Is there anyone else who doesn't do the whole "Santa" thing?

[PA Princess]

We are another household who does not believe in Santa, and that is what we have shared with out kids (currently ages 14, 13, 8, and 4). Dh and I made this decision before having kids, and it was initially a big controversy in both of our families.

My mother feared we would ruin Christmas, but today she is the biggest advocate of our approach you ever want to meet! Christmas is still magical in our home, but Santa does not generate that.

Like many have shared, our celebration centers on the birth of Christ, family, giving, serving, and loving. We do give our children gifts (3 each) and we have had a birthday cake for Christmas. We treat Santa like any fictional character.

We have not had any issues with our kids telling anything to others until this year. The director of my 8 year old's dance school spoke to us about our dd telling others she did not believe in Santa.

We were told that a group of kids was asking others if Santa was real. DD said nothing until asked directly (she told us this and her teacher confirmed without prompting). Keep in mind dd is the youngest in the class - others are all 9, 10, and 11. And the bottom line issue is that the director's 10 year old is in that class.

We re-emphasized to dd that she should be respectful of other people's belief's and she should try to avoid the Santa conversations in the future. We told her not to lie, but she could demure by responding that Santa is fun, etc. This is the most I can and will do.

I am bothered by parents IRL and on the DIS that express such forceful opinions about children who believe different about Santa. Is it my child's job to make your child believe in Santa? If your child is old enough to be asking, then they must be old enough to hear a variety of responses.

I understand about teaching beliefs you hold sacred, but in no way shape or form am I relying on the collective "you" to reinforce my personal religious beliefs. As a parent I am preparing my child for encounters with different beliefs and thoughts.

Consider a similar scenario where my dd had a conversation in dance class and she asked another if they believed in God and the answer was no, would I be up in arms with that child and the parents? Of course not, we would handle that in our home with our daughter. Why do parents who value the Santa tradition so much not do the same?

 

[Tink-aholic]

We are another household who does not believe in Santa, and that is what we have shared with out kids (currently ages 14, 13, 8, and 4). Dh and I made this decision before having kids, and it was initially a big controversy in both of our families.

My mother feared we would ruin Christmas, but today she is the biggest advocate of our approach you ever want to meet! Christmas is still magical in our home, but Santa does not generate that.

Like many have shared, our celebration centers on the birth of Christ, family, giving, serving, and loving. We do give our children gifts (3 each) and we have had a birthday cake for Christmas. We treat Santa like any fictional character.

We have not had any issues with our kids telling anything to others until this year. The director of my 8 year old's dance school spoke to us about our dd telling others she did not believe in Santa.

We were told that a group of kids was asking others if Santa was real. DD said nothing until asked directly (she told us this and her teacher confirmed without prompting). Keep in mind dd is the youngest in the class - others are all 9, 10, and 11. And the bottom line issue is that the director's 10 year old is in that class.

We re-emphasized to dd that she should be respectful of other people's belief's and she should try to avoid the Santa conversations in the future. We told her not to lie, but she could demure by responding that Santa is fun, etc. This is the most I can and will do.

I am bothered by parents IRL and on the DIS that express such forceful opinions about children who believe different about Santa. Is it my child's job to make your child believe in Santa? If your child is old enough to be asking, then they must be old enough to hear a variety of responses.

I understand about teaching beliefs you hold sacred, but in no way shape or form am I relying on the collective "you" to reinforce my personal religious beliefs. As a parent I am preparing my child for encounters with different beliefs and thoughts.

Consider a similar scenario where my dd had a conversation in dance class and she asked another if they believed in God and the answer was no, would I be up in arms with that child and the parents? Of course not, we would handle that in our home with our daughter. Why do parents who value the Santa tradition so much not do the same?

This was very well stated. While I do not agree with your personal religious beliefs (but we do think Christmas is about family, giving, serving, and loving -- so we can't be that different!), I COMPLETELY agree with your outlook.

In my home, we treat Jesus the same way your family treats Santa: like any other fictional character. But I would never stop being friends with someone or let their child be picked on because they celebrate a holiday differently from the way we do.

I think the more we learn about others and their traditions and what they hold dear, the more tolerance we can have for each other and live peacefully among each other.

