Is Santa Claus real? Help!!

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Your family is beautiful!! Thanks for sharing - and there are never too many pictures!

 

[Carolinagirl1063]

If you believe---you receive!! That holds true for lots of different things! You can say the spirit of Santa is alive and well! I believe!

 

[Deesknee]

Santa!!!! REAL!!!! I must say, I am beyond sick of “this day and age”! America has gotten to the point where it is almost impossible for children to dream. Magic is in your heart and should be spread like wild fire to all around you. Being “politically correct” has become offensive to me. It is to the point that my children wont be able to say Christmas in the public schools because it might offend someone. Well!! Let me tell you I am beyond offended that I can not in a public forum, outside of a Christian church, celebrate my belief. I’ll get off my soap box now. Santa is real in my heart and family and will always be. Now about Jesus, we have a birthday cake for him to celebrate the true (Christian) meaning of Christmas. This separates Santa and Christ-mas. If a child or adult wants to believe in the magic of Mickey Mouse, Santa or that everyone can be a Princess, then I will let that happen. Why? Because every little girl is a Princess in the hearts of her parents, Mickey Mouse is a wonderful real guy who spreads good fun to everyone. And America needs to have good wholesome fun back. When the time comes, I think my girls will understand that Santa is about the Magic and Jesus is why.

(sorry for the soap box, but I had to let that out)

Thank you for stating this so perfectly. IMHO

 

[SueM in MN]

Here's a link to a great book that links Santa and the Christmas story. (in case the link doesn't work it's Santa's Favorite Story by Hisako Aoki and Ivan Gantschev (Illustrator).
In the story, the fox finds Santa asleep (very tired after all the Christmas activity) and the animals are afraid that Santa will be too tired for Christmas. Santa explains that Christmas doesn't really have anything to do with him, and he tells the Nativity story to the animals.

 

[DisFlan]

The Christmas morning when our son was 6, I got up early and placed a small bag of dog chow (we had a cat at the time) in our front yard. After we'd opened presents, I made a point of going outside for something and mentioned loudly, "Oh my goodness! Look at this!" My son ran out, took the bag and looked in it. I told him that I didn't know what it could be except reindeer food that Santa must have dropped. He kept that bag on his dresser until the next Christmas eve when we made a big production out of tossing it on the roof for the reindeer - as we did every year after that.

When he was about 11, I asked him jokingly if "Santa was coming this year." He gave me a big grin and said, "Mom, as long as Purina makes Dog Chow, Santa will visit us. And then he'll visit MY kids."

That year reinforced what I already knew. Christmas - and Santa - are tradition as well as belief. Forming family bonds of traditions, both little and big, can last a life time and longer. And they are precious.

Christmas is still my son's favorite time of year. He's now married to a wonderful young lady and planning his own family. I can hardly wait.

DisFlan

 

[thomase]

Santa is real...no need to lie?

I never really asked my parents just presumed. One time I waited up really late so that I could walk out of my room and go "Hi Santa...oh, it's you Dad", but my bed was far too comfortable so I just stayed in there listening to the rattle of my presents going into my stocking

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

DH came up with this answer when DD#1 was little, and he's never said anything different to any of the others. When asked his reply is "He's as real as you want him to be".

 

[typod]

YES

 

[lntsmom]

about this in our diocesan newspaper. The columnist said that there is nothing unethical or immoral about the idea of Santa Clause. In fact, it is a concrete example for children of the concept of a benevolent, loving spirit who cares for us and who will fulfill our needs. My older son believed until he was almost 9.

I had a book waiting. It's tucked away waiting for my younger son to be ready for it. I believe the Title is When It's Time for the Truth about Santa Clause. It's written from a religious standpoint. Telling the story of St. Nicholas...but leading the children to understand that the love and caring that this saint displayed is shown today by parents everywhere. It ends with inviting the children to carry that spirit on and become Santa Clause for others.

It was very sweet and well written.

 

[thomase]

"He's as real as you want him to be"

I like that...I'll probably use it in conversation now

 

[lntsmom]

Dear Readers: Last Christmas I responded to a Florida reader whose friends did not want their children to "believe in Santa Claus" They intend to tell the children the myth was made up so stores could do more business at Christmastime.

