Reader's comments on this article Add a new comment on this article

from rgkoepnick Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 20:01 (Agree/Disagree?) When I was a little girl, my family was very poor. My siblings and I used to wonder why the other children got so much at Christmas time and we did not. My parents explained to us that while Santa may bring the presents, Mommy and Daddy still had to pay for them. This shed a whole new light on the holidays for us. The next year we all worked together (shoveling snow, babysitting, doing neighborhood odd jobs) to have more money to spend. We had such a great time working it out together, the presents didn't seem so important anymore. That year my siblings and I took our extra money and bought new items to donate to a center for abused women and children. It gave us so much pleasure to bring smiles to their faces (plus it made us realize that we were pretty lucky after all!) (reply to this comment)

from itsxena2u Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 22:06 (Agree/Disagree?) My kids asked me if Santa is real and I just told them the truth. That he isn't real but he is make believe just like fairy tales. My kids know that I'm the one that buys them their gifts and we just say that Santa brought them just for fun.&; We have our Santa and reindeer decorations as well as our little manger scene. Around Christmas of 2001, when I had just left TF. I had just gotten a job and we had not furniture in our little apartment and were sleeping on the floor on sleeping bags. I had no money for nice gifts. I sat down and cried because I could not shop at "toys r us" for their gifts. A friend at work knew I was in need and brought over a Christmas tree and some lights. I went out to the dollar store and bought them a bunch of dollar toys and decorations. I took it home and the kids helped me decorate our little tree. My daughter (then 4 yrs old) told me that this was the best Christmas ever!! Sometimes its not the material things but rather the love and joy that comes with sharing the Christmas spirit with others. My kids know that I'm a single mom and struggling financially. &;I try very hard to get them what they want for Christmas, but I've never heard them complain if I wasn't able to get it. That's what makes my kids so special. They know that if they don't get everything on their Santa list, it's not because Santa does not care or they have been bad, it's simply because mommy could not afford it. I've taken great measures to give them all the love and attention I can and to make Christmas as special and as memorable as ever, because that is something money can't buy and will remain in their minds and hearts&;forever! (reply to this comment)

From Vicky Monday, December 29, 2003, 06:54 (Agree/Disagree?) I have to say that your comment above really made my day; I think it was beautifully written and something that is totally relatable to those of us who are parents. As far as i'm concerned people who don't have children have no right to comment on it as they don't know what it feels like to be struggling and wondering how you will manage to make Christmas special for your kids. I always thought the terrible thing about the whole Santa story is that children whose parents don't have much money must feel as if they have been horrid and don't deserve lovely presents, since Santa always says "I know if you've been bad or good", etc, etc. This is one reason I have told my kids that I am the one who buys their presents; I also feel this makes them appreciate it more. I wouldn't say I am struggling and I did manage to buy the girls a fair amount of presents, but only by using my whole budget for Dec/Jan on them, leaving me totally skint now for the whole month. It is hard but worth it. I am sure that more money would make us more comfortable and take away a lot of our problems, but I don't need it to make me happy - I am lucky to have two beautiful, healthy, wonderful girls and a husband who is the greatest guy on earth. I admire anyone who manages to bring up children alone and hope that I could do it half as well as you if I were in your boat - You are a strong person and a great mother and I think you should be proud of yourself.(reply to this comment)

From Joe H Sunday, December 28, 2003, 18:09 (Agree/Disagree?) Thanks so much for that, "it's xena to me"! I really hadn't gotten enough holiday sappiness and cornballitude from my relatives, coworkers, local merchants and TV adverts. Furthermore, I had no fucking idea that Christmas is really about love and joy and sharing! Your thoughtful words are so incredibly original! So tell me - does money really not buy happiness? In that case, I'm going to tell my boss not to give me that raise. In fact, I think I'll quit my high-paying job and marry some dumb fat girl from the suburbs so we can have a bunch of kids, shop at the dollar store, and teach them about the real meaning of Christmas! You have enlightened me today dear xena! (All kidding aside, a recent survey has shown that rich people are actually happier on average. Think about it, money might no make you happy, but that doesn't mean wallowing in poverty will either!) oh, and of course Santa doesn't care - he doesn't exist!(reply to this comment)

From itsxena2u Monday, December 29, 2003, 00:40 (Agree/Disagree?) Sometimes I get carried away typing that I leave out certain things in my comments which unforturnately I notice after I've submitted them. I do agree with you that money does make people a lot happier. And believe me, I could sure use a winning lotto number. But what I was trying to say is that sometimes when you're struggling as a single mom, especially after leaving TF and having little or no money at the time and right around Christmas time. It can be pretty disheartening. Especially if you have little ones. So I try to keep a positive attitude. But I will stick to my guns when I mean that money cant buy everything but it can definitely make things run a whole lot smoother. I was just trying to share my experiences about how I dealt with a very depressing Christmas and turned it around into something fun! By the way, do you have any depth or maturity at all? Or are you just a superficial, sarcastic and materialistic son of a b..? That is one main complaint I have about TF. IS that when some young people leave, they just can't get over their bullshit past and therefore become bitter, hateful, selfish, sarcastic and just overall depressingly negative about everything! Born and raised "systemites" with even worse childhoods don't grow up to be as pitiful as some of these ex-members I've encountered. People need to grow up and get a life and quit blaming TF for everything that goes wrong in life!!! I may have had bad experiences in the past but I also had good ones. And if there is anything I have learned it is how to deal with difficult situations and make something better out of it! Honestly, when I logged on to this site, I expected to hear encouraging stories of how people made it in the real world, and thankfully I have read some pretty interesting and even funny things! But on the other hand, there are just some people who don't have anything better to talk about than all the b.s. that goes on in the TF. I don't have to be reminded. I lived it. All I'm trying to say is. I don't apreciate your sarcasm. Even if you were just "joking". I didn't visit this site to be brought down by asses like you! If this is all people do around here than I have better things to do with my time. I didn't come here to put anybody down or make them feel stupit and I expect the same from you as well!(reply to this comment)