Unfortunately, it seems that there will always believe that THEIR way is the ONLY way. And, for some reason, those people always seem to be louder than anyone else!

 

[KibbyCat]

It's funny but I was wondering that too. How can you not get promoted because you don't believe in Santa? Where do you work?

It's a long story, but here is how it started.

I was a substitute teacher at my kids' Christian school. I do NOT tell anyone - students, parents, etc - that we don't promote Santa in our home, and the school makes it a point to focus on the birth of Christ during the month of December, avoiding topics of other natures. Well, we had explained to our oldest daughter the true story of St. Nicholas when she was 4 because our local radio station does an audio version of it, and she heard it. We did not teach her NOT to believe in Santa...she just put 2 and 2 together and figured out that the man in the red suit at the mall is just a guy DRESSED UP like St. Nick. So, we didn't think to tell her NOT to tell people what she believes. We never said "We don't believe in Santa" because, like others have mentioned, it's fun to let your kids innocently believe in things, and we never wanted to push the issue. However, after work one day, a mother of one of my daughter's kindergarten classmates confronted me and wanted an explanation - it seems as though, unbeknownst to me, my child had told her child during a playdate that Santa wouldn't be bringing her anything because "my Santa died." This freaked out the friend, who wanted reassurance from her mom that "her Santa" was still alive.
I explained to the mom that we had told my daughter the story of the real St. Nicholas, and that, in her childlike mind, she must have thought of him as a grandfatherly-type person (maybe different for everyone, like a Grandpa???), and that since he was no longer alive, he couldn't bring her gifts. I apologized to the mom, but she seemed really ticked off about it. I tried to laugh it off, but she wasn't laughing...apparently she was appalled that I wouldn't teach my child to believe that Santa brings kids gifts on Christmas Eve.

I went home and explained to my child that, even though we know that Nicholas died a long time ago, there are still kids who think he brings them gifts, so she can't tell anyone what she believes, even if they ask. We told her we don't want to spoil the surprise for them. She was okay with this, and to this day, she still thinks of the fat man in the red suit as a "character" that comes at Christmastime, like Frosty. (I mean, no child actually thinks that snowmen can come to life and talk, right?!)

Sorry to stray off topic....my daughter was never again invited over to this child's home, and to this day, that mom (who had started to become a good friend before this) is no longer friendly to me and won't say more than 2 words in passing. Furthermore, several other moms in that class became very stand-offish to me after that, so I can only imagine that ths one mom went and told all of them what had happened. Their kids also started being mean to my daughter at school. Before this, all the girls in the class got along beautifully.

Anyway, about the job...I was told by my principal that I was being considered for a full-time job the next year, but then summer came and went, with no offer. The principal later called me to tell me that I hadn't been offered the job because, over the summer break, she'd received several letters from moms in my daughter's class who told her that, if I was hired, they didn't want their kid in my class. She didn't want me to be the teacher that nobody wanted, so they hired someone else instead. I don't have proof, but I can only guess it was all because of this whole issue.

So, anyway, that's why I cringe now when people ask me if we've taken the kids to see Santa in the mall, or ask my kids what they asked him to bring them this year. Sometimes it's not possible to ignore them or change the subject.

Thanks for all the advice and opinions. I've enjoyed reading them all.

 

[KibbyCat]

We are another household who does not believe in Santa, and that is what we have shared with out kids (currently ages 14, 13, 8, and 4). Dh and I made this decision before having kids, and it was initially a big controversy in both of our families.

My mother feared we would ruin Christmas, but today she is the biggest advocate of our approach you ever want to meet! Christmas is still magical in our home, but Santa does not generate that.

Like many have shared, our celebration centers on the birth of Christ, family, giving, serving, and loving. We do give our children gifts (3 each) and we have had a birthday cake for Christmas. We treat Santa like any fictional character.

We have not had any issues with our kids telling anything to others until this year. The director of my 8 year old's dance school spoke to us about our dd telling others she did not believe in Santa.

We were told that a group of kids was asking others if Santa was real. DD said nothing until asked directly (she told us this and her teacher confirmed without prompting). Keep in mind dd is the youngest in the class - others are all 9, 10, and 11. And the bottom line issue is that the director's 10 year old is in that class.