....The reader thought her friends were missing something important but wasn't sure how to tell them. She asked what I thought.

A. I too think her friends are missing something very big. It's always risky to analyze fantasies, but maybe it's worth trying for a moment.

Fantasies, perhaps especially for children but also for adults, are critical ways of entering a world, a real world, that is closed to us in ordinary human language and happenings. They are doors to wonder and awe, a way of touching something otherwise incomprehensible. Santa Claus, I believe, is like that.

No one has expressed this truth any more movingly and accurately, in my opinion, than the great British Catholic author G.K. Chesterton, in an essay years ago in the London Tablet. On Christmas morning, he remembered, his stockings were filled with things he had not worked for, or made, or even been good for.

The only explanation was that a kindly being called Santa Claus was somehow kindly disposed toward him. "We believed," he wrote, that a certain benevolent person "did give us those toys for nothing. And I believe it still I have merely extended the idea."

"Then I only wondered who put the toys in the stocking; now I wonder who put the stocking by the bed, and the bed in the room, and the room in the house, and the house on the planet, and the planet in the great void."

"Once I only thanked Santa Claus for a few dolls and crackers, and now I thank him for starts and street faces and wine and the great sea. Once I thought it delightful and astonishing to find a present so big that it only went halfway into the stocking. Now I am delighted and astonished every morning to find a present so big that it takes two stockings to hold it and then leaves a great deal outside; it is th large preposterous present of myself, as to the origin of which I can offer no suggestion except that Santa Claus gave it to me in a fit of peculiarly fantastic good will."

Are not parents of faith blessed, countless times over, to have for their children (and for themselves!) such a fantastic and playful bridge to the infinite, unconditionally loving Goodness, the Goodness which dreamed up the Christmas event in the first place?

Call Santa Claus a myth, or what you will, but in his name parents and all of us who give gifts at this special time of the year are putting each other in deeper touch with teh "peculiarly fantastic good will" which is the ultimate Source of it all. Plus, it's fun!

I hope your friends reconsider.

Fr. John Dietzen c. 2002

 

[DisFlan]

Beautifully stated, Intsmom.


DisFlan

 

[nuzmom]

Intsmom: Nice post.

Warning: the following is pretty "preachy"....

I have to comment on this one also. First, we don't "play up" Santa a whole lot. He's not always watching (but God is), each child can only ask for 5 gifts, santa gives some gives and we give gifts to each other. We explain that we give gifts at Christmas because of the wise men's gifts to the baby Jesus. Santa is an "extra" thing and we keep in proportion.

So, when asked whether Santa is real, I borrowed a book from my pastor's friend. Yes, I did the "what do you think?" first, but that only delayed being asked again later, but it did buy me some time.

The book explained that the American Santa comes from a newspaper story (Twas the night before Christmas). The story was based on a german? tale of Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas WAS REAL!!! and what he did and what he stood for WAS REAL!!!! No he wasn't an "elf" (that was added to the story), he was a priest who secretly gave to families.... he was "found out" by being caught by someone who laid a trap for them. Saint Nicholas was upset by the fact that people discovered who he was because he didn't want ANY recognition (he was concerned about becoming pridefull). It also explained that when other people started doing the same thing (and not wanting "credit), they just said that Saint Nicholas did it. The book really stresses how wonderful it feels to give to someone anominously and that's why adults like to continue the story of Santa - it makes us feel good to give without getting the credit. It's also why we like to continue the "tradition" for younger brothers and sisters or friends. But the book also touches on the fact that the work that Saint Nicholas did was what God wants us all to do all the time, not just at Christmas time.

The book also covered how we got from Saint Nicholas to Santa was really a mistake. The original author of 'Twas the Night before Christmas took the Saint Nicholas story and "dressed it up" a bit. Partly because he didn't remember the whole account that he had been told and partly to make it more fun to read.

Unfortunately, I can't remember the book's title (and it's no longer in print because I had checked into buying my own copy), but I'm sure there are lots of similiar ones out there.

