Introduction Parents have a tendency to encourage the belief in event-related fantasy figures. One fantasy figure that many children are encouraged to believe in is Santa Claus. The mythical Santa Claus, according to Christian supporters of the myth, represents Saint Nicholas who was caring for Christian children (Adams 272; Gallagher 285). However, many Christians do not subscribe to the idea of allowing their children to believe the myth because they believe that the mythical figure has been turned into a secular object (Hall 60). On the other hand, many antagonists do not subscribe to the mythical believe because Santa Claus has Christian roots. Santa Claus has been a powerful cultural figure associated with many Christians in America. In fact, Cyr declares, “Santa Claus is one of the most popular mythical figures of childhood in Western culture” (1325). Santa Claus is a vital player in the Myths and rituals that surround the Christmas holiday, and to most Americans, it would not be Christmas without him (371). For this reason, most parents take it upon themselves to promote the belief in Santa in their children. They do this by telling stories about Santa and engaging in actions to make the myth believable. Parents do this since for them, the Santa myth is a part of the Christmas tradition and it causes great joy to the family. However, child-rearing experts differ in their opinions concerning the effect that the belief in Santa Claus has on children. In fact, it has been shown that about 75% of children below the age of 3 years are terrified of the Santa character. While some claim that the Santa myth is harmless, others assert that it is damaging to the development of the child. This paper will argue that parental promotion of a belief in Santa Claus is harmful to children’s psychological development and it should therefore be avoided. Why Promoting the Belief in Santa is Harmful The Santa myth might lead to a decrease in the trust that children have in their parents. Parents are the first persons who play crucial roles in shaping personalities of their children. Children learn from their parents several aspects in life. To promote the belief in Santa, parents have to engage in an elaborate lie to make Santa seem real (Halkoaho and Laaksonen 250). Parents begin by introducing the notion of Santa to their children and they proceed to engage in activities such as filling stockings with gifts in order to make the myth believable. They also explain away any anomaly that might arise therefore ensuring that the children buy into the Santa myth. This elaborate lying, which often takes place over the course of many years, can have the negative effect of undermining the trust that children have in their parents. Eventually, the child will learn the truth about Santa and stop believing. When this happens, children may suffer from some form of disillusionment. Once children realize that their parents have been cheating them, they develop mistrust in their parents. They could now adopted the idea of cheating in life because it was perpetuated by people they believed were role models in their lives. In fact, children could start lying to their parents and their friends at school. They