The battle over belief in Santa

Over at about.com, I gathered together some of the more memorable moments in the long history of people battling over whether or not Santa exists. There were so many I had to do it in a 2-part series: PART ONE and PART TWO.

Some of my favorites:

The french woman who divorced her husband because of his insistence on believing in Santa (which was his excuse for not giving her any presents — because Santa was supposed to bring them).
The Freudian psychologist who argued that Santa really is a representation of the father figure, inserting himself into the chimney, which is a symbol of mom's hoochie coochie.
Spy magazine's classic 1991 "statistical investigation" of Santa which noted that if Santa traveled fast enough to deliver gifts to millions of children in one night, the air resistance at that speed would cause his reindeer to burst into flames.

Who We Are
Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Thu Dec 24, 2015
Category: Christmas

Comments

(insert image of Homer drooling here) arghhhaaaa flaming reindeer.

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 12/24/15 at 10:16 AM

There's always some a-hole that wants to ruin Christmas for the kids. The wonder in little ones eyes is one of the joys of the holiday.

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 12/24/15 at 10:49 AM

You mean like the parents that are traumatizing their kids over this elf on a shelf scam? Read This

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 12/24/15 at 11:07 AM

I'd gladly settle for Santa! It sure beats St. Nicholas, Father Frost, and the Christmas Angel.

Posted by Phideaux on 12/24/15 at 11:35 AM

For shame, Phideaux! The real Saint Nicholas is realer than all those impostors put together, particularly that horribly fake Coca Cola Claus! And he doesn't ruin Christmas with commercialisation. Presents at Christmas... bah, humbug. Those should be given on St. Nick's Eve.

Posted by Richard Bos on 12/24/15 at 01:38 PM

@Richard Bos -- Something from Santa under the tree can be big and flashy and relatively inexpensive, but presents from St. Nicholas are placed in the person's shoe, and 'small' + 'nice' = 'Expensive!' We're talking gold and silver coins, jewelry, and silk lingerie (has to be silk - you can't crush nylon/rayon that small).

Posted by Phideaux on 12/24/15 at 05:22 PM

Sounds like you are a fella that knows how to give a gift Phideaux!

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 12/24/15 at 06:24 PM

Hay!! I'll let you know I bought my wife a blender just last week. It should be here before new years!!

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 12/25/15 at 12:44 AM

Phideaux: yes, but Saint Nicholas can give the same thing as Santa Claus if he so desires, and yet keep the commercialisation from Christmas. Over here, we have two feasts, one at December 5th (the eve of the 6th, to be exact), where we give (and receive) gifts and doggerel, plus one at the 25th, where we have a good time with family, play games, and eat a festive dinner together. We don't lump it all into one over-stuffed day.

Posted by Richard Bos on 12/26/15 at 12:29 PM

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