Both memoir and how-to book, Trahan presents a compassionate and encouraging examination of the cultural phenomenon that is Santa and sets forth a clear and simple solution to the perennial dilemma of parents who wish to protect their child s innocence. It is a playful perspective that keeps us in integrity and makes us more fun at the same time.
Trahan's Santa story expresses as a game - a timeless game that everyone is already playing. Young children become part of the story by tapping into their innate ability to make believe, which is even more creative and inclusive than believing in. Children who learn this new expanded version of Santa can easily play alongside other children who still believe in Santa, without putting their construct at risk. They can even play the role of Santa.
Arita's Santa game deemphasizes the commercialism often associated with Santa. It also deepens the holiday tradition of generosity by promoting simple gifts and acts of kindness. As children learn to play Santa, they expand their imaginations and find their own ways to give to others.
Here is the way for us all to enjoy a magical Santa with no expiration date, a Santa whose heroic demonstration of joy and unconditional love serves as a template for anonymous giving and inspires an even more generous focus for the holidays!
Why a New Santa Story?
As a young mother, Arita wanted her own children to experience Santa as magical and in a way that could not be spoiled by honesty, in a way that would last a lifetime. Without any of the usual need for them to believe in, she devised a way to celebrate Santa without outgrowing him, without a down-side, and in a way that is also more joyful and playful. In addition, her new approach does not mess with or undo any of the other Santa ideas that might already be expressed in the world around the child. It's a win-win idea.
As we obtained personal stories for this book, we heard over and over about a wounding. Adults told us that they had loved Santa as a child, but they felt cheated and lied to by their parents. They often were embarrassed because they had courageously defended their parents honesty and then learned that they had been misguided in the way Santa had been presented to them. They wanted to enjoy Santa, but, once they learned the truth -- that he is not an actual person as they had been earnestly taught to believe -- their joy in the experience was diminished.
How do kids handle the disappointment when they learn that Santa is not real ? Most hide the truth of their discovery because they are afraid their parents will be upset with them, because they are afraid that they won t get as many presents, because they don t want it to be true, and sometimes simply because they don t want to disappoint their parents. Typically a child pretends to still believe for two years after they have learned the truth. During this time they silently observe as their parents contrive to maintain the deceit.
Arita's new approach to enjoying Santa is a simple way to maintain the innocence of the child and the parent in the enhanced appreciation of Santa as a story and game. It is not Arita's goal to convince parents that The Santa Story is the right way or the only way for modern parents to present Santa. However, when Arita presents the Santa game, readers will understand that this expanded telling of the traditional story gives them an opportunity to bring even more magic to the holiday, along with total honesty and integrity. They will also appreciate the focus on kindness and anonymous giving.