We re-emphasized to dd that she should be respectful of other people's belief's and she should try to avoid the Santa conversations in the future. We told her not to lie, but she could demure by responding that Santa is fun, etc. This is the most I can and will do.

I am bothered by parents IRL and on the DIS that express such forceful opinions about children who believe different about Santa. Is it my child's job to make your child believe in Santa? If your child is old enough to be asking, then they must be old enough to hear a variety of responses.

I understand about teaching beliefs you hold sacred, but in no way shape or form am I relying on the collective "you" to reinforce my personal religious beliefs. As a parent I am preparing my child for encounters with different beliefs and thoughts.

Consider a similar scenario where my dd had a conversation in dance class and she asked another if they believed in God and the answer was no, would I be up in arms with that child and the parents? Of course not, we would handle that in our home with our daughter. Why do parents who value the Santa tradition so much not do the same?

Thanks for your response. This was kind of the advice I was looking for when I posed the original question. I did not intend in any way to offend anybody or to make people get defensive or up-in-arms about their beliefs or traditions. I simply wanted some real-life advice I could use in my real-life scenarios that would neither be rude nor destructive.

 

[mom2princessj]

It's a long story, but here is how it started.

I was a substitute teacher at my kids' Christian school. I do NOT tell anyone - students, parents, etc - that we don't promote Santa in our home, and the school makes it a point to focus on the birth of Christ during the month of December, avoiding topics of other natures. Well, we had explained to our oldest daughter the true story of St. Nicholas when she was 4 because our local radio station does an audio version of it, and she heard it. We did not teach her NOT to believe in Santa...she just put 2 and 2 together and figured out that the man in the red suit at the mall is just a guy DRESSED UP like St. Nick. So, we didn't think to tell her NOT to tell people what she believes. We never said "We don't believe in Santa" because, like others have mentioned, it's fun to let your kids innocently believe in things, and we never wanted to push the issue. However, after work one day, a mother of one of my daughter's kindergarten classmates confronted me and wanted an explanation - it seems as though, unbeknownst to me, my child had told her child during a playdate that Santa wouldn't be bringing her anything because "my Santa died." This freaked out the friend, who wanted reassurance from her mom that "her Santa" was still alive.
I explained to the mom that we had told my daughter the story of the real St. Nicholas, and that, in her childlike mind, she must have thought of him as a grandfatherly-type person (maybe different for everyone, like a Grandpa???), and that since he was no longer alive, he couldn't bring her gifts. I apologized to the mom, but she seemed really ticked off about it. I tried to laugh it off, but she wasn't laughing...apparently she was appalled that I wouldn't teach my child to believe that Santa brings kids gifts on Christmas Eve.

I went home and explained to my child that, even though we know that Nicholas died a long time ago, there are still kids who think he brings them gifts, so she can't tell anyone what she believes, even if they ask. We told her we don't want to spoil the surprise for them. She was okay with this, and to this day, she still thinks of the fat man in the red suit as a "character" that comes at Christmastime, like Frosty. (I mean, no child actually thinks that snowmen can come to life and talk, right?!)

Sorry to stray off topic....my daughter was never again invited over to this child's home, and to this day, that mom (who had started to become a good friend before this) is no longer friendly to me and won't say more than 2 words in passing. Furthermore, several other moms in that class became very stand-offish to me after that, so I can only imagine that ths one mom went and told all of them what had happened. Their kids also started being mean to my daughter at school. Before this, all the girls in the class got along beautifully.

Anyway, about the job...I was told by my principal that I was being considered for a full-time job the next year, but then summer came and went, with no offer. The principal later called me to tell me that I hadn't been offered the job because, over the summer break, she'd received several letters from moms in my daughter's class who told her that, if I was hired, they didn't want their kid in my class. She didn't want me to be the teacher that nobody wanted, so they hired someone else instead. I don't have proof, but I can only guess it was all because of this whole issue.

So, anyway, that's why I cringe now when people ask me if we've taken the kids to see Santa in the mall, or ask my kids what they asked him to bring them this year. Sometimes it's not possible to ignore them or change the subject.

Thanks for all the advice and opinions. I've enjoyed reading them all.

