For many years parents have taken part in telling their children myths about Santa, Leprechauns, and the Tooth Fairy, and from their point of view, parents aim to spread joy and happiness to their kids during the holidays. But, what about what children think about this ultimate deception?

The question is…should parents lie to their kids about mythological creatures such as leprechauns, Santa, and the Tooth Fairy? I guess it depends on the person’s perspective.

From a child’s perspective, they can feel betrayed, fooled, or silly once their parents tell them the truth. The truth that has been their doing all along: placing the Santa gifts under the tree, putting money under their pillow as they sleep, and fooling kids about pots of gold at the end of a rainbow.

On the other hand, from the parents perspective, these fun, mythical traditions are carried on to invite holiday spirit, joy, and the gift of giving to younger kids and families.

Mythical traditions that are celebrated throughout the world bring happiness to the holidays. For my younger sister Arianna, Santa and her small “Elf on the Shelf” have always been the highlight of her Christmas. She became completely crushed when she caught my parents moving the elf to a new location. It’s known that once a person touches the elf, the elf loses its magic. This being said, when she found out my parents have been moving the elf themselves rather than him moving on his own, she realized the truth; our parents had lied about the elf being real. This lie can ultimately lead to a loss in holiday spirit and a mistrust between the parents and children.

Not many parents think deception as a terrible thing. Many parents say that it helps teach and spread the giving spirit. It can spread hope, love, and joy across nations. These are also traditions that are important to continue through generations as people instill happiness in their children’s hearts in hope of them spreading it to the people around them.

What’s the right decision; should parents lie or not about mythical beings? In my opinion, it’s ultimately beneficial to the child and the family as a whole to believe in something that can’t be seen. It provides wonder and imagination, and it creates fun-filled memories. Overall, the spirit of the holidays should be celebrated in any way a parent wishes to celebrate it with their family.