SANTA CLAUS: FICTIONAL CHARACTER WITH REAL IMPACT. IS IT SAFE TO TELL CHILDREN THAT SANTA CLAUS EXISTS?

Notă: Acest articol a fost publicat în Journal of Communication and Behavioural Sciences, nr. 2/ 2021, p. 65-74

In the Western culture, Christmas is one of the most important holidays and it is hard to imagine it without its mythological character, Santa Claus. However, as keeping the Santa tradition also involves lying to children for a while, some may wonder whether this could be harmful. The paper discusses some aspects regarding the potential beneficial role of maintaining the Santa Claus tradition as it is. We argue that telling children about Santa Claus means appealing to a symbol to convey abstract values, that at a young age would be more difficult to grasp. Believing in Santa could also create positive experiences that shape children’s internal representations and even contribute to fostering resilience.

Nevertheless, the fact that maintaining the Santa tradition involves lying may be unsettling for some and might also have some disadvantages, even if the current paper did not extensively explore those. This is why questions such as: “Should we tell children that Santa is real?”, and “is this harmful for them?” should probably not simply be responded with “yes” or “no”. More attention should be paid to understanding what could be beneficial and what could be harmful, how could the first aspects be enhanced and the latter diminished. The present paper not only offers some insights to the potential useful aspects of telling children about Santa, but suggests some further research and debate directions that could bring more insight to the subject. These aspects are of importance as the Santa Claus tradition is one of the major childhood experiences, meant to fundamentally convey values and internal representations of cultural norms.

The issue whether children should be told about Santa Claus has been approached from various angles across various academic disciplines such as philosophy (Tompsons, 2020), medicine / pediatrics (Nelms, 1996; Cyr, 2002), sociology / psychology / psychiatry (Breen, 2004; Salter 2004, Niec &, Russ 2002), or psychoanalysis (Cluley, 2011). The current paper has primarily a psychological perspective in mind.  From this angle there are certain gains in maintaining the Santa Claus tradition as it is and their value outweighs any temporary inconvenience caused by finding out the truth.

There are authors who claim we should no longer tell children about Santa, because it is immoral to lie to them. The temporary maximization of happiness does not justify the disappointment that comes from finding out that Santa Claus does not exist and that the parents have lied (Hartsel, 2016; Tomsons, 2020). These are just some of the arguments of those who oppose the custom, as it is now. Other people, however, believe that telling children about Santa Claus continues a tradition that helps them have pleasant experiences, acquire certain desirable behaviors, and participate in a shared social experience (Barnes & Owen, K. 2021, Breen, 2004). The present paper is more inclined to bring arguments in line with the latter perspective.

Literature Review

There is quite little professional literature related to children’s belief in Santa Claus, the consequences it has on their later lives and whether we should we continue telling them about his “existence”. Moreover, many of the articles on this subject have been written over 15 years ago (Anderson & Prentice, 1994; Nelms 1996; Prentice, Schmechel & Manosevitz, 1979; Sereno, 1951).

There are articles where the authors take a rather obvious stance related to the matter whether children should be told that Santa Claus exists. Some authors consider that this is morally wrong and that there is absolutely no justification for this (Boss, 1991, as cited in Nelms, 1996; Tomsons, 2020). Johnson (2010) as cited in Tomsons (2020) argues that children finding out about Santa reduces their level of trust in their parents and ultimately damages their relationship and encourages ill-motivated behavior. Parents perpetuate the Santa myth rather out of selfishness, namely to fulfill their own infantile needs (Sereno, 1951). On the other hand, there are authors who consider that there are more benefits than disadvantages to the Santa Claus tale (Barnes & Owen, 2021; Breen, 2004; Nelms, 1996). For instance, fantasies such as the existence of Santa help children cope with their world (Bettleheim, 1971, as cited in Nelms, 1996). Additionally, Santa is valuable for children’s social and cognitive development (Breen 2004). Salter (2004), in a response to Breen’s (2004) article, points out that the endeavor to address Santa Clause from an “evidence-based” perspective comes from the inherent human difficulty to deal with uncertainty and thus the need to rationalize everything. Hence, he sees that Breen (2004) is asking us “to contemplate not the death of Santa, but the death of imagination” (p. 457). He also considers that imagination, like any other part of the human body, needs to be used in order not to lose its functionality.

