I Don’t Believe in Santa Claus, So Shoot Me.

Prompted from a friend’s post, I am also blogging about the ever approach Christmas holiday and the big, jolly fat man: Santa.

I don’t believe in Santa, so shoot me. Obviously, since I am an adult, I know I am not expected to believe in Santa, but I feel the weight of society hanging around my neck expecting me to perpetuate the myth of Old Saint Nick. Guess what? I’m not going to do it.

As a child I knew who Santa was, but I didn’t believe he was some magical man who came down our non-existent chimney loaded with “toys and goodies”. I never felt deprived in any way. All of my presents had a name associated with them. This one was from Aunt so-and-so, here’s one from Uncle Billy bob, these are from mommy and daddy. And I received them with joy and gratitude. I said “thank you” to the gift giver and even wrote out thank you notes.  (or drew pictures when I was younger). I still watched all the favorite holiday cartoons. My favorite was “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer”. But, it was just a nice story. I didn’t need it to be true.

So, why am I writing out this long vent about not “believing”. I am just getting DARN tired of always having to explain and justify myself. I am tired of being frowned upon for my kids not growing up in a “santa” home. Why is it such a big deal?

If you want to believe or have your kids believe, go ahead. I don’t care. Celebrate Santa all you want, but don’t try to guilt me into following your commercialized tradition. It’s not like I am all “anti-santa” and I am not going to go up to your kid and say, “Guess what? Santa isn’t REAL!” I don’t care if I use a santa napkin at Christmas dinner, or if I get pictures of santa on my Christmas cards.

But for our house, we will not be writing letters to the North Pole, and we will not pose for pictures with a guy dressed up in a red suit at the mall. I’m sure we will still sing all the favorite Christmas carols, and we’ll probably decorate reindeer shaped christmas cookies. But please, do me a favor, and stop trying to make my kid believe Santa Claus is really watching whether they’ve “been naughty or nice”.

I love Christmas. It is my favorite holiday by far. And my kids will know Saint Nick, you know the real “santa”, the generous historical figure, but he or the magical version is not the center of our holiday. If that makes me a Scrooge, than “bah hum bug” to you!