We are coming up on a VERY ROUGH season for me. The one where parents of every walk in life tormet/tortment their children with Santa Claus.
It is horrific enough that we create this creepy, fantasy being (he sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when your awake, he knows if you've been bad or going- rather God-like, don't you think), but then we use this fantasy being to cajole, threaten and torment CHILDREN for the 8 weeks leading up to Christmas.
I cannot tell you the amount of times I have seen a parent turn their child(ren) int a puddle of quivering goo at any given store at any given time. I have had to PHYSICALLY leave the store to keep myself from accosting parents who say wonderfully, dripping-with-poison comment like these:
Don't even THINK Santa will be coming to give you ANY presents you horrible child.
When we get home I am going to call Santa and have him come get every decoration/toy to punish you because you are such an awful child
Santa told me HIMSELF that you have been so bad you won't even get coal in your stocking.
And more, so many more traumatically horrible ways to torture a child by using a made up, not-even-real being.
JUST STOP. DON'T DO IT. THINK ABOUT HOW WONDEROUS IT ALL FELT WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD AND HOW MUCH EMOTIONAL DAMAGE YOU ARE DOING, PLEASE!!!!!!
#WeaponizedSanta
#StopChildAbuse
#SantaIsNotABigStick
And don't get me started on that creepy, stalking elf.
And don't get me started on that creepy, stalking elf.