At the same time there are a number of articles that offer some insight regarding children’s belief in Santa, without taking such a clear position on the matter whether this is something positive or not. Thus, we find out that children usually tend to discover the truth about Santa Claus on their own around the age of 7 (Anderson & Prentice; 1994), which is consistent with the findings from Prentice et al (1979) stating that the most significant “shift in causal reasoning occurs between preschool and first grade” (p. 664). The children’s reaction was predominantly positive on learning the truth, they even reported feeling a sense of pride in figuring it out. On the other hand, parents seemed to have a predominantly sad reaction to their child’s discovery of truth about Santa (Anderson & Prentice; 1994). The belief in Santa Claus significantly decreases with age. The level of causal reasoning was found to be correlated positively with the children’s age and with the decline of the belief in Santa. Remarkably, fantasy predisposition was not related to the belief in Santa, probably because it reflects more independent or self-generated fantasy such as daydreaming, compared to an “assimilation of culture folklore” (Prentice et al, p. 666).

Santa Claus as a symbol and vehicle for transmitting values

Santa Claus is a character who encourages good and virtuous behaviors and can thus be considered a moral compass. He himself stands as an example, showing generosity towards good children and teaching everybody the values of role models (Breen, 2004). He is also associated with something magical, he is the one who fulfills desires, who performs miracles, who maintains hope. We are here in the realm of some abstract notions: goodness, generosity, hope. If we want to pass on such values to preschool children, it can helpful to call on an “intermediate support”. Symbols can be such a support. They have the distinct quality of bearing a dual role: “even in early development, symbols serve both as communication tools and mental tools to construct understanding of the social-emotional world” (Vallotton & Ayoub, 2010, p. 601).

According to Veraksa (2013), symbols have the role of providing structure in a situation dominated by uncertainty. In such cases they are a tool of guidance. The real world is full of uncertainties and the child tries, among other things, to understand it through play. In this process certain kinds of representations are being formed. For example, a preschooler does not know how to drive a car. However, he tries to understand how to do it. So, he puts driving into practice and uses substitutes in doing so. In this way, he uses an “emotionally colored make-believe reality in order to understand models and structural relations of the real world” (Veraksa 2013, p. 60).

Therefore, Santa Claus can be one of the symbols that help mediating the understanding of the surrounding world as well as the transmission of certain desirable values.  Children participate in the Santa story for a while. Similarly to the example above, Santa is in a way a substitute, a prop that makes it easier for children to understand goodness, reward, hope. From this perspective, we can look at him as a personification. Though “invented” and unreal, it is still a vehicle that more easily conveys abstract notions, in a tangible form.

An experience that shapes the inner world

In addition, Santa Claus is not a personification interpreted only on an intellectual level, as we would find for example in a literary work. Santa Claus has a particular quality of “being and not being” at the same time. Interestingly enough, even adults though knowing that Santa in not real, often play along and act as if he were. This mysterious character oscillates between being a “real figure, a fallen myth and a fallen idol” (Cluley, 2011, p. 780).

Therefore, although Santa is not…really real, the way he was constructed, the level of details outlining his portrait, make him come to life. For instance, sometimes, in the form of a disguised relative or actor, he even appears in the flesh. Stories and discussions between parents and children are woven around him. He becomes a figure that participates in family life around a certain time of each year. Through this, he becomes an experience that the little ones live. Despite the fact that Santa is invented, what they feel when they wait for him, when they write to him, when they receive gifts, when they meet him, is real. What children experience influences their inner world. They develop internal representations- a mechanism “through which past recurrent interpersonal experiences impact current interpersonal functioning” (Niec & Russ, 2002, p. 331), thus shaping their way of thinking and the lenses through which they perceive the world. If these experiences are positive, they most likely are left not only with pleasant memories, but also with a sense that they are worthy, that they are capable of receiving.

According to attachment theory, children learn about themselves and the world through their experiences while being in relationships with their caregivers. The caregiver’s behavior, their sensitivity towards children’s needs, the extent to which they provide a safe base while encouraging exploration, have an impact on children’s development. Depending on all these factors, children develop a secure attachment and have positive mental representations about themselves and others, they may be overly insecure, and afraid of abandonment (insecure preoccupied attachment) or may have difficulties in emotional closeness (dismissive attachment) (Wallin, 2010). Therefore, the family context in which children live the Santa tale could also be of significance, in determining how they perceive it, as well as how they will perceive the “disillusion”.

