Some children are impressed and cry when they see Santa Claus. Why are they frightened by the one they adore so much? Explanations by Saverio Tomasella, psychoanalyst and author of the book “Little fears or big terrors”.
The scene is common at every get-together with Santa Claus held in malls. A child, in tears, seems terrified by the one whose lap he is sitting on. As if he had seen a real villain or a monster. And yet, everyone knows, there is no nicer and more sympathetic than Santa Claus. Besides, they love Christmas tales and the stories of the old man with the white beard. And yet, they also appreciate cartoons in which villains and other horrible creatures appear… provided that the story ends well! They then feel that the main characters with whom they identify manage to find a solution to overcome their fears and this reassures them of their ability to overcome theirs.
Why does Santa Claus suddenly seem scary to them?
When they meet these fictional characters in reality (much bigger than on the screen or than in their books), they are disturbed (this is also what happens with clowns or the presence of Obélix or Mickey in the street). The little ones do not understand and do not make the link between the book or the cartoon, and reality. Not considering “in children’s mythology, Santa Claus comes from the sky in a sleigh, goes through the chimney at night to bring gifts and leaves immediately to continue his enchanted tour. It is therefore not possible to see it“, specifies Saverio Tomasella in his book “Little fears or big terrors”, published by Leduc. Some very perceptive and logical children therefore do not understand what a Santa Claus can do in front of them, in their daily life. “They need everything to be in its proper place in space and time: images in books, characters in movies, and real humans in tangible reality.“.
What should I do if my child is afraid of Santa Claus?
“Above all, do not confront the child with his fear, but rather get away from the character, and come back a little later. Parents must also talk to the little ones beforehand, in order to prepare them for this meeting, explaining to them that it is in fact a person disguised as Santa Claus..