Aradhus wrote:jimboston wrote:
One reason to continue the myth... societal expectations. Do you want your kid to be ostracized at school cause he/she doesn't believe? Do you want to NOT get invited to social gatherings because your kid is gonna tell the other kids "there's no such thing" as Santa? It could happen.
About a million reasons why this is wrong, but I can't be bothered going into them.
However, every single fucking year the teacher would ask everybody in front of the class to tell them what they got for christmas. And every year I said 'Nothing, my parents don't celebrate christmas'. The other kids couldn't give a f*ck, never ever mocked me about it, and so on.
I'm not saying it's "right" or not... I'm saying that it may happen.
If one of my kid's friends didn't celebrate Christmas then I would not invite them to our Christmas Party. Not even to be mean... but also so I wouldn't offend them. The child would therefore have fewer opportunities to interact with their friends.
I don't think any smart Teacher would do what you said happened to you. Regardless of whether or not the kid (family) celebrated Christmas. Also however to avoid issues related to one kid getting a new (ENTER LATEST GREATEST MOST EXPENSIVE TOY)...and another kid getting a used Atari.
That said... I don't know where you are from... but wouldn't your friends wonder why Santa didn't visit you? I went to a Catholic school and 100% of my friends (as a kid) where Christian... so everyone believed in Santa. My kids go to a very diverse school... many kids there are Jewish, and they have a small Muslim population. I am sure there are other beliefs as well.
I am surprised my daughter hasn't asked my yet why her friend "so-and-so" (who happens to be Jewish) doesn't get presents from Santa.