54.1 Percent Say "No"

Do you believe in Santa Claus? Damon Nieves, a senior at Lahainaluna, does. He allegedly “received a personal letter from Saint Nick himself, along with presents containing the things I asked for, all saying ‘From Santa Claus.’”. That, claimed Nieves, is “proof that Santa is real, because why would anybody else give me presents and not take the credit?” 

Other students were asked the same question, and I was met with a variety of answers. There were answers such as “Yes, I believe in Santa Claus, he gives me presents” to “No, I don’t believe in Santa Claus…whoever believes in him is childish.” But what does the majority of Lahainaluna think? Do they or do they not believe in Santa?

This month 74 members of Lahainaluna, 9 staff members (12.2 percent) and 65 students across grade levels (87.8 percent), responded to a survey asking a series of questions about why they do or do not believe in Santa. After 6-7 days, results revealed that 54.1 percent of respondents does not believe in Santa, while 45.9 percent do. The largest group of respondents were freshman with 27 percent of total responses and juniors second with 23 percent of total responses.

Several voices from the non-believers accept the fact that “Santa is not real.” Yet, their responses suggest that they still choose to feed the belief for younger kids. 

Santa is either a legend or just a symbol. For this reason, some students believe that Santa is a representation of Saint Nicholas who seasonally “gave” his wealth to the poor. Aukai Dean-Kobatake, a freshman, says “Santa Claus, the character himself, does not exist, along with his sleigh or reindeer. However the origins, representations, and tradition of him are real…” 

52 percent of believers in Santa Claus say they experienced Santa coming to their home. Their evidence: prepared cookies disappeared by morning, carrots eaten by reindeers, and sleigh bells jingling, etc. 

Some students argued that what is most important is the meaning of Santa to Christmas and, connected to that, the meaning of Christmas generally. “Christmas isn’t about Santa and presents but instead about the birth of Jesus Christ!” says anonymous junior, Vixen. Comet, a freshman, thinks itʻs the other way around. “Without Santa Claus,” they said, “there would be no staple mascot of Christmas–other than Jesus Christ.” 

Other student’s revealed that they got their beliefs from their parents/guardians. Prancer, a freshman, explained that they don’t believe in Santa because their parents “always told me it (Santa Claus) was fake and to stop believing in fairytales…they wrapped presents in front of me so I knew he was fake.”

Similarly, Coleman Riddell, another senior at Lahainaluna, recalls when his parents broke the news to him when he was younger. “Betrayal” said Riddell, though he followed up with the wish that he had known that it was his mother who had put in the effort, selflessly buying gifts and working to make the holidays special. “At least I can thank her now,” he added.

“Ignorance is bliss, I wish I still believed.”

It’s not a surprise that people wouldn’t believe in Santa due to how their family might have not celebrated the holiday. “I stopped believing due to never really sincerely celebrating the holiday,” said Donner, a junior, whose family never celebrated the holiday. Jean-Martin Alternado, a senior, says, “it was always common to address the gift from who it came from rather than addressing it from Santa.”

The non-believers, based on the survey, tend to be more logical. They have solid evidence as to why they don’t believe. Believers tend to be more thoughtful. They refer often to the need to keep the Christmas spirit alive or for their younger siblings.

“I don’t believe in Santa because I truly never heard of a real sighting or a realistic story that associates with him…” says Crissa-ann Bumagat, a freshman. The majority of the non-believers at Lahainaluna said that Santa is not real.

Dean-Kobatake agrees. “Santa Claus is a myth in the Christmas holiday that parents use,” he said, “as an alibi on where their children's presents are from.” “Think of it as the Easter Bunny” he added. “They are both the mascot of their respective holidays but everyone knows they don’t really exist. There are multiple accounts, (including myself) of children finding out that their parents are responsible for making their presents.”

Cupid, a senior, supports Dean-Kobatake’s argument. “I once saw my parents put the presents under the tree. Then I knew that the belief, Santa, was just to keep me good.” Some other non-believers, such as Dancer, a senior, says “I grew up receiving Christmas presents from ‘Santa’ with my parents’ handwriting and wrapping paper.” 

Other non-believers say their peers are the reason why they no longer believe in Santa Claus. Eli Hegrenes, a sophomore, explains how he used to believe in Santa when he “was in school in like 5th grade.” Hegrenes recalls admitting to his classmates that he believed: “I looked schizophrenic. I was laughed at and just chose to stop believing.”

“His body couldn’t possibly process so many calories at once (cookies and milk) and delivering presents to billions of children around the world in one night is pretty much impossible,” said senior, Ari Abut. Santa is just an illogical part of the holiday entertainment she argued. Ceramics teacher, Daniel Schultz, thinks Santa has a specific and useful purpose. “Santa Claus is an American version of an idea that supports generosity and giving.” 

Trevor Giligan, a history teacher and AP world professor, describes the tragic story of finding his Christmas present. As a child, he snooped around before Christmas. On one occasion he found the “Creepy Crawlers Workshop” in the attic where he was not allowed to go to. And on Christmas day, he found that present under the tree labeled “from Santa Claus.” Giligan’s childhood innocence disappeared that day. “Ignorance is bliss,” he concluded. “I wish I still believed.”

"Because Iʻm a kid"

“I left cookies out for Santa on Christmas Eve, and the next day…there was a bite in the cookie!” says sophomore Gisele Miller. Similarly, Jeremy Langaman, a junior, swears that he “heard the bells” one Christmas. Heading out to the living room, he found missing cookies and presents under the tree. 

Senior Alicia Saia left carrots out that had been “scattered on the floor” or eaten by reindeer the next morning. She also found presents from Santa under the tree. 

Mari Finn, the school’s technology coordinator, shared her story about her belief in Santa Claus, “...me and my brother would stay up…we'd have family parties, so, we tried to stay up, and we would fall asleep on these couches to wait for Santa. And we would never catch Santa, ever. We'd wake up like, ‘Oh, my God, Santa came already!’ And we literally was right next to the Christmas tree. It was a fun memory of being a kid.”

Like many students, the holiday season in my household was a time to set up cookies and milk for Santa. I guess this means we were believers. In the past, whenever my brother and I wouldn’t cooperate with our parents, we were told that “Santa Claus wouldn’t give presents to naughty kids who don’t go to bed.” There was also, “You’ll only get a lump of coal if he catches you awake!”

Now that I’m older, my parents have told me that Santa isn’t real. But I donʻt feel betrayed. I, personally, like to believe in Santa because it’s a fun part of the holidays. In fact, Christmas would be kind of boring without Santa Claus.

There would be no jolly old man you’d be preparing cookies for. Am I the only one who enjoyed baking cookies with my family? There would be no mall santa you would go to ask for a present. Without Santa Claus, you wouldn’t be entertained by the number of kids being scared by the mall santa that’s supposed to impersonate a jolly old man with a hearty laugh. 

John Borge, a history teacher, got a little more philosophical. “If something real is something we can prove based on physiological response,” he said, “then yes he (Santa Claus) is real. If you define what is real by what is tangible, then love does not exist and can't possible be real” (sic). 

“It’s important to believe in Santa because it keeps the holiday feeling fun and meaningful,” said Caselyn Ribac, a junior. “The belief brings people together, encourages kindness, and protects the happiness and imagination that make childhood special. It adds joy and keeps the magic of Christmas alive.” 

Freshman Alexa Perminova was a little more straightforward. She believes “Because I am a kid.”