One can also wonder what is the impact of the “relationship” with Santa Claus and the beautiful moments lived in connection with it, on children’s representations of themselves and the world? In a good-enough family, the child will probably perceive Santa Claus as a positive figure, who rewards desirable behaviors and who offers an opportunity for joy. We consider that this contributes to the formation and consolidation of positive internal representations.

As a matter of fact, we could argue that probably there is no universal Santa Claus. The way he is shaped in each child’s mind depends – beyond the stereotypes to be seen in the media – on the way his caregivers present him with this special character. We consider that the emotional hue with which he is perceived also depends on the family atmosphere. So, the question is not just whether or not to tell little children that Santa Claus exists. If we decide to tell them, the more important questions are how we should do it, how we should address the whole issue within a larger context, while keeping in mind also how we are enabling them in time to face the truth.  In a harmonious family, in which the parents enjoy the anticipation of Christmas together with the little ones, where Santa Claus does not necessarily mean expensive gifts, but an opportunity to prepare to receive them, to practice goodness and appreciate the time spent together, this character will most likely embody a certain set of positive values ​​and will be linked to a certain type of pleasant experience. Therefore, it will lead to a specific set of internal representations and the child who has become an adult will probably associate Santa Claus, for example, with the feeling of peace and joy lived in the family. But let’s take another hypothetical family, in which both parents are excessively preoccupied with work-related problems, don’t get along very well and the atmosphere in the house is quite tense. Santa Claus is used as a means of blackmail, in their attempt to make up for their insufficient involvement in the child’s education. Santa Claus is indeed rather used more as a “scarecrow”, as a means to manipulate or blackmail. Against this background, Christmas would probably not be experienced with the same joy. The deeper problems that exist in the dynamics of family relationships would have their say. The child in this example will probably have different associations and internal representations related to Santa Claus. What he will associate, as an adult, with the mythical character, will probably be different from the one in the first example.

Even if children find out as they grow that Santa Claus does not exist, what he stands for most likely remains and leaves a mark. We speculate that this happens even more so because he is ambivalent -neither real, nor entirely fake-, because he is a symbol and because he had a contribution to shaping internal representations.

Magical thinking, communication and resilience 

Last but not least, we argue that up to a certain point magical belief is useful for children in making sense of the world around them and in developing adaptation mechanisms. At face value, saying that Santa Claus exists is a lie. However, in addition to the idea of viewing him as a symbol and personification, we propose taking into consideration an additional nuance. We tell that Santa Claus exists to very young children. Given that up to a certain age, magical thinking is predominant (Subbotsky, 2010), such a story fits to some extent quite naturally in their universe. Children aged 4-6 cannot currently solve syllogisms, as this form of judgment is still inaccessible to them. However, in a symbolic situation they can. For example, if we asked children of this age what would happen if their mother played football, most would answer that their mother does not play football. But ask what would happen if a toy dragon played football, most would answer appropriately – that the dragon would get tired, get dirty, and so on. (Kuczaj, 1981 as cited in Veraksa, 2013, p.59).

Admittedly, magical thinking is often linked with pathology (Levesque, 2011; Simonds, Demetre, & Read, 2009). However, it’s difficult to equate those two terms, because magical thinking rather takes place on a spectrum, and the boundaries of normality are not always completely clearly defined. Clinicians are thus advised to consider also other factors such as the strength of the belief, the urge to act upon it, the degree of distress (Levesque, 2011). We too consider that these are important factors that could help us have a balanced view between what could be named “benign magical thinking” or “malign magical thinking”. Indeed, although permanently stimulating fantasy or magical thinking should not be overly encouraged, introducing this mythical character of Santa Claus can ultimately mean speaking “the children’s language” while trying to convey a set of values. Appealing to the imaginary could be a tool that facilitates the communication with children and magical thinking could play a role in modeling behaviours and mediating a way of understanding the world.