Ok, I hope you guys don't flame me for this post. I had just noticed that I didn't see the "Saint Nicholas was real" reply to "Is Santa real" and thought I'd throw this out. I'm by no ways saying that ANYONE has to take the approach that my family did, I'm just sharing what worked for us.

 

[georgina]

I was relieved when I could sit down my youngest and explain to her that we bought the presents. She was almost 9, and unlike my older two kids, she couldn't understand why she couldn't have everything she wanted for Christmas presents. I would have thought the fact that we buy gifts for kids who otherwise wouldn't get any presents might have given her suspicions. We enjoy talking about Santa at Christmas, but it is a relief to know we are all on the same page. I am really trying to stress that Christmas is a time of giving to others, not getting everything we want for ourselves, and that we can be Santa for others.

 

[joannelee217]

Yesterday at chef mickeys santa wa dining
signing autographs
and passing out pictures to kids

it was unexpected and cute

 

[7thdwarf/dopey]

Well hello there. I was relaxing at home here at the North Pole planning my next visit to Walt Disney World when one of my helpers told me I was being asked for . I wanted to send you all a note and my most recent picture thru my DIS friend 7thdwarf, ( He is one of my favorite helpers) to let you all know I am doing well and staying busy getting ready for this years Christmas!
I will be taking my sled and reindeer for a ride in early December and I will make a point of stopping at Disney World. So be on your best behavior boys and girls......I making my list, and I'll be checking it twice, I will know whos been naughty or nice..........

Santa
These are the kind of pictures Santa loves to see!

Heres the proof......You all want him to be real , you are all reading this for some kind of proof I guess, so here goes...Along time ago I was once a little girl. I really wanted a real baby and I wanted a baby that looked like the ones in 'King and I' so I always asked Santa.....Hmmmm, each year I got another baby DOLL!!!!! I kept believing tho... As I grew older I married and had my babies ...they all looked like me ... Hmmm, kept asking for the little baby I thought would look like the one in ' King and I" or South Pacific (I am caucasian), I kept believing ... So, one Christmas a little unwed girl went into labor, the next day a baby was born while my DH was working at the hospital. He called me up and asked me if I was ready for my new baby girl. She was everything I had always asked Santa for all these years and looked just like the one I always had in my dreams. I told my son (who has Downs' Syndrome and will always believe) that Santa left us a new baby at the hospital. To this day whenever the subject of where babies come from comes up, he says that Kristina was brought by Santa. She, now age 8, still believes this to be true and so do I!!!

Wishes...dream a dream...wishes...dream a dream...just believe and your dreams will come true!



He is real!!

 

[Kimkimba]

I'm still a believer. To me, children grow up way too quick, so if I can keep the magic alive for them just a little longer ............

 

[rt2dz]

I haven't read the whole thread, so excuse me if I miss something.

Of course Santa is real. Need proof? Go read "Yes, Virginia There IS a Santa Clause". Santa isn't a person. Santa is a feeling, a thought. Santa is an action. Santa is many people. Santa Clause is about giving. About putting others before yourself. Santa is the act of trying to walk in Christ's footsteps.

Saying there is a Santa isn't a lie. I still believe in Santa and I'm in my mid-thirties. Truth--every Christmas morning I wake up and hope to find something under the tree that no one can explain. I settle, however, for making the wishes of my children come true. To see their faces light up. To know that I gave needy children gifts at Christmas who otherwise would have received nothing and was a true Santa to them. They'll never know who sponsored their gifts, but I'll know it meant something to them to not be forgotten.

 

[Sheaboys]

I told my ds who was 6 when he was told by a school friend that there was not Santa (not sure why a 6 yr old would think this)... that Santa is real for as long as you believe in him. I told him that Mommy and Daddy still get gifts from Santa because we believe in him. He is thus far satisfied with the answer, but then again he is now only 7.

 

[elaine and the boys]

In our home, "if you believe...he will come!" We all believe: my sons 13 and 15 years old, and my husband and me. We still leave cookies and milk, too!!