The Washington times., 1906-12-22
ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO
BELIEVE IN SANTA CI AUS
Childish Legends and Traditions Bring Untold
Happiness.

That the belief IN Santa Claus is an
Illusion OF childhood that should not
be dispellcd because Of any idea that il
encourages faith in a deception and puts
both parents and children IN false
and insincere position is the opinion of
a number Of prominent club women in
this city. For without exception ;hey
are in favor OF the Santa Claus myth
and several of them declared they
wished that they could still believe in
Saint Nick.
DO I think children should believe in
Santa Claus? Most certainly" said Mrs.
Lille DevereuX Blake, president of the
Mothers Club. OF course, it's not wise
10 teach them that Santa Claus is q
real man like their father but to tell
them pretty, playful story about this
old Christmas myth appeals TO their
imaginations and pleases them and
leaves any boy or girl in a position TO
say whether or not they want Kris
IIringie 10 come to them. and in this way
they make their own illusion without
the parents heluing them TO believe in
something that is not real. If told about
Santa IN the same way they hear of
fairies there can be no heartache or
feeling that father or mother have kept
something from them when they find
out at last that there is II Saint Nick.
/ have never known of any children
whose faith in their parents was shaken
because they realized there was no San
ia and. on the other side of the pro-
position, I know of no children who
have not had untold delight and pleas
ure from belief N the my tn
Santa One of Few Myths Left.
president Of Sorosis, and q grandmother.
the belief In Santa Claus is one Of the
few myths left tc little folk in this cx
tremely practical age. She says:
Santa Claus is a delusion most boys
and girls half see through and one I
believe in letting them keep in their
lives, for they get bare, bald facts soon
enough. and we are getting so practical
shat il the little ones don't have this
rsncifm myth there will be no illusions
left to them. Perhaps stories of fairies
and dragons play too ridiculous and
grotesquc a part in the lives of some
small children. but with the Santa Claus
illusion this is not so. for there is an
ideaIity about Kris Kringle that is
wholesome ana is food for the imagina-
1iOn that the average boy and girl
needs. OF course. tales Of Saint Nick
may be carried too tar, and falsehoods
told about him, but on the whole he Is
an Illusion that even grown-ups love,
and one 1 think should not be takeI
from children." "
santa Claus is one of the most
beautiful and poetic illusions Of chill
dren." said Mrs. Harry Hastings, a
Weii-knoWn club woman, and l think il
S a shame 10 deprive them OF this be-
Nef, for there is so little left for their
imaginations TO feed on in this eminent
" practical world. Santa Claus is a
part of the sacred rights OF childhood in
our country, and is one of the dear priv
Higes OF little folk that We should guard
instead OF deprtving them of. Most
children sem to absorb the belief in Kris
Kringle whether their parents mention
him or not, and they cling TO the belief
even when they realize that IL is a myth
Mothers and fathers, too, who object
10 this belief on the ground that II is
not being absolutely truthful and sincere
viii find that they are not strictly truth
1ul and always sincere about a great
1nanF things they tell their little ones