If one of my kids was to come home sad because a classmate told them Santa didn't exist, I would just explain to them that they were naughty and that is why Santa was not coming to their home and to not pay any attention to what they are saying.
I also believe it is okay to lie to your kids if you are doing it in their best interest and not out of harm.
See, this shit right here crosses the line. No matter how you want to sugarcoat it (and we did Santa for our kids, so I'm not "anti-Santa"), you are just perpetuating a myth for you kids. Also known as lying. Sure, it's fun. Sure, it can be magical and exciting and cute and all of that, and for the most part there is no harm done. Until we come across parents like you. You'd lie to your kid about a classmate in order to protect a fairy tale...that's really something.
If one of my kids was to come home sad because a classmate told them Santa didn't exist, I would just explain to them that they were naughty and that is why Santa was not coming to their home and to not pay any attention to what they are saying.
Or you could just use it as an opener to explain who Santa really was and the spirit of Christmas and all that good stuff that makes up the idea of the guy who ensures everyone has a special Christmas no matter who they are. That just because there isn't an actual man doesn't mean we stop being charitable and enjoying the season and good will it's supposed to bring.
That's my plan anyway. Because with your plan the kid is going straight to school to tell the other kid they're a terrible person and probably ending up in a fight or with someone crying in a corner or at their desk or whatever kids do now when they're insulted and their feelings are hurt by another kid.
I don't agree with either of these suggestions. I think telling your kid the other kid must be naughty is a good way to start bigotry. People who don't celebrate Christmas because they are of another religion aren't naughty, are they? Even if you don't mean it that way, it comes across as teaching your kid that people who do things differently are bad.
I also don't agree that because some kid let the cat out of the bag, the parent needs to admit to the kid that santa isn't real either. I think we ran into this when we were kids and my parents just said that the other kids were wrong and that santa is hard for some kids to believe in because they can't see him, but that he's real to anyone who believes. Of course, I didn't know anyone who didn't "do" santa who celebrated Christmas, so I guess that complicates things. I think in that case my mom would have told us "Santa only comes to the houses of children who believe in him. If Santa doesn't go to little Jane's house, that must mean that Jane doesn't believe in Santa". That doesn't imply anything good or bad about Jane or anyone else who does/doesn't get Santa at their house.
If one of my kids was to come home sad because a classmate told them Santa didn't exist, I would just explain to them that they were naughty and that is why Santa was not coming to their home and to not pay any attention to what they are saying.
Life is hard as they get older and they will have plenty of time in the future to learn what is real and what is not. Some of my fondest memories is believing in Santa and I will provide the same for my kids. I also believe it is okay to lie to your kids if you are doing it in their best interest and not out of harm.
Because God forbid we teach our children that some people believe different things, and that's okay. You know what really makes a childhood magical? Love and tolerance.
In other words, I hope you get coal in your stocking, you ass.