It's embarrassing to the human species that we act as if raising our kids to believe in things that are magical and factually false is some cute little innocent tradition. Beliefs don't live in a bubble; this is NOT a live and let live issue. I'm glad YOU might not have developed magical thinking, but not everyone's going to react the same, so we need to be very VERY critical of what we tell kids about the nature of reality. This type of thinking is how you fall for con artists, alternative medicine, and superstition. A parent's top priority should be to instill an accurate sense of the world on their kid (and perhaps even further, give them a healthy skepticism to everything they encounter). Teaching Santa's magic is literally real just isn't conducive to this, and Christmas isn't any less magical (metaphorically) just because you teach the kid that Santa is purely a symbol for fun and holiday spirit, much like the Easter Bunny. The kid's still getting presents under a tree. Heck, now they're thanking you, instead of Santa. A lesson of confusing magic has turned into a practical lesson of love. We can have Santa, just don't lie to your fucking kids. The fact that anyone objects to this opinion of mine is mindboggling to me.

**TL;DR -- Fostering a temporary belief in Santa actually encourages creative out-of-the-box thinking that can contribute to society in new and amazing ways.** I get the argument behind this and agree *to an extent*. But promoting magical thinking is actually a healthy way to promote creative thinking outside the box. As long as the charade isn't carried on for too long, it's not really a problem. I was raised to believe in Santa, and it made Christmas a fun and fanciful time. When I came of age, I was sat down and explained the reality of the tradition in a positive manner. It made the tradition all the more special -- even though the illusion was broken, it was still a chance for me to play make-believe in a socially acceptable context, much like Halloween, and still maintain my young adult / adult dignity. Today I write science fantasy stories where the world I create has magic rooted in a "scientifically viable" context. For example, how *would* teleportation work? How about lightsabers? It's encouraging thinking outside the box like this that helps us advance real life technology. [Holograms now exist](https://scitechdaily.com/hologram-experts-can-now-create-real-life-images-that-move-in-the-air-like-a-a-3d-printer-for-light/) where they were once complete fantasy (bonus: according to the article I linked, lightsabers also exist now, too). Sure, a magical guy who can circle the entire planet and hand out free gifts to good little children may not seem scientifically viable, but it's a conduit in which we foster creative thinking, problem-solving, and technological advances.

**TL;DR -- Having an illusion shattered teaches you to be skeptical of other illusions.** I hadn't questioned much of what I had been told until I was told Santa was fake, was described how the illusion was maintained, and then got to participate myself. That kicked off a series of events that led to questioning things we take for granted, questioning power structures, and questioning religion. It taught me not to be afraid of skepticism.

It seems to me that the world, especially in it's present state, can be a depressing place. Many countries are moving more and more far right in their politics. A child's brain has not developed yet into an adult brain. An adult uses logic, reason and abstract thinking while a child may process the world more through feelings and experiences. Has the reader ever watched a children listen to bed time stories, of fantastical magical lands and tales? They very much enjoy it. Wouldn't it be a shame to take all that pleasure away from them, and tell them stories only based on the real world? I remember pressing one of my nephews about his "magical friends", he eventually confessed that: "There is no one there" But must have gotten something from pretending. Children will have a lifetime, once 9 or older teenagers, to be concerned with the adult world. Children and adult minds have some differences when the child is younger. Let them enjoy it.