The Santa threat

I've been bothered by the commercialism of Christmas for some time, not because I'm a particularly religious person (and really, Christmas is just the Christianization of Yule anyway, we have no idea when Christ was actually born) but I realize what bothers me much more than a generation of mini toy tyrants: it's Santa. Not Santa himself but "the Santa threat", the way that parents and marketers use Santa as a way to demand conformity from our children. Better watch out, you'd better not cry... what kind of bullshit is that? It came to me just two days before Christmas when I was picking the kids up from the sitter and she said "I had to remind Katie that Santa was watching and he doesn't bring presents to naughty little girls". OK quite apart from the fact that Santa already had a shitload of stuff in my closet that he certainly wasn't returning, and the whole creepy factor of some fat dude who has nothing better to do than watch your behaviour, I'm not thrilled with the idea of bribing my kids into 'good' behaviour (nor am I all that keen to denounce the little annoying things that 3 and a half years olds do as 'naughty').

From another perspective: we have a mythical man who is kind and benevolent to those who follow his rules, and has fire and brimstone (or lumps of coal) for those who don't. Sounds familiar? I'm a long way out of Sunday school but doesn't that break the first commandment?

I grew up with the santa threat, and I hear it used by lots of my contemporaries. I think I may have used it myself many moons ago when James was a wee boy, but no more. Now the question is how do I remove this aspect from the babes Christmas experience without removing Santa altogether? I like the idea of my kids experiencing the magic of Santa but I want it on my terms.