Wow...that's terrible!
I"m sorry you and your dd have had to go through all of this. How awful of that mom. It was obviously just your dd telling her truth. Couldn't this mother have come up with something to tell her dd to cover the situation??? I mean that is what I would have done.
Would I be upset if another child blatantly told my dd/ds that santa was not real? Yes I would. But I was one of those children too (told my best friend when my mom told me not to however in my defense we were in fourth grade by that time ). I think you can only control so much when your child is away from you. I don't want to teach my kids to lie however when it comes time for them to know I'll make sure they don't say anything to any other children by stressing its not our place to tell them about santa...it's their parents. I'm not sure how I'll handle telling them. It will disappoint me. Thinking about it now and knowing she may only believe another few years is sad. Kids grow up so fast today I would just love for mine to enjoy it for just a bit longer.

 

[dementia412]

That is the kind of stuff that keeps me from talking about my lack of religious beiefs OP. I just want to go punch those morons for you. Kids at school have told my dd about God and Jesus. It annoys me, but I'm not mad at them or their parents, and the same would be true if someone told my kids there was no Santa. If it was an older kid I could see thinking it was malicious, but shes in KG! I don't think I could continue to work or allow my dd to stay at that school although I know you may not have other options.

 

[TravelinMommy]

I don't see why it is a problem if you don't do the santa thing...I mean to each its own...



We personally will always do Santa, its a fun part of Christmas and when I found out about santa, I wasn't angry or mad...just another part of "being older" I thought it was "cool" to know about Santa. If my son comes home and tells me that kids are saying that santa isn't real, then I will just explain that if you don't believe in Santa, then he doesn't come. Simple as that...

 

[LadyShea]

We don't posit Santa as a real live person who is magic and sees everything etc., but we do incorporate him as a fun part of the season. Like saying "Santa is coming" with a nudge and a wink.

 

[eeyoremum]

I guess I am truly confused reading through this thread. Is Christmas something other than a Christian holiday? What else are you celebrating aside from the birth of the savior? That would be like non-Jewish people celebrating Hannakah...do they? Maybe I am naive. Do non-Christians celebrate Easter? To me, as a Christian this is even more meaningful than Christmas. Easter is what solidifies Him as the savior.

The Santa thing is a personal choice, but certainly prevalent and should be treated with respect. Judging you at work or elsewhere seems inappropriate.

I am totally not judging religion or lack of; that is one of the rights that make this country great.

We are not Jewish but we celebrate Chaunnuka. We also celebrate Passover. My oldest and dearest friend is Jewish. My children are blessed to learn so much about anothers religion as well as ours. She also comes to our Christmas celebrations.

As a child she had Santa come to her house. The story goes that Santa comes to all children who are good.

My kids are 14 and 9. I know my 14 no longer believes but am not sure about the 9 year old (I think this is his last year). I enjoyed the "magic" while it lasted but frankly it is much easier to just ask what they want for Christmas and stop pretending.

 

[luvsJack]

I don't understand anyone getting all upset or insulted because someone else chooses to or not to teach their children to believe in Santa. I also don't understand the inter mixing of the belief of Santa and the birth of Jesus Christ.

I am Christian. I believe wholly and completely in my Savior. I have said many times it is not something I "believe" but something I "know". I celebrate the birth of Jesus. We have cake and read the story of His birth from the Bible, go to church and participate in all the Christmas activities in our church. Christmas is completely about the birth of Christ.

We also believe in Santa. We watch movies about Santa, we visit Santa, we leave him cookies, etc. One has nothing to do with the other. I have taught my children that Santa believes in the spirit of Christmas and celebrating the birth of Jesus and that spirit is why he gives gifts without expecting anything in return.

The belief or non-belief of Santa is not commercializing Christmas. People do that and will continue to do that with or without the belief in Santa Claus. The true spirit of Santa is completely the opposite of commercialization.

 

[whitneyNC]

I don't understand anyone getting all upset or insulted because someone else chooses to or not to teach their children to believe in Santa. I also don't understand the inter mixing of the belief of Santa and the birth of Jesus Christ.

I am Christian. I believe wholly and completely in my Savior. I have said many times it is not something I "believe" but something I "know". I celebrate the birth of Jesus. We have cake and read the story of His birth from the Bible, go to church and participate in all the Christmas activities in our church. Christmas is completely about the birth of Christ.

