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Santa Claus in a Christian home
My wife and I have recently had a baby (well she did all the work but you know what I mean). We're very excited but as a new generation emerges, we have to plan on what traditions to leave out, keep in place, and/or introduce in our family while our child(ren) is growing up. Christmas is rapidly approaching and as she will be too young to remember this one, we do want to have some idea in place as to what we will be doing in future Christmases. With this in mind, I've been thinking about the Santa Claus bit and feel kind of torn between continuing the tradition of Santa in Christmas or halting it alltogether. Jesus will be the main focus of Christmas, but the more I think about Santa, the more he seems an empty tradition with a good idea behind it (able to keep the good idea by upholding Jesus' teachings and values). Now I grew up with Santa and it was fun but I somehow knew all along that he never existed so when I found out, it didn't bother me at all. But when I think about it more and more, I mostly see Santa as a lie we tell kids to keep them in line. "You better clean your room, or Santa won't come. You better stop hitting your sister or Santa will leave coals in your stocking or won't give you what you want for Christmas." Viewing Santa in this way makes Santa seem to me more like a puppet parents use to get what they want instead of a fun tradition about teaching others to give. So instead of teaching others to be selfless, Santa is being used to allow parents to be selfish. More juvenile than productive in my opinion. I am not opposed to leaving Santa as a tradition to promote child-like wonder and imagination but I don't want to use him the wrong way in the way I raise my child(ren). So for those who have raised children, what were the decisions you made when creating a family-oriented Christmas tradition? Any bits of advice for a fellow disciple of Christ that just became a father? Thanks!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Su Tipton on -
We told our kids that Santa Claus was just a man giving gifts to illustrate love for those in his communtiy. Jesus is not just a man but the son of God and look at the gift that He gave all of us. That impacted our kids and they told other kids and when adults asked them about Santa, my oldest would just say 'He's just a man' in a matter of fact way which got mixed reactions.
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Permalink Reply by Gary Eaker on -
We tell our kids that Santa is real -- and also that Santa is ....... Daddy! How great is that! They live with Santa all year long! We also use it to tell them the story of Saint Nicholas and his gifts to the poor children, and how it represents the great gift that our "Heavenly Daddy" gives to us through His Son. So with that perspective, Santa has always had a part in our Christmas tradition, and it doesn't interfere with the real message that we are trying to teach them, that it really is all about Jesus.
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Permalink Reply by SeraphimRenegade on -
Gary, I LOVE that idea! Refer to Matthew 7:9-11, "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" What a great life lesson! That's definitely entering our family discussion! Thanks!
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Permalink Reply by Teresa Kathryn, T Ballard on -
My Dad told me he is santa which is true becuase he's the one who buys the presents.
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Permalink Reply by Bosque on -
Most parents stimulate the imaginations of their children by reading fictional stories. These stories help Children visual the world through make believe and help them grow into creative productive individuals! Keep Santa were he belongs, in the imaginations of children right along side Dr Seuss and other kids stories!
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Permalink Reply by Stevo on -
Santa's not fiction, no! I saw him in a movie last year. Santa's gotta be real. Wait, something's wrong here. Let's see, he has to deliver presents to 6 billion kids around the world and he has about 24 hours to do it. Hmmm, ever since I took physics, I'm having trouble believing that he's not real. And why didn't he help Shackelford get out of the ice? Either he's not real or he's not a nice guy after all.
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Permalink Reply by Bosque on
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You point out something very amazing most folks and kids included figure out real fast who is real and who's not, so maybe he's not Santa Claus but Superman, hehe ... S is real isn't he?
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Permalink Reply by Stevo on
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Eureka! Now I get it. I knew Superman was real. Even better that he's also Santa. Batman...I'm not so convinced. And Spiderman is totally bogus. But Superman...
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Permalink Reply by Teresa Kathryn, T Ballard on
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i dont believe supermans real. If S was real than people wouldnt need God. so i KNOW superman infact isnt real
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Permalink Reply by Bosque on
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I wouldn't say that out loud around Lois Lane ... you know how women are ... we don't want to make her cry!
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Permalink Reply by Lorraine Doswell on -
Don't let Wonder Woman hear you say that!
Is Lois Lane real then?
How come all these guys come from the US? Have we not got equivalents in the UK? No Muppet jokes please, I've heard 'em all before : )
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Permalink Reply by Stevo on
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They come from the US, but they're worldwide in minutes. When I was a young man, Wonder Woman didn't have to be real, I watched anyway. Lois can't be real, after all, a real person would be able to tell that Clark and Superman are the same person.
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