Scared of Santa?

Burny Charles · Post by **Burny Charles** » December 21, 2005 3:10 am

There has been a lot of news excerpts on childrens' fear of sitting on Santa's lap. I find it fascinating because I'm a psychology major. You have to admit, he does look a little abnormal to a very young child. My question is: Do your parents have stories about how you were scared of Santa? And if you have kids, how did they do, or how are they doing in dealing with sitting on the big red guy's lap? I've never asked my mom, but thinking about it, tommorrow I'm going to ask her if I was ever afraid of Santa.

island_hopper · Post by **island_hopper** » December 21, 2005 3:51 am

My six year old daughter is absolutely horrified of even the thought of sitting on Santa's lap. We talk about it and she won't even consider it. If we're anywhere close to Santa she grabs my hand tightly and makes me promise her that I won't make her go talk to him.....and we've talked extensively about him.

I don't think I was scared....looking at all the pictures from when I was little....but I'll have to ask my parents' too.

Now the last time I sat on Santa's lap I was just out of high school. My friend and I thought it would be cute to have our pic taken with him and as we were getting off of his lap he quietly said..."Ho Ho Ho....you girls can come sit on Santa's lap any time"

That was a little scarey!

Burny Charles · Post by **Burny Charles** » December 21, 2005 4:00 am

Wow, six? I was thinking that the main fears were in much earlier years. But, I dont have kids, so I really have no clue.

What do you think she would say if you told her Santa was coming to her house to visit while she is in her own comfortable surroundings?

island_hopper · Post by **island_hopper** » December 21, 2005 4:13 am

Well see that's the thing....she knows Santa will be coming to "visit" and is all excited about leaving him cookies and eggnog. Maybe it's because she knows that she won't see him.....that he'll be there when she's sleeping and that way she doesn't have to talk to him. She is actually extremely shy until she warms up to her surroundings.....so this might be the reason.

Burny Charles · Post by **Burny Charles** » December 21, 2005 4:18 am

Do you think she'll react to him the same way next year?

island_hopper · Post by **island_hopper** » December 21, 2005 4:23 am

I'm hoping not.......I don't want her to be so deathly afraid of him. At the same time I won't push her if she doesn't want to.

Hey....as a Psych major what do you think about it?

Burny Charles · Post by **Burny Charles** » December 21, 2005 4:49 am

Well see, like I said above, I just find this interesting after seeing some news segments about it. But instead of trying to do research or other WORK, I thought I'd start a thread about it and get other peoples' input.

I don't currently have the enjoyment of raising children. There are always a ton of variables, but I think if I had a six year old who was terrified, and I wanted to change that, I would probably try this. Now this is just what I would perhaps try, keeping in mind I dont have children, and the variable thingy.

I would probably say to my future child that Santa was coming over for a early visit to talk with the parents about what gifts to get for the child. Of course I'd have someone come over in a Santa suit. I'd tell my child that he/she can hide in her room if he/she wants, and ask him/her not to listen in on our important discussions. If after 45 minutes my child was not peeking around corners to look at us, I might give up. But if I noticed him/her being nosy, I'd do a fake change of subject and invite the the keet out of hiding. Then I would probably just try to get my child comfortable in the presence of that big red suit and big white beard. If it worked, then I would send Santa on his merry way, and hope it worked.

island_hopper · Post by **island_hopper** » December 21, 2005 5:10 am

That's awesome....I may have to try that!

Burny Charles · Post by **Burny Charles** » December 21, 2005 5:30 am

If you try it, let me know how it works, I may have to deal with the same thing some day.

One thing I have to add though. Lets say this "Santa in her house" gets her comfortable with Santa. If she were to visit another Santa before Christmas, she will undoubtedly notice that he doesnt look the same. Now see, when I believed in Santa, I would notice he didnt look the same year after year. My parents gave me the explanation that this was Santa's helper. I didnt like that explanation.

I wanted to talk to Santa, not some helper.

My parents should have told me that this guy can fit down chimneys, fly all over the world in one night, and he sometimes changes his appearance so he is not recognized while he is in other clothes, making his list, checking it twice....etc. I would have liked that explanation a lot better than some low paid helper.

island_hopper · Post by **island_hopper** » December 21, 2005 6:04 am

Burny Charles wrote:If you try it, let me know how it works, I may have to deal with the same thing some day.

One thing I have to add though. Lets say this "Santa in her house" gets her comfortable with Santa. If she were to visit another Santa before Christmas, she will undoubtedly notice that he doesnt look the same. Now see, when I believed in Santa, I would notice he didnt look the same year after year. My parents gave me the explanation that this was Santa's helper. I didnt like that explanation. I wanted to talk to Santa, not some helper. My parents should have told me that this guy can fit down chimneys, fly all over the world in one night, and he sometimes changes his appearance so he is not recognized while he is in other clothes, making his list, checking it twice....etc. I would have liked that explanation a lot better than some low paid helper.

You crack me up!!

Man.....now I wish you would've posted this earlier in Dec so that I would have the time to round up someone with a Santa suit.....I will definitely keep your suggestions in mind and get back to ya on it.

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » December 21, 2005 6:29 am

island_hopper wrote:My six year old daughter is absolutely horrified of even the thought of sitting on Santa's lap. We talk about it and she won't even consider it. If we're anywhere close to Santa she grabs my hand tightly and makes me promise her that I won't make her go talk to him.....and we've talked extensively about him.

I don't think I was scared....looking at all the pictures from when I was little....but I'll have to ask my parents' too.

Now the last time I sat on Santa's lap I was just out of high school. My friend and I thought it would be cute to have our pic taken with him and as we were getting off of his lap he quietly said..."Ho Ho Ho....you girls can come sit on Santa's lap any time" That was a little scarey!

