We all have our own Christmas traditions but one woman has been branded 'evil' after revealing that she tells her kids that Santa isn't real and doesn't buy them any presents.
In a letter to the Daily Mail, the mum explained that the festive period always fills her with dread because she knows she'll be judged and criticised for her controversial Christmas opinions.
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"I’ve never let my kids buy into the whole lie about Santa - I think it’s stupid," she said.
"Ever since they were old enough to understand what Santa was, I’ve told them he’s not a real man, that he’s a symbol of Christmas for some people.
"I don’t buy my kids gifts at Christmas, nor do my husband and I expect anything from them, unless it’s something homemade that they want to share with us."
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She then went on to explain the reasoning behind her decision, saying she doesn't think it's right to lie to her kids and she wants them to grow up in the 'real world'.
"I also don’t want my children to think that Christmas is just about the gifts, which so many kids do," she explained.
Instead, the mum encourages her brood to see the festive season as a time for being with family and spreading joy to those around them.
"You don’t need to spend big amounts of money in order to do that," she added.
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But, her unconventional approach to Christmas time has got the mum quite a lot of flak, with some people even branding her 'evil'.
"I’ve been called a 'Scrooge' told that I’m 'evil' and even my own family members have accused me of 'bullying' and 'abusing' my children by 'banning' them from having a real Christmas," she said.
She insists, however, that she's not trying to deprive them from festive fun and simply wants them to 'keep their feet on the ground and their heads out of the clouds'.
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While agony aunt Jane Green told the mum to stick to her principles and 'continue to celebrate in the way that's right for [her] family', others in the comment section were less convinced by her approach, deeming her 'cruel' and 'cynical'.
One person wrote: "Poor kids!!!!"
Another commented: "What is wrong with kids believing in Christmas and Santa in their early years?"
"There is very little joy in the world and you want to cheat them out of Christmas," added a third.
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And, a fourth said that telling your kids Father Christmas is real isn't a lie.
"It's romance," they said. "Without romance, humanity would be impoverished."
Bec Oakes