I believe in Santa Claus.
There, I said it, and I’m not ashamed.
The idea of the jolly man who slides down a chimney to bring toys to all of the good boys and girls of the world has created magic and the spirit of Christmas in me since I was a child.
And even when I found out that Santa wasn’t “real,” I still continued to believe in the “magic” of the Christmas season.
One of the things I looked forward to most about being a parent was using that magic to get to share the joy of Santa with my children.
Yet, although we love and believe in Santa in our house, we also emphasize the real meaning of Christmas, which is of course, the birth of our Savior. Without Christ’s birth, there would be no reason for Santa in the first place.
Christ is the most important in our home. He always will be and there is no doubt that it’s His birthday we celebrate. Yet, because He came to bring us salvation, we can celebrate with joy, even if that involves a little happy “magic.”
However, there are a LOT of parents in my generation who have chosen not to “do” Santa with their kids. Here are some of the reasons I’ve heard:
Some don’t because they feel that telling their children to believe in Santa is lying.
Some don’t because they believe that telling their children to believe in Santa equates with telling their children to believe in Jesus, and when one is discovered, there will be doubt in the other.
Some don’t because they don’t want to have to go through the trouble of Christmas Eve as Santa.
And others I know don’t because, “If I’m spending all this money on my kid, why should Santa get the all the credit?”
The second reason listed above is the one I hear most often, and I have to be honest, that one really has me puzzled. I’ll wait to share my opinions until I hear what y’all have to say.
So, I pose the question to you (with the hopes that we’ll get some really good responses of all kinds!)
Share with me: Is it okay for Christian parents to encourage their kids to believe in Santa? What do you think about Santa and why do you DO or NOT DO Santa in your home?
Hale and Hearty Words 