Dax Shepard & Kristen Bell Made ‘Controversial’ Decision To Tell Their Kids The Truth About Santa
Millions of kids across the world are carefully crafting their Christmas wish lists to send to Santa Claus at the North Pole, but for Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell’s daughters, the reality of where the letters actually go is something they are very much aware of.
Speaking to Us Weekly earlier this week, actor Dax Shepard explained why he and his wife chose to tell their daughters — Lincoln and Delta — the truth about Saint Nick.
“This is going to be very controversial,” the comedian warned the news outlet while visiting the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital on Monday, December 3. “I have a fundamental rule that I will never lie to them, which is challenging at times.”
Dax explained that when 5-year-old Lincoln began asking questions about the mysterious gift-giver, he didn’t hesitate to tell her about the real deal.
“I’m like, ‘You know what? This is just a fun thing we pretend while it’s Christmas,'” he said.
But just because they know Santa isn’t real doesn’t mean his kids aren’t a fan of the jolly guy from the North Pole.
“They love watching movies about Santa, they love talking about Santa,” Dax shared. “They don’t think he exists, but they’re super happy and everything’s fine.”
#DaxShepard admitted that he and #KristenBell have told their young children that Santa doesn't exist, because they don't want to lie to them?https://t.co/bhvrK4h5C5
— MOViN 107.7 (@Movin1077fm) December 7, 2018
Dax’s revelation echoed his wife, The Good Place star Kristen Bell, who last year told Today that she found it “crazy” that parents were supposed to tell their children “that one night a year breaking and entering is OK,” because the guy doing it would leave presents.
And as for the reason for the season? Bell and Shepard make it a point to teach their children about the spirit of giving all year long — as opposed to only during the holiday season — by encouraging the girls to give something to friends whenever they come over for a play date.
“We’re trying to show that an object can give you some joy when you get it, but then seeing how it can make someone else happy is sometimes even more fun then the thing was itself.”
Dax and Kristen aren’t the only famous parents who aren’t on board with keeping up the fib about Santa Claus. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Chrissy Teigen recently revealed she and husband John Legend are unsure if they want their two children — Luna and Miles — to believe in Santa, either.
“She’s just learning about Santa,” Teigen, speaking to People, said of her two-year-old daughter Luna. “I didn’t even know if I wanted her to believe in Santa.. I had no idea which way I wanted to go with it. John and I are just like, ‘I don’t know, we’ll figure it out when she asks, I guess.'”