But Wayne is a nice guy... tho I wouldn't sit on his lap.

Burny Charles · Post by **Burny Charles** » December 21, 2005 6:32 am

I didn't really think about it until the media began running these segments about Santa phobias. But these were always segements with a humorous overtone. They never gave any suggestions for a frustrated parent. But you have to admit, there is some humor involved when you browse pictures at websites such as this.

Now look at this Santa! I think I'd be scared of him too!! Who ever knew he was still recovering from his rough night a year later?

big hat carmen · Post by **big hat carmen** » December 21, 2005 6:56 am

My daughter was afraid of Santa as a child and as an adult is still wary of him. She was about 4 when the phobia started. I have a picture of her and her older brother; my son was smiling and talking to Santa and she has this look, like don't touch me, you pervert.

jimolliemom · Post by **jimolliemom** » December 21, 2005 8:11 am

Jim was alright with him...except one year. The year he was 2. He was leary of everyone that year. It was a strager thing...not a Santa thing. Now Mollie...she's another story. This is the first year she has gone near him without me. She's 6 and she didn't have much to say to him...just snap the picture cuz I'm leaving....

ragtopW · Post by **ragtopW** » December 21, 2005 9:04 am

island_hopper wrote:My six year old daughter is absolutely horrified of even the thought of sitting on Santa's lap. We talk about it and she won't even consider it. If we're anywhere close to Santa she grabs my hand tightly and makes me promise her that I won't make her go talk to him.....and we've talked extensively about him.

I don't think I was scared....looking at all the pictures from when I was little....but I'll have to ask my parents' too.

Now the last time I sat on Santa's lap I was just out of high school. My friend and I thought it would be cute to have our pic taken with him and as we were getting off of his lap he quietly said..."Ho Ho Ho....you girls can come sit on Santa's lap any time" That was a little scarey!

You know that you can sit on Santas lap any time...

I just did the Christmas run last weekend
and more kids were afraid of the Grinch than Santa..

or it that another Thread????

Big Red Parrothead · December 21, 2005 10:00 am

I blame the parents.

(Just kidding.)

Seriously though, I wonder if it has anything to do with how kids are brought up these days. They are told that they shouldn't talk to strangers, or get in a car with a stranger or take candy from a stranger. (All certainly good lessons.)

But then the next day their parents are pushing them to go sit on the lap of some strange guy in a red suit who wants to find out if they've been naughty and then give them candy canes.

I've always thought there's somewhat of a disconnect there.

But then again, take anything I say on the matter with a grain of salt: I've taken exactly two psychology classes in my life and I won't actually be a parent for another seven weeks.

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » December 21, 2005 10:15 am

My oldest went through a few years of wanting nothing to do with him, but the psycho I am, I still managed to get some classic pictures every year!

One she's crying and has her arms reaching out to be picked up; one I'm holding her while sitting next to Santa; and one she's standing by his chair, but leaning away. But hey, how's she gonna get any presents if she doesn't tell Santa what she wants!

It wasn't until a couple years of watching her younger braver sister jump on up and carry on conversations and laugh and play with him, that she figured he must be okay.

This year, we've missed him twice already... not sure where we're gonna find a "helper" in the next couple days - I'd hate to miss the annual photo op!

Oh, and by the way, the oldest was leary of all happy costumed characters, including the Easter Bunny, and Bugs, Tweety, and the gang at Six Flags. The youngest on the other hand, always had plenty of hugs and high fives for them!

bumper · Post by **bumper** » December 21, 2005 10:36 am

Burny Charles wrote:Well see, like I said above, I just find this interesting after seeing some news segments about it. But instead of trying to do research or other WORK, I thought I'd start a thread about it and get other peoples' input.

I don't currently have the enjoyment of raising children. There are always a ton of variables, but I think if I had a six year old who was terrified, and I wanted to change that, I would probably try this. Now this is just what I would perhaps try, keeping in mind I dont have children, and the variable thingy.

I would probably say to my future child that Santa was coming over for a early visit to talk with the parents about what gifts to get for the child. Of course I'd have someone come over in a Santa suit. I'd tell my child that he/she can hide in her room if he/she wants, and ask him/her not to listen in on our important discussions. If after 45 minutes my child was not peeking around corners to look at us, I might give up. But if I noticed him/her being nosy, I'd do a fake change of subject and invite the the keet out of hiding. Then I would probably just try to get my child comfortable in the presence of that big red suit and big white beard. If it worked, then I would send Santa on his merry way, and hope it worked.

Being frightened of Santa is a right of passage....it passes......however....I gleemed something completely different from your post....I connected Political Correctness and well......some other social hyperbole around a certain issue......what would be fascintating to me as a retired, thank god, therapist would be the sociological implications of PC, the stanger issue and sitting on his lap.

windknot · Post by **windknot** » December 21, 2005 10:38 am

My oldest, now 14, was fine with Santa but my youngest has never liked him, didn't even want him to come in the house while he was sleeping.

Neither of them liked clowns either, we think it has something to do with the face being hidden.

springparrot · Post by **springparrot** » December 21, 2005 11:25 am

A million years ago, when I was young

, someone knocked on our door, I ran to answer it and SANTA was standing on my front porch.

Scared the crap outta me! It was a friend that my Daddy worked with and he was going on a Santa gig and stopped by to see me. I wanted no part of him because he knew my name and all about me.

And he was also the downtown Santa and I avoided him like the plague because again, he called me by name.
I don't remember ever talking to Santa before or after this.

When Ryan was young, our neighbor came to a neighborhood Christmas party. All the kids loved Santa---but Ryan cried so hard he couldn't breathe and I had to take him out of the room until Santa left. Years later, we do have some pics of Ryan and Santa, but Ryan really didn't like Santa.