Seriously small potatoes in a world such as ours but I’m sitting here this morning, watching Christmas movies with my kiddos, and pondering the Santa Claus Conundrum.
My SIL is firmly AGAINST Santa. She creates Christmas magic for her kids in ways that don’t involve the Santa stuff, but focus on the magic of Christ coming into the world. We’ve adopted a lot of what she does… But I’m resistant to throwing Santa out completely.
Another friend is firmly against Santa on the principle of not wanting to lie to his children. I get that too.
I’ve heard the argument that teaching about Santa Claus only to have your children find out later that he doesn’t exist sets them up to believe that God isn’t real either.
But as a kid I loved the magic. I tried to believe as long as I could… Even after I knew better, I tried to believe. I still love the magic. I love the history of St. Nicholas (which is what we try to focus on when we talk about Santa at our house). I love the ways that the St. Nicholas story itself can point to Christ. I love childlike belief. I LOVED believing that I had a secret power that grown-ups didn’t, because *I* could belief, and sometimes I wish I still had that secret power (faith like a child, you know?). I love Miracle on 34th St. and Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus.
So my question is–what are your thoughts? What does your family do? If you are a believer how do you approach the Santa thing? If you don’t ascribe to the Christian tradition, what are your thoughts? Does anybody else try for the middle road? How do you do it?
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