We also believe in Santa. We watch movies about Santa, we visit Santa, we leave him cookies, etc. One has nothing to do with the other. I have taught my children that Santa believes in the spirit of Christmas and celebrating the birth of Jesus and that spirit is why he gives gifts without expecting anything in return.

The belief or non-belief of Santa is not commercializing Christmas. People do that and will continue to do that with or without the belief in Santa Claus. The true spirit of Santa is completely the opposite of commercialization.

Well put. We too celebrate "Christ's Mass" at church and home with an emphasis on our Savior's birth and a sprinkling of Santa fun! It is not a contradiction at all to us.

 

[sskem96]

We are Christians, but also believe in Santa. My 9 yo thoroughly still believes, and I'm sure my 12 year old figured it out because she had the nerve to ask the Easter Bunny for a $50 LTD2 gift card last year! She said if she didn't get it, she'd know that Santa and the Easter Bunny weren't real. Well, she got it because I want to keep the magic for myself!

I always told my kids that they are allowed to ask Santa for 1 present in the $20 range, since there are lots of kids all over the world that need more than we do. I buy that present and wrap it in special Santa paper that is only used for that one gift, and that gift appears on Christmas morning, but the other presents have already been under the tree for weeks. The gift tag even has their full name and address on it. They believe the Santa at the mall is a "Santa's helper", but they still like to sit on his lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. DD12 did want to make sure no one from school would see her this year though! The other gifts they get come from me and DH.

Last year we were fortunate enough to be at Disney during the Christmas season, and got to listen to all the "Santas" tell their stories around the World Showcase. It was great for them to get to see what people from other backgrounds believe, and how some of those beliefs are very similar to ours, and some are very different, but none are "wrong".

My kids have never believed that any of the Disney characters were real, because DD12 was scared of Chuck E Cheese when she was little, and we told her it was just a person in a suit. I didn't realize other kids were taught differently. Now that I know some kids think the characters are real, I teach my kids to be very careful about what they say at Disney and other places where characters are present so they don't spoil it for any of the kids who believe.

 

[longstangetrip]

We are not Jewish but we celebrate Chaunnuka. We also celebrate Passover. My oldest and dearest friend is Jewish. My children are blessed to learn so much about anothers religion as well as ours. She also comes to our Christmas celebrations.

As a child she had Santa come to her house. The story goes that Santa comes to all children who are good.

My kids are 14 and 9. I know my 14 no longer believes but am not sure about the 9 year old (I think this is his last year). I enjoyed the "magic" while it lasted but frankly it is much easier to just ask what they want for Christmas and stop pretending.

I think being informed about and respectful of multiple religions is wonderful. Exposing kids to customs and traditions and beliefs other than your own is a great opportunity for growth. This doesn't necessarily mean they become part of your own belief system.

I think by "celebrate" I meant being part of your core belief system. To me the religious holidays are not going through the motions, but part of someting much bigger. That is why I was surprised, though completely not bothered, by non-Christians who celebrate Christmas!

now back to Santa Claus...

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

We are another household who does not believe in Santa, and that is what we have shared with out kids (currently ages 14, 13, 8, and 4). Dh and I made this decision before having kids, and it was initially a big controversy in both of our families.

My mother feared we would ruin Christmas, but today she is the biggest advocate of our approach you ever want to meet! Christmas is still magical in our home, but Santa does not generate that.

Like many have shared, our celebration centers on the birth of Christ, family, giving, serving, and loving. We do give our children gifts (3 each) and we have had a birthday cake for Christmas. We treat Santa like any fictional character.

We have not had any issues with our kids telling anything to others until this year. The director of my 8 year old's dance school spoke to us about our dd telling others she did not believe in Santa.

We were told that a group of kids was asking others if Santa was real. DD said nothing until asked directly (she told us this and her teacher confirmed without prompting). Keep in mind dd is the youngest in the class - others are all 9, 10, and 11. And the bottom line issue is that the director's 10 year old is in that class.

We re-emphasized to dd that she should be respectful of other people's belief's and she should try to avoid the Santa conversations in the future. We told her not to lie, but she could demure by responding that Santa is fun, etc. This is the most I can and will do.

