I learned something today:

[shax]

My 17-month-old nephew has an intense fear of Santa Claus. His dad believes it's because the kid's grandfather on his mother's side calls Santa "Satan Claus."

When I asked the mother why, she calmly replied, "Because he's not the reason for the season."

I'm gonna have SO much de-programming to do when this kid hits his teenage years.

Comments

[yoseshiro]

Tell him Santa is a big fat old pervy man that likes to have kids sit on his lap. Late at night he would break in to steal cookies and kiss your mama. Then he'd takes credit for the presents daddy left for you.

That evil man! I'd run from him too! =D

[shax]

Screw that- I'm tellin' him Santa's his real father :D.

[magicalfencer]

Take it from me: start working on it as soon as you can. The longer that kind of thinking stays in someone's head, the harder it is to get out.

[shax]

He's still too young for me to do much with at the moment. Soon as he hits 3 or 4, I can start giving him awesome cartoon DVDs and stuff. 8's a good age to start him on some Miyazaki. Age 10- BOOM! Jesus Camp, with commentary.

[morganite]

What I don't quite get is how one goes from that to actual fear. o.O

[shax]

Oh, the kid's scared of Santa because he's only 17 months old, kinda shy around strangers to begin with, and at that age a guy in a big red suit with a fake white beard IS pretty dang scary. Doesn't make the grandpa-in-law any less of an asshole for his stance RE Santa, of course.

Still, I can see where that line of thinking might make things easier. Christmas shopping's gotta be a breeze since you just don't worry about getting someone like that a present- after all, that's not THE REASON FOR THE SEASON either! It's Jesus' birthday, and he already gave us our present by DYING ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS.

Ah, well. Only one more year of it, anyway- Grandma- and Grandpa-in-Law are apparently moving halfway across the world to do mission work sometime in 2009, and good riddance.

[morganite]

Oh, okay. I think I see how I misread it.

So the grandfather says "Satan Claus" *because* of the "not the reason for the season" thing, right? `.`

It still reminds me of this post in fanficrants. (And here and now, I will announce my intent of making a userpic that is a picture of someone pointing a gun at another, with the text "Say hello to Santa for me" once I find something suitable.)

[deaththeangel]

Hoookay, we have officially reached the point where people take the Christian faith a little TOO far. Man, if the kid's only 17-months old, it's not like he's gonna be out witnessing to anybody. :/ They oughtta let him have some fun with it.

[shax]

Man, Southern Baptists don't do "fun." Dudes don't even want you to dance.

[obijay]

Dancing is the mating ritual of the DEVIL!

[rsjr]

I see where you're going with this, but as written, this story is totally awesome. XD

When he hits puberty, get him a North Pole themed First-Person Shooter. XD

[fluffyduck]

How about this? :D