Contrarian take: I think belief in Santa and the sneaky elves parents spend so much time and effort setting up for their kids will remain strong. This is one of the ironies of secular disenchantment; when all the myth and mystery has been evacuated, something deep in the human soul and psyche yearns for it all the more. I wonder if parents, having lost any sense of magic and mystery, feel a sense of obligation and responsibility to keep a bit of it alive for their children.
Oh, good perspective! I definitely remember as a kid pretty much knowing that Santa wasn't real at a certain point, but wanting to keep the magic alive by continuing to pretend like he was and like I didn't really know. So I imagine that such a mindset is at play, and maybe in overdrive even now.
Contrarian take: I think belief in Santa and the sneaky elves parents spend so much time and effort setting up for their kids will remain strong. This is one of the ironies of secular disenchantment; when all the myth and mystery has been evacuated, something deep in the human soul and psyche yearns for it all the more. I wonder if parents, having lost any sense of magic and mystery, feel a sense of obligation and responsibility to keep a bit of it alive for their children.
Oh, good perspective! I definitely remember as a kid pretty much knowing that Santa wasn't real at a certain point, but wanting to keep the magic alive by continuing to pretend like he was and like I didn't really know. So I imagine that such a mindset is at play, and maybe in overdrive even now.