Kris Kringle, St. Nicholas, Papa Noel, Pere Noel, Father Christmas, Santa Claus; no matter what you call him, it is undeniable that he is the heart and soul of the magic of Christmas. For some children, that magic is ending far too early. There has been a recent push urging parents to stop lying to their children because it will cause psychological issues. Even priests have taken it upon themselves to tell children that he doesn't exist because they feel Santa is overshadowing Jesus.
Nowadays, parents have to work against technology as well. Siri, YouTube, Google, TV commercials, and more make it super simple for children to have their questions answered. Watching my local news station isn't even safe for children. They were talking about the hot holiday toys and what to do if parents can't get their hands on "Santa's most requested gift." I decided to put it to the test and really see what happens when a child questions Santa.
There is a PayPal television commercial that has gained a lot of negative press after it went viral in the UK last year.
Though this commercial does not right out say it, it does allude that only parents give their children gifts.
Next up, I asked Siri about Santa Claus.
It's all good and well that it does not give a direct answer, but all it takes is one smart kid to realize that Siri isn't real.YouTube is up next.
YouTube gives off mixed signals, but it is hard to over look the title of the very first video to come up.I wanted to save talking about Google for last. Last week when I typed this in — silly me forgot to screenshot it — it immediately came up with a direct answer that absolutely shocked me. I was appalled to find not only a definitive answer, but articles upon articles urging parents to stop the magic of Christmas because it is not fair to lie to children.
I was much happier to find that now this is what comes up on Google. It is not a direct answer, but it spoils nothing. Instead, it sends a good and happy message of who Santa really is.I strongly believe the change on Google is because of the Macy's #SantaProject. They realized that the internet has turned against the magic of Christmas, and they decided to fill it with stories of the jolly old man. Anyone can help — I know I will — all it takes is a photo, a video, a tweet, or an article; you can also help by writing a letter to Kris Kringle on the Macy's website — every letter is a dollar to the make-a-wish foundation. Here's the Macy's mission:
It has become far too simple for children to get their hands on information that they shouldn't yet have. It is up to the parents to share information with their children, not the media. You are only a kid once, and it is important to be a kid for as long as possible. It is a cruel world out there, Santa makes it a little better, why don't we all work together to help keep the magic alive.