The other day I got to thinking about the whole American tradition of taking your kid to go sit on some mall/fire hall/department store Santa's lap, make a big deal about it, insist that he's really Santa, force your kids to think of things that they want so they're ready to tell him, take pictures...
And I decided it's really, really weird. Here's why:
When I was a kid, I believed in Santa. I still do. =) I believed there was a jolly old being out there who lived at the North Pole and was omniscient...knew my thoughts, desires, ambitions, hopes, and dreams (and what I wanted for Christmas of course) and loved me and cared about me and would bring me presents on Christmas. I believed in it all. I didn't have to see him to know that he existed. That being said...
I sat on many a Santa's lap as a kid. And every time, every single time, whether I was 7 or even 3, I sat there thinking "this is kind of a weird experience...why do I have to do this? This isn't Santa. This is some random guy pretending to be the real Santa. You don't actually SEE Santa. I don't need to tell some weird fake Santa what I want, the real one already knows, because he knows my heart and knows me." Those were the thoughts that ran through my head, every time I had to sit on some dude's lap who I clearly knew was not the real thing. Especially if he smelled like beef and cheese hahha. Or had smoker's breath, or just didn't have an innocent, pure enough face. I hated it. For as long as I can remember, the whole thing was just strange to me. I got a free box of candy and an orange though, I guess that made it worth it.
Was I the only kid that thought this way? And if I wasn't, then why the heck do we do the whole "let's go make our kids sit on Santa's lap at the mall" thing? Kids hearts are full of believing faith and their imaginations are incredible. They don't have to see him to know he's real, or know that he'll never fail them (except ya know...when you don't get the present you really wanted. Once we grow up we understand that a little better. =) ). Maybe it's just out of tradition and for the cute pictures to send with Christmas cards (the one last year of my nephew ready to bawl his eyes out cuz he was so terrified was priceless, for example). Or maybe I was a strange kid. Very likely. Either way, I still think it's weird.
And will probably be seen at a mall in 10 years giggling over my kids getting their picture taken on Santa's lap.
