Thought for today:
"While I usually tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, I would be distinctly uncomfortable knowing that my truth had shattered the innocent happiness and bliss of a young child who still believed in Santa Claus, when they might have remained like little Bella Chamberlain who still does.
I have been asked many times about the wisdom of telling our children untruths such as the presence of Father Christmas. As far as I know, I have never heard tell of one single child where believing in Santa has harmed their life and impaired their future happiness, whereas I have know of many experiences where the opposite was true!
When I was a child in a family of seven children, my father worked at Blakeboroughs in Brighouse. The firm always held Christmas parties for all their employees and families, during which Father Christmas always attended and handed out presents to all the children 'who still believed in him'. Father Christmas would approach and ask, 'Do you believe in me?' Reply 'Yes' and you got a present. Reply 'No' and you were considered too old and didn't. I managed to convince myself to 'believe' in Santa until the age of eight years, before I finally stopped believing in public. On the day I was told that Santa Claus didn't live, that was the day when a large part of the Christmas magic died for me and I cried and cried. The full magic of Christmas only returned to my life when I'd children of my own.
Oh lucky Christmas children who still believe! Oh lucky bella Bella! Hands up if you still believe in Santa Claus. Hands up if you can't wait for Christmas morning to come and open that super dooper present he will bring you." William Forde: December 7th, 2013.
"While I usually tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, I would be distinctly uncomfortable knowing that my truth had shattered the innocent happiness and bliss of a young child who still believed in Santa Claus, when they might have remained like little Bella Chamberlain who still does.
I have been asked many times about the wisdom of telling our children untruths such as the presence of Father Christmas. As far as I know, I have never heard tell of one single child where believing in Santa has harmed their life and impaired their future happiness, whereas I have know of many experiences where the opposite was true!
When I was a child in a family of seven children, my father worked at Blakeboroughs in Brighouse. The firm always held Christmas parties for all their employees and families, during which Father Christmas always attended and handed out presents to all the children 'who still believed in him'. Father Christmas would approach and ask, 'Do you believe in me?' Reply 'Yes' and you got a present. Reply 'No' and you were considered too old and didn't. I managed to convince myself to 'believe' in Santa until the age of eight years, before I finally stopped believing in public. On the day I was told that Santa Claus didn't live, that was the day when a large part of the Christmas magic died for me and I cried and cried. The full magic of Christmas only returned to my life when I'd children of my own.
Oh lucky Christmas children who still believe! Oh lucky bella Bella! Hands up if you still believe in Santa Claus. Hands up if you can't wait for Christmas morning to come and open that super dooper present he will bring you." William Forde: December 7th, 2013.
