Santa gives little girl an important lesson about physical boundaries and consent

Christmas season is approaching and with it, many kids are going to Santa to tell them what they want for Christmas this year. While the tradition generally involved kids sitting on Santa's laps in many places, that is beginning to change. Katie Love—who goes by @katielovesocial on TikTok—shared her toddler's interaction with a Santa who shared a very important message. The video has gained 1.9 million views and 3315 comments on the site.

The text overlay on the video reads, "Important message from Santa when my toddler said 'no' to sitting on his lap." In the video, we see the woman's daughter standing next to Santa as he shares some important advice. He explains, "I said this is her body and she's in control of her body." The santa explains how the toddler firmly said that she did not want to sit on his lap and he respected her for it.

The mother adds that she loved it too. Santa goes on about how children should not be afraid to say things that they are not comfortable with. The toddler's mother agrees with what Santa has to say and the video ends. People who watched the video wholeheartedly agreed with the advice and shared their thoughts in the comments section. @kaycelauren09 said, "I love this. No reason to pressure her to be uncomfortable for a picture."

@gemlea213 shared, "I just cried. As a child who was uncomfortable with touch and family who pushed me, this is so good to hear." @jenniferdavis964 highlighted, "Maybe we should stop the lap thing altogether. Who knows who wears those suits? Thank you, smart baby." @cwilliams2021 commented, "Yes, I love this. My in-laws hate that we don't force our kids to kiss them. Sorry, they said no!" @anastasiajane72604 said, "At the mall in my area the kids don't sit on Santa's lap. Instead, they just sit next to him."

Another important thing that parents are paying attention to this holiday season is creating an inclusive experience for children of color by introducing more Black Santas. It wasn't an aspect of Santa that people gave a lot of attention to, but that is changing as people consciously realize how important Santa's representation is. Many parents spoke to TODAY and shared how they were taking a more proactive approach to making the holiday inclusive. Rebecca Kaiser, a mother based in Charlestown, Massachusets, puts in extra effort for her kids to feel culturally represented.

She said, "The second Labor Day hits, I order Black Santa pajamas." Her kids, Haven, aged nine, and Zeke, aged six, are big fans of these pajamas. Thankfully, the Old Navy website offers pajamas in three different colors: beige, walnut or cocoa. Since Kaiser and her wife, Natalie Wagner, come from different racial backgrounds, which is the reason the couple made sure to help their adopted children feel represented everywhere.

Kaiser added how the holidays were always seen as an opportunity for better cultural representation and how a Black Santa could help their worldview. They also take both their kids to see a Black Santa physically in Boston's Nubian Square. In case people do not have a Black Santa in their area, they can always opt for an online call with Mr and Mrs. Claus using this website.