Should parents stop telling their kids that presents come from Santa?

A social worker has caused a furious debate online after writing that parents should stop telling their kids their expensive presents come from Santa.

A Facebook page, Christmas The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, shared a screenshot of a social worker's Facebook post.

Megan Dunn explains in the resurfaced post that parents should stop giving Saint Nicholas credit for their expensive gifts, as it can cause confusion for kids in lower-income families.

"I cannot stress this enough. Stop telling you Santa age kids that their iPads, and iPhones, and $200 toys are from Santa," the social worker wrote.

"Cause some families can't afford that. Little kids wonder why they got socks or a coat or hand-me-down toys from Santa and other kids got an iPad.

"This is the second year I've had a parent cry to me, telling me that their kids asked if they weren't good enough or if Santa didn't like them as much.

"Breaks my heart."

Dunn then emphasises that parents should take credit for the gifts.

"Santa didn't buy that iPad, Momma did or Daddy did. Leave the less expensive gifts from Santa.

"Be blessed you can afford what others cannot," she wrote before signing off with "Merry Christmas."

Many have agreed with her post, explaining the different ways they celebrate Christmas with gifts.

"I've always done this, Father Christmas fills the stockings with bits and bobs and 'big' presents under the tree from us," one person commented.

Another wrote: "We always told our kids that mom and dad had to give Santa the money for the gifts but Santa delivers."

One said: We raised all six of ours without the Santa myth. I just didn't want to lie to them ... they didn't miss out on anything! We could never afford expensive gifts but we spent the whole month baking and doing all sorts of family activities. They all love Christmas."

However, others disagreed, writing that kids should just appreciate what they get.

"Instead of telling others how to do their Christmas, what if we took the novel approach of teaching our kids to be grateful for what they have and not to brag," one person said.

Another commented: "My daughter enjoys the idea of being good for Santa and writing letters to him. Some of you take stuff to far. I'm a single parent and I'm not rich and my kids have a good Christmas every year because of how they are raised. They appreciate everything."

Another agreed: "What my kids get from Santa is no one's business. I'm gonna do what I do, and other's can do the same. Christmas comes once a year. As a parent, you have a whole year to do whatever you need to do to get your kids something nice. If you choose not to, that's no one else's problem."

This article was first published on the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.