Not only does an element of magic naturally belong to the way children interpret reality, but also, as long as it is used moderately, it could be a factor of psychological protection, which would contribute to the formation of adaptive mechanisms. Ultimately, the resources of resilience can be quite varied, from “immunostimuli to magic, passing through the strength of the self, money, social support or cultural stability” (Şerban & Jourdan-Ionescu, 2013, p. 205). Magical thinking is part of the way the social mind works, and the symbolic world helps to psychically mediate the unforeseen events of the real world (Nemeroff & Rozin, 2000, Subbotsky, 2004). It could even be that it has developed within an evolutionary framework to help moderate stress and anxiety when coping with difficult circumstances that are beyond control (Levesque, 2011; Markle, 2010). Bruno Bettelheim (1977), as cited by Levesque (2011), considered that for children magical belief supports role-play and fantasizing, which helps them make sense of their desires and master life’s problems better. Of course, like any protective factor, it can become harmful, but this happens if it reaches an extreme intensity or if it does not have the right context to interact with other protective factors (Şerban, & Jourdan-Ionescu, 2013, pp. 213). Otherwise, as long as it is a flexible enough mechanism, it can be helpful. From this perspective, this childhood encounter with the magic of Santa Claus could contribute to the development of adaptive mechanisms.

Later on, as children make the transition from magical thinking to thinking that allows them to better understand causality and abstract notions, they discover the truth. Around the age of 7 children usually find out on their own that Santa Claus does not exist and mostly seem to have rather positive reactions to finding out the truth (Anderson & Prentice, 1994). As Breen (2004) notes, “disenchantment with Santa Claus is a rite of passage that usually signals the adoption of an adult-defined reality” (p. 455).

Disclaimer and interpersonal findings 

As other authors (Cyr, 2002) humorously and responsibly disclosed their competing interest, namely that they still persist to believe in Santa Claus, the author of the present paper also considers the need for a disclaimer. In writing this paper, the fundamental position behind the choice of arguments was probably, consciously or not, influenced by one’s own experiences and associations related to Santa Claus. However, just to touch base with other perceptions, the author asked 20 persons aged between 25 and 70, what Santa Claus represents to them, what they associate him with. Some random examples of the answers are:

1. the love and devotion of my parents when I was a young child; a symbol of childhood
2. utopia, gifts, fun
3. winter vacation, marketing, excessive shopping
4. gifts, paternal warmth
5. magic, fulfillment of desires
6. gifts, winter, Christmas

Indeed, this is far from being a research and the “sample” is extremely small. However, it could be a starting point that could lead to such a research. Even in these few answers above, we can notice some patterns of association between respondents (gifts), but also significantly different ones (magic vs. marketing, shopping). Do these differences stem from the personality of each respondent, from their own experience and from the way they all merged in their inner world? Some answers support the idea that Santa Claus is a symbol, either directly (“symbol of childhood”) or by association with abstract notions. Thus, it seems that it leads to the formation of internal representations, related to values ​​(dedication) or relationships, which are connected with a certain affective connotation (parental love, paternal warmth).

Conclusion

In conclusion, we consider Santa Claus to be a symbol that can contribute to transmitting values to young children ​​as well as encourage them to develop desirable behaviors. Formed internal representations, memories and their emotional flavor endure long after children find out the truth. Even if Santa Claus involves maintaining an illusion for a while, this is carried out against the background of magical thinking, which characterizes the first part of childhood. Thus, this fantasy can be seen as a way for adults to enter the children’s world, to communicate in their own language. In addition to this, the magical experience can set a precedent for that state of well-being, confidence and control over negative factors. Used moderately, it can contribute to the formation of adaptive mechanisms.

Nonetheless there are sensitive aspects to consider. On the one hand the way parents present Santa Claus could play an important part. On the other hand, the way they handle the moment of truth is also of significance. As children grow and transition from magical thinking to a better contact with reality, they must be supported by their parents to integrate the newly discovered truth. Thus, finding out the truth about Santa Claus can ultimately be a rite of passage to the world of adults, and good management of this stage can support the psycho-emotional development of children.

We suggest that updated research would be necessary to inquire about children’s reaction to discovering the Santa Claus myth, considering also various aspects of the family context. Some questions to further investigate would be:

• How do parents perceive Santa and how does this impact the way the children view him and the way they handle finding out the truth?
• What other particularities of the child-parent relationship are important in shaping the way Santa Claus is perceived (and the benefits / negative aspects related tot it)?
• How does immersing in the Santa fantasy influence children’s internal representations? Is this in any way related to their attachment style?
• Is there any relation between the way Santa is perceived, respectively between the way children handle the “disillusion” and the parent’s attachment style?
• Can the belief in Santa Claus foster resilience in young children?
• Is appealing to Santa Claus a way to convey a message about values in a manner that is tailored to children’s capacity of understanding?
• Does adhering to the Santa fantasy foster more or less adaptability to reality as the child matures? 

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