I am bothered by parents IRL and on the DIS that express such forceful opinions about children who believe different about Santa. Is it my child's job to make your child believe in Santa? If your child is old enough to be asking, then they must be old enough to hear a variety of responses.

I understand about teaching beliefs you hold sacred, but in no way shape or form am I relying on the collective "you" to reinforce my personal religious beliefs. As a parent I am preparing my child for encounters with different beliefs and thoughts.

Consider a similar scenario where my dd had a conversation in dance class and she asked another if they believed in God and the answer was no, would I be up in arms with that child and the parents? Of course not, we would handle that in our home with our daughter. Why do parents who value the Santa tradition so much not do the same?

This is pretty much what our family does, too. Growing up, we didn't believe in Santa... we knew who he was and we knew that other kids believed he was real and we didn't "spoil" it for anyone. I agree that probably by the time other kids were questioning the reality of Santa and maybe asking us if we thought he was real, they were getting enough answers of yes and no that it was just one more opinion. I do know that we were taught to be respectful of other kids thinking that Santa was real and allowing them to think that.

In our family now, we only have one daughter (almost 2) and another on the way. DD does not believe in Santa, and we're not teaching her to. She is learning who he is (and certainly sees him all over the place), and actually thinks he dresses funny so she currently calls him "Santa Funny Guy." We are greatly emphasizing that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, and she fully understands that. We'll also have (as a tradition) a birthday cake for Jesus after Christmas dinner and sing Happy Birthday (DD is really looking forward to this!). We give and get presents as a way of showing our love for others and being thankful for what God has given us. To us, Christmas is a day to celebrate our Savior and enjoy our family and friends. Santa doesn't really fit into what we celebrate, so that's why he's not part of the day for us. We've definitely gotten random remarks from others about our "lessening" the magic of Christmas, but we just disagree and believe that our Christmases are quite wonderful!

Merry Christmas to you!

 

[lntsmom]

These aren't my words, but I firmly believe them. I feel sorry for children and parents who miss out on the Santa experience. BTW, when my older son was ready for it, we talked about St. Nicholas and how by being Santa we are carrying on a tradition of benign charity.

"Santa Claus Puts Us in Touch with Unconditional Loving Goodness"

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

The reaction to that column was remarkable...The reader thought her friends were missing something important but wasn't sure what 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 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 people had was that a 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 is 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 great planet in the void.

"Once I only thanked Santa Claus for a few dolls and crackers, now I thank him for stars 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 the large and preposterous gift 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 particularly 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 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 the "peculiarly fantastic good will" which is the ultimate Source of it all.


Plus, it's fun.

I hope your friends reconsider.

©Fr. John Dietzen 2002 "

 

[lntsmom]

Santa is not a fictional character. Santa Claus means St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas was a real person...a bishop in the Catholic church. History has it that he gifted poor families with dowries for their daughters so the daughters could marry.

In part, Santa Claus carries on this example of giving unearned perhaps undeserved blessings. Children are concrete beings. Santa Claus also, in part, represents our relationship with God. The love, the desire for our happiness, the benevolence...it is all a reflection of God's love for us.

Santa Claus isn't an anti-Christian tradition at all. Sadly, some people are unable to separate capitalism and Santa Claus. I think that's a loss for them.

In my home we have an advent wreath and nightly prayers around it. We have a Jesse Tree, where, during dinner each night in December, we learn about one of Jesus' ancestors and how he/she prefigured the savior. It is possible to instill a belief in Santa from a Christian viewpoint.

Personally, I know that Santa exists. He exists in the friends and coworkers who, knowing that emergency surgery caused me to go 2 months without a paycheck, handed me an envelope saying, "God told me to do this." He exists in a friend who, upon purchasing a new computer, gave my boys her old one so they could play games and do word processing. He exists in everyone who offers unsolicited charity. I believe, and I hope that throughout their lives, my boys will gladly both be Santa and accept the gifts he sends their way!

 

[disneynuts777]

Santa is not a fictional character. Santa Claus means St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas was a real person...a bishop in the Catholic church. History has it that he gifted poor families with dowries for their daughters so the daughters could marry.