from meg Tuesday, September 03, 2002 - 19:06 (Agree/Disagree?) i live in the good ol'south and they are so horribly christian here that at xmas time they put up signs that say "jesus is the reason for the season so i told my mom that if i saw one more sign like that i was going to put one up that said "santa is the reason for the season" well guess what i saw one to many signs.... :D (reply to this comment)

from porceleindoll Monday, December 17, 2001 - 04:40 (Agree/Disagree?) I never taught my kids he was real or not. I always told them that he originated as a real person (Kris Kringle or whoever) and developed into the present day story. I let them choose what they want, they're divided, my daughters believe in Santa and are writing lists and going to leave out cookies, my son doesn't. I laugh (not in a mean way, but you know, a mother's way) at the cuteness of it, but I'm determined not to interfere too much in my children's beliefs. I'll only present what I believe in or what I think is right, and let them choose what they think, to a limit (won't allow cussing or destructive behaviour). (reply to this comment)

From faeriraven Wednesday, December 26, 2001, 12:02 (Agree/Disagree?) I never told my 5 yr old son that Santa wasn't real...I always figured he believed in him till this year on Christmas Eve I told him he better get to bed early so Santa can come and fill his stocking and leave his presents, and he looks at me and says, "Mom, you don't have to pretend, I already know that it's you that does all that", lol, I don't mind really that he doesn't believe, he still talks @ him etc he just was never into the whole make believe thing I guess.(reply to this comment)

From VWBabe Thursday, February 07, 2002, 15:08 (Agree/Disagree?) I did the same thing. I never said if he was real or not, and my 4 yr old just kinda figured it out herself. Since I'm not religious anymore I didn't see what was wrong with Santa, and as mentioned previously (I think by Xeena), he WAS started with giving and the spriit of C'mas in mind. (reply to this comment)

from Alfy Sunday, December 16, 2001 - 18:06 (Agree/Disagree?) Santa's a fucking child molesting cunt. (reply to this comment)

from Holon Sunday, December 16, 2001 - 11:49 (Agree/Disagree?) Xeena, I know how your feeling.My first few years of being a mom,was a bit compicated when it came to the holidays,Christmas,Easter,Halloween ect.. I didnt know what to do exactily.But my husband is a kid himself so he was always the one to start stuff. My kids TOTAILY believe in Santa.It's so much fun! we used to have the kids write him letters to tell him what they wanted,than we got a computer so now we write him E-mails. LOL! We also find it's a fun thing when we send the E-mails,to also give santa a list of things they did that were "Nice"( in case he forgot)So they sit and think about all of the nice things they did that year.I think this also helps there self esteem. But than of course we have to be honest and think of the "Naughty" stuff to and give santa an explaination of why they chose to do the naughty things.In case he didnt know why they did them. But we also make sure that the "Nice " things list is longer than the "Naughty" things list. They have sooooo much fun! And on Christmas eve we leave a treat out for santa to eat.(After all he has to get hungary on his trip accross the world.)we also make reindeer food and sprinkle it outside there bedroom windows. And on Christmas morning I have half the toys say "From:Santa" and the other half say "From : Mommy and Daddy" and the stocking stuff is all from Santa. I will never forget last year when they woke up , they ran into the livingroom and my daughter's eyes were popping out of her head( She was 4 & 1/2 at the time) when she saw the presents and that Santa had eaten the treat we left for him and she yelled >>>>>> He came! He really came!I cant believe my eyes!">>>>>>>>It was just too funny! Let me say this as well, the few weeks of Christmas are the best for getting them to do "Nice things"(After all Santa is always watching)LOL! An example: Can you go clean your room,Santa's watching.or.. Can you bring me a diaper and the baby wipes,Santa's watching or... Can you go play nicely with the twins so Mommy can finnish dinner,Santa's watching.... This works like a charm.And makes it more real to them. Also reading stories about Santa is alot of fun too. Also every time I go to the store I buy can goods for them to bring to school for the Christmas drop off box.So some poor kids can have a nice Christmas dinner.This gets them thinking of how lucky they are.And it's a chance for them to learn how good it feels to help out the community. Ok I have to go now.I think we are going to Bush Gardens today.But Daddy was sick last night so we might not go. Merry Christmas! Have fun! (reply to this comment)

from Lance Sunday, December 16, 2001 - 02:03 (Agree/Disagree?) What! Santa isn't real? I have just lost all reason to live. (reply to this comment)

From Xeena Sunday, December 16, 2001, 22:08 (Agree/Disagree?) LOL! What an interesting comment. I'm sorry if I spoiled your X-mas.(reply to this comment)