SANTA CLAUS FOR ADULTS

Why does a child have difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality? (Santa Claus is as real to a preschooler as the monster that lives under his bed!) Kids rely on make-believe to bridge the gaps in their psyche, gaps that are waiting to be filled in by experiences they've yet to realize. As we age, some of us are able to replace make-believe with real-life experiences while some of us never let go of childhood fantasies, mostly out of fear. These adults never mature, which would account for the cultural-based beliefs in the supernatural and the individual's irrational attachment to superstition, both of which are rooted in a deep-seated fear of a painful death - our own mortality.