In part, Santa Claus carries on this example of giving unearned perhaps undeserved blessings. Children are concrete beings. Santa Claus also, in part, represents our relationship with God. The love, the desire for our happiness, the benevolence...it is all a reflection of God's love for us.

Santa Claus isn't an anti-Christian tradition at all. Sadly, some people are unable to separate capitalism and Santa Claus. I think that's a loss for them.

In my home we have an advent wreath and nightly prayers around it. We have a Jesse Tree, where, during dinner each night in December, we learn about one of Jesus' ancestors and how he/she prefigured the savior. It is possible to instill a belief in Santa from a Christian viewpoint.

Personally, I know that Santa exists. He exists in the friends and coworkers who, knowing that emergency surgery caused me to go 2 months without a paycheck, handed me an envelope saying, "God told me to do this." He exists in a friend who, upon purchasing a new computer, gave my boys her old one so they could play games and do word processing. He exists in everyone who offers unsolicited charity. I believe, and I hope that throughout their lives, my boys will gladly both be Santa and accept the gifts he sends their way!

I could not have said it better myself. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year however you choose to believe and celebrate

 

[rparmfamily]

Santa is not a fictional character. Santa Claus means St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas was a real person...a bishop in the Catholic church. History has it that he gifted poor families with dowries for their daughters so the daughters could marry.

In part, Santa Claus carries on this example of giving unearned perhaps undeserved blessings. Children are concrete beings. Santa Claus also, in part, represents our relationship with God. The love, the desire for our happiness, the benevolence...it is all a reflection of God's love for us.

Santa Claus isn't an anti-Christian tradition at all. Sadly, some people are unable to separate capitalism and Santa Claus. I think that's a loss for them.

In my home we have an advent wreath and nightly prayers around it. We have a Jesse Tree, where, during dinner each night in December, we learn about one of Jesus' ancestors and how he/she prefigured the savior. It is possible to instill a belief in Santa from a Christian viewpoint.

Personally, I know that Santa exists. He exists in the friends and coworkers who, knowing that emergency surgery caused me to go 2 months without a paycheck, handed me an envelope saying, "God told me to do this." He exists in a friend who, upon purchasing a new computer, gave my boys her old one so they could play games and do word processing. He exists in everyone who offers unsolicited charity. I believe, and I hope that throughout their lives, my boys will gladly both be Santa and accept the gifts he sends their way!

Excellent post!

 

[LisaMommy]

Santa is not a fictional character. Santa Claus means St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas was a real person...a bishop in the Catholic church. History has it that he gifted poor families with dowries for their daughters so the daughters could marry.

In part, Santa Claus carries on this example of giving unearned perhaps undeserved blessings. Children are concrete beings. Santa Claus also, in part, represents our relationship with God. The love, the desire for our happiness, the benevolence...it is all a reflection of God's love for us.

Santa Claus isn't an anti-Christian tradition at all. Sadly, some people are unable to separate capitalism and Santa Claus. I think that's a loss for them.

In my home we have an advent wreath and nightly prayers around it. We have a Jesse Tree, where, during dinner each night in December, we learn about one of Jesus' ancestors and how he/she prefigured the savior. It is possible to instill a belief in Santa from a Christian viewpoint.

Personally, I know that Santa exists. He exists in the friends and coworkers who, knowing that emergency surgery caused me to go 2 months without a paycheck, handed me an envelope saying, "God told me to do this." He exists in a friend who, upon purchasing a new computer, gave my boys her old one so they could play games and do word processing. He exists in everyone who offers unsolicited charity. I believe, and I hope that throughout their lives, my boys will gladly both be Santa and accept the gifts he sends their way!

That was a very well said post, I just want to point out that not everyone who doesn't "do" Santa chooses so because of religion. We are pretty relaxed when it comes to religion, and have quite unique views on it, but we still choose not to have our children believe in Santa. It has nothing to do with Jesus, or taking the religion out of the holiday, it just has to do with what we think is the most magical for our children. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

 

[SnowWhite607]

Why would you want her children to LIE? I do not get this at all.

I dont want her children to lie. Just keep it to themselves and not spoil it for the rest of us who believe in Santa and want to keep our kids innocent for as long as possible. This may be the last year that DD believes and I am sad about it. It seems like the passing of an era in some way.....like she's growing up to be a big girl and it just all happened too fast.