Hot Button Topics (religion, politics, sports)

[Chocofreak13]

well, you DO live in Viking country, home of the norse traditions. -w-;

EDIT: food for thought.
http://groupthink.jezebel.com/so-what-hat-doesnt-make-a-guy-look-like-a-douche-1190931775

[Simonorged]

Some of the art is cool though, both SFW and NSFW.

Yes.

you say obsessive and unacceptable, I say "it's their life".

Exactly.

[Nichi]

You know, on another seasonal subject (Brought on by Nostalgia Critic's newest editorial), how do you feel about lying to kids about the existence of Santa?

I know some of the more religious parents at the church mom goes to refused to let their kids believe in Santa to begin with; in more creative cases, saying that Jesus leaves them presents, or in more extreme cases, refusing to let them believe at all (Usually on belief that if the kids find out their parents were lying about Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Birthday Skeleton, or what have you, the kids will decide their parents were lying about God and become radical atheists). Amazingly enough, my mom wasn't one of them; although the "you better be a nice child" bit was used as a tool to keep my sister and I in-line during the Christmas season.

As for me, I did genuinely still believe until my sister broke the news to me when I was about 9 or so. It was honestly a shocking revelation; I honestly didn't believe her at first, because she used to have a habit of lying to make herself seem all-knowing, and how blunt she was about it, but then I slowly put the pieces together and realized she was right. I'd mention how not getting a Gamecube until I bought one myself some 5 years after launch played some influence, but that feels unimportant to the subject at hand.

To be honest, in an era when the answers to many of life's questions are a Google search away, I think injecting some magic into a kid's life can be a good thing; it can spark creativity, even if the truth is very banal and can be hard to take at first when they're finally told about it (Although it's generally easier for them to take if they figure it out on their own). Even then, it doesn't make your memories invalid because it wasn't "real"; as NC pointed out, it can make you appreciate the illusion even more when you realize how much effort was put into making it seem real. Also, it's part of what resulted in me thinking more critically about things.

So, your thoughts?

[LeaflameSD]

Honestly, I only thought Santa existed in movies when I was little.

[DustiiWolf]

On one hand, it gives kids something to believe in. On the other hand, not all kids take finding out he's a lie well, and telling a lie year after year for years to your kids could have the adverse affect of them thinking lying is sometimes okay.

When i found out, i broke down. I was dramatic. I was this little kid who just found out that this magical thing which he looked forward to all year was a lie, and that his parents had hidden the truth from him for years. I was like "how could they do this to me!?" and "what kind of parent tells such a sweet lie to their kids only to inevitably reveal the bitter truth later on?!". I bawled. I cried. I yelled. safe to say i ruined santa for my nextdoor neighboor and a few school kids, being the legalistic child i was and feeling it was my duty to speak the truth.

My sister, however, figured it out herself, and lead my parents on that she "believed" for "their sake". When they sat her down, it was essentially "Let me guess: Santa's not real? Yah. I knew. Nice Conversation. Goodnight." She took it the complete opposite of me.

[Chocofreak13]

me and sis figured out the santa myth rather quickly since we tried to stay up late to see him, and sometimes caught our parents. plus we didn't have a fireplace. and our chimney was too small. our parents said santa had a key.

we sometimes still write "santa" on gifts here, mostly on presents to ourselves or to remind ourselves of the holidays. even though I knew santa was a fairy tale, I appreciated the extra effort my mother put in to try to give the holidays that little extra spark of magic. the rest of our lives sucked balls, but the holidays were that one time of year when everything was okay. I suppose that's the reason I still love Christmas.

@pent: parents who go the extra mile for their kids are the ones that really deserve to be parents. we can only hope that, unlike my father, there are parents out there who encourage all the wonder and magic that a child has in their eyes. i'm thankful that as an artist, i'll never lose that view of the world (or, the second I do, I be shot for having lost my creativity).

http://laughingsquid.com/creative-parents-bring-their-kids-dinosaur-toys-to-life-for-the-month-of-dinovember/

[Nichi]

I was actually thinking about Dinovember when I was finishing up my post -w-

[Chocofreak13]

it's evident from what you wrote. it's also very true. ^^

[Chocofreak13]

DOUBLE POOOOOOOST

and speaking of women's underwear.






(sorry they're all so large)

[NejinOniwa]

Man, I positively love the last one. (It was awkward). Such grate.

[Chocofreak13]

it's not even a revealing dress, to boot.

[LeaflameSD]

1-6.jpg

Not complaining or anything, but you could've put the images in a spoiler tag.

[Chocofreak13]

yeah.....

oh well.

[LeaflameSD]

yeah.....

oh well.

lol

[Chocofreak13]

i'm glad events like this exist, because NO ONE has the right to dictate what I put on my body. and no one has the right to assault me (verbally, mentally, physically, or sexually) because of it. >>;