responsibility of the parent off on an imaginary figure, how about the parents actually do their job and set their kid's expectations up front. (Continued…)
J
posted 11/20/08 @ 1:43 PM EST
Okay Cody. Lets just kill all the excitement and magic that Christmas can bring to a child's heart. I understand that the Santa thing is not all Christmas is about but children need to be able to believe in the unbelieveable when they are young. (Continued…)
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