The Santa thread part 4 : Many Santas

[Kahuna Burger]

This is mostly for parents who "do" literal Santa or those who would : how do (would) you describe various mall Santas, charity Santas, etc? Are they Santa? Are they the real Santa's helpers? People dressed up as Santa?

Even if I was into doing a literal Santa (as opposed to the "tell about Santa and encourage the Meatball to help me play Santa" I'm doing this year) I don't know if I would be comfortable having him believe that every person in a red suit and hat is a special friend who he needs to keep happy to get presents. So I imagine I would still be saying "look, he's dressed as Santa!" rather than "look, it's Santa!" regardless.

 

[Merkuri]

My parents told me and my sister that the men dressed as Santa were "Santa's helpers" because Santa couldn't be in so many places at once, but if we told this "helper" what we wanted he would pass the word onto Santa. They also told us that many other little kids believed that the helpers really were Santa, so we weren't supposed to tell because it would ruin it for them.

Worked out well for us. I didn't even remember my Mom telling us about "Santa's helpers", but I always knew the people in red Santa suits were just people in red Santa suits and didn't think much of it. I think it kinda worked out better in my childish mind that Santa was someone you didn't ever see. He was like God in that way, and it actually made him more believable. If you could see and talk to him then he probably wouldn't seem as magical.

 

[Tonguez]

When he was 3, I dressed up as Santa for my sons play group - he delighted in telling everyone "thats my Dad, he's Santa".
Kids have a greater capacity to 'suspend disbeleif' but are also wise enough to know that its just a man in a costume

 

[kenobi65]

Those other guys are all Subordinate Clauses.

 

[Tewligan]

Those other guys are all Subordinate Clauses.

LOL - Kenobi wins!

 

[Tewligan]

I would tell a child that only one of the Santas he sees is the real one - every other one is an imposter who sneaks down the chimney and devours bad little boys and girls who can't tell the difference between the real and the fake Santas. Then I'd ask him which Santa he wants to go visit. I would probably be a terrible parent.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

My children know that the Mall Santas and other Santas they see around this time of year are people dressed up like him. Santa is too busy up at the North Pole to be around here riding on fire trucks in parades, sitting for pictures etc. so he has hired a bunch of helpers.

 

[Relique du Madde]

I'd tell him that Santa has body doubles since he has many enemies in both the teamster's union and the corporate world as a result of his running extensive counterfeit product distribution network that utilizes non-unionized slave labor..

 

[Kahuna Burger]

I'd tell him that Santa has body doubles since he has many enemies in both the teamster's union and the corporate world as a result of his running extensive counterfeit product distribution network that utilizes non-unionized slave labor..

You know, some kids get money from Santa... Should the Secret Service get involved?

 

[Relique du Madde]

I think he gets the money from those little red buckets