A letter from Santa: it's OK if the kids don't believe in me

For those who celebrate Christmas, writing a letter to Santa is a childhood ritual. But what if Santa wrote a letter to parents? What would he say? Well, today in The Conversation Canada, we have a letter from Santa and the jolly old man addresses a question all parents eventually confront: what happens when their kids stop believing in St. Nick? Luckily for Santa, he has some help from Jim Davies of the Institute of Cognitive Science at Carleton University to offer up the research on what happens when kids say goodbye.

That’s just one of the top Tuesday stories we’re offering up:

  • Two more holiday-themed stories look at Christmas past to help us understand Christmas today: greeting cards are making a comeback thanks to millennials who want something beyond digital messaging; a look at how “Christmas Day,” an essay written in 1830, is still relevant when trying to celebrate the holidays as everything around us seems miserable.
  • Like many big cities in Canada, Toronto has a love-hate relationship with bicycles. The battle for downtown bike lanes is a current hot topic for Toronto city council, but actually the debate goes back to the 19th century when city politicians had a more enlightened outlook on two-wheeled transportation.

And finally…the legalization of recreational marijuana was one of the biggest stories in Canada in 2018. Such a fundamental shift in social policy will be a treasure trove for researchers for decades to come. For instance, what are the health implications when a once-illegal substance is legalized? Economist David Jacks of Simon Fraser University says looking back to the 1930s when Prohibition was ended may offer some clues.

Regards,

Scott White

Editor

Today's Featured Articles
Don’t fret if your kids are starting to doubt Santa’s magic. Coming to disbelieve is not particularly distressing for them and most come to their own conclusions.

The science of saying goodbye to Santa

Jim Davies, Carleton University

When your kids stop believing, it's probably harder on you than on them.
Adults under 40 years have surprised many with their preference for retro technologies such as beautiful pens and paper books. Rawpixel/Unsplash

Greeting cards make a comeback

Joanne E. McNeish, Ryerson University

With the rise of digital communication, large greeting card companies have seen revenue declines. However, a smaller, vibrant craft industry in cards has emerged with a new younger customer.
Is it right to spend, laugh, relax and revel when there are so many people who live in isolation, fear and poverty? Fancycrave/Unsplash

How to celebrate Christmas among so much misery: Advice from the 1800s still relevant

Robert Morrison, Queen's University, Ontario

To do good, to stay strong and constructive, to ensure that love defeats anger, “it is part of your duty to enjoy what pleasures you can."
With more cyclists and bike-related fatalities, Toronto city council should consider public safety. Andrew Gook/Unsplash

Build it and they will ride: Bicycle geography lessons for Toronto

Phillip Gordon Mackintosh, Brock University

Build it and they will come: when cities plan for bike lanes, it results in more bicyclists and encourages a bicycle economy.
As cannabis is legalized in Canada and parts of the United States, it’s worth looking back on the public health impact of the repeal of Prohibition laws in the United States. Grav/Unsplash

Legalizing once-illicit substances can have a public health impact

David Jacks, Simon Fraser University

As cannabis is legalized in Canada and parts of the United States, it's worth looking back on the public health impact of the repeal of alcohol Prohibition in the U.S.

La Conversation Canada
Une équipe de thérapeutes a déposé une demande auprès de Santé Canada afin d’obtenir, dans le cadre d’une psychothérapie, le droit d’administrer de la psilocybine à des patients atteints d’un cancer en phase terminale. Shutterstock

Et si les drogues psychédéliques pouvaient révolutionner votre fin de vie?

Bruce Tobin, University of Victoria

La recherche démontre que la psilocybine thérapeutique est sûre et efficace contre l'anxiété et la dépression en fin de vie. Son interdiction viole-t-elle notre droit à "la vie, la liberté et la sécurité ?"

Arts

  • The great movie scenes: Back to the Future

    Bruce Isaacs, University of Sydney

    Back to the Future is one of the most loved films from the 1980s, and galvanised audiences across every demographic. In this episode of Close-Up, Bruce Isaacs looks at the politics underpinning the film.

Politics

  • Why the Texas ruling on Obamacare is on shaky legal ground

    Simon F. Haeder, West Virginia University; Valarie Blake, West Virginia University

    A judge in Texas ruled Dec. 14 that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. His ruling has no immediate effect, however, except to signal more perils ahead for the health care law.

Health + Medicine