Parents have been urged to be mindful of what Christmas adverts their children are watching
Parents are being urged to stay vigilant over the Christmas adverts their kids see this festive season. One woman has claimed that some branding could be “ruining the magic” for youngsters and exposing them to the truth about Santa. As December 25th draws near, we’re bombarded with ads everywhere we look, all vying to tell us where to get the best festive food and gifts. From adverts on TV to billboards and even signs inside shops, there’s no escaping the constant reminders to finish your Christmas shopping.
But one woman has raised concerns that this could ruin the enchantment of Christmas for little believers in Santa Claus. The constant stream of toy commercials might make kids question where their gifts really come from, as they know Santa doesn’t need to watch them. Moreover, as Ruby highlighted in her viral video, signs in shops advertising “stocking fillers” might make kids start to ask if Santa is real. After all, if they’ve sent him a list of what they would like, why does he need adverts?
In her video, she asks: “I have noticed this year, I think more than any other year, on billboards, in advertising, on TV, radio, all of that, so many things saying ‘stocking fillers’. Obviously, because I don’t have kids, I don’t know how much kids consume that – but do kids question that? Do they know?”
She continued: “Surely kids are going around shops being like, ‘Why does that say that it’s a stocking filler?’ Like, does your Santa shop at the store? I know some Santas do. I’m just confused.”
Ruby’s video sparked a flood of comments from parents sharing their own takes on the tradition of Santa Claus. Many chimed in, explaining they blend the magical tale with a dose of reality to foster appreciation for the gifts they provide.
One parent shared, “In our house (and mine growing up), the family buys presents (hence people asking you to write a wishlist) and then they send the gift to Santa to keep safe until Christmas. My mum always said it was so she didn’t give it to us early.”
Another highlighted, “My daughter is aware her parents buy her most presents, so I don’t have to explain this. Every year Santa does bring one small cheap present. I do this because of something I read years ago. It said kids talk about what they got for Christmas at school and kids do understand that some parents can buy expensive presents and others can’t.”
A third recounted, “When I was younger, my family told me that they buy the presents and send them to Santa to deliver. It made me appreciate my parents working hard to buy my gifts each year and stopped me ever thinking, ‘Why does Santa give better/more expensive gifts to other children and not me? ‘”.
However, some parents have voiced their annoyance at the way gifts are labelled in stores. One mum said her kids “still believe” in Santa, but because they can read, it’s hard to stop them wondering who really bought their presents.
Source link