If Santa is real to you DON'T open this!

[JustJay]

Hi guys,

Tonight at supper, my wife and I were talking and mentioned Santa Clause which got me wondering. I am interested in hearing your thoughts about this so here it goes.

Do you think that it can/will affect a child in their faith area if we, as parents, tell them during their early years about Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, etc.? Does it affect them/us in our subconscience when they go believing that Santa is real-at the same time they are in children's church learning about a Jesus that they can't see? We finally learn about Ol' St. Nick but are expected to believe the latter. Will it cause us to doubt as believers?

(I was raised in the tradition of playing Santa and such)

Just curious to hear your thoughts.

[Paully_44]

Hi guys,

Tonight at supper, my wife and I were talking and mentioned Santa Clause which got me wondering. I am interested in hearing your thoughts about this so here it goes.

Do you think that it can/will affect a child in their faith area if we, as parents, tell them during their early years about Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, etc.? Does it affect them/us in our subconscience when they go believing that Santa is real-at the same time they are in children's church learning about a Jesus that they can't see? We finally learn about Ol' St. Nick but are expected to believe the latter. Will it cause us to doubt as believers?

(I was raised in the tradition of playing Santa and such)

Just curious to hear your thoughts.

This gets talked about a bit, especially during the Christmas season. I love Santa and think he plays in important part of the Christmas season. We set cookies out, write letters and track Santa on the web Christmas eve. When my oldest son was 9 he asked me point blank if Santa was real and I answered honestly.

Has believing in Santa when I was little cause me to doubt in Jesus as I grew up? absolutely not.

[soulsearcher]

Don't worry, Jay. I didn't open this.

[Pastor Gary]

We taught our kids about Santa, and once they started asking hard questions signaling the end of make-believe, I explained that "Santa" was not just a single person... Santa was an idea, a concept, a way of all of us pretending at times to BE Santa as a way of sharing the joy of giving gifts to others.

That worked for our family.

[Shellie]

When my friend revealed the truth to her 7 year old (after doing Santa for the last seven years), her daughter looked at her with a hurt expression and said, "You lied to me?"

[Susie Hamilton]

When I was 5 Santa came to see me and I cried. I wanted to pet the reindeer and could not.

[Steve]

We did mention Santa, and went to visit him at the mall, but didn't put a LOT of emphasis on it. When our children asked questions, I told them that Santa WAS a real person (St. Nicholas) who died a long time ago, and that we just carry on the tradition he started giving gifts to children. They never felt "lied to" that they told us.

I, however, did feel lied to, because when I asked, I was just told, Nah, it's not real. It was a big let down for me. I didn't feel that there was a purpose behind it, and it was just all deception. That is why I tried to attach a purpose to it, so the kids would understand.

[JustJay]

Steve,

I like that, "we still carry on the tradition". I guess I never thought about that.

But I wonder if these situations affect today's youth more than our generations?

[TW]

I have known the truth about Santa for as long as I can remember. When we were growing up, rjc and I were taught about the idea of Santa, and the historical St. Nickolas. Children often are smarter than we give them credit for and can understand concepts. It is probably more confusing for them to go to the mall with mommy and daddy and see Santa at the entrance with a pot hanging from a tripod and ringing a bell, then go inside and see another Santa in a big chair, taking other children's wish list and have pictures made with them. To a child it becomes a question of who is the "real" Santa. I think that my parents chose wisely when they taught us this. I have always known that gifts at Christmas were expressions of my parents love for my brothers and sister and myself.


TW

[A2JGirl]

My Mama always said that if I tell you Jesus is real, and I tell you Santa is real, and then later you find out that Santa ISN'T real, then how can I expect you to believe me about Jesus?

We knew the Santa stories and set out cookies and milk for "Santa" while giggling because we knew it was for Mom & Dad who would stay up all night finishing wrapping presents. We could "hear" reindeer on the roof and ran to get into bed. We had so much fun with our pretending. It was like an inside joke we all shared.

We did the Tooth Fairy, but we knew that wasn't real either. It CRACKED us kids up because we all had this mental image of dad dressing up in a tutu and tiara to sneak into our room and put money under our pillows.

I think we had more fun than the kids we knew who DID believe in Santa! And we appreciated Mom's honesty. We knew she wouldn't lie to us about anything. Not even Santa.

[Ilovebigcats]

It didn't effect my faith at all. However, personally I feel it is lying. My children know the truth but enjoy hearing the stories and the idea of it anyway. But they know Santa isn't bring the toys. Dad works his butt of for those.. Santa ain't getting any credit.

The tooth fairy is a game we play to see if we can hide money without waking the kids up. They love it.

Easter Bunny... never really got into the whole idea of it. They know someone is hiding eggs and candy and they search for it. They understand that it has NOTHING to do with the resurrection.

I figured the Halloween Costume and trick or treating would beat this conversation this year.

[macgulley]

Boy, I got in big trouble over this question. My daughter asked me when she was 4 and I explained that it was fun to pretend but that Santa wasn't real. She was very satisfied with that and we continue to "play Santa" even though she is 19 now. HOWEVER, I didn't get permission from my wife before this great revelation and she wasn't too happy with me. Also, she was babysitting another 4 year-old girl at the time and when my daughter enlightened her and the other girl's mother found out she went BALLISTIC. She threatened to not ever bring her daughter to our house again. She wanted her daughter to "believe" for two more years. I have always thought the best policy is to tell the truth (as far as is age appropriate) when children ask questions about anything from Santa to where babies come from.

[pastorables]

We did mention Santa, and went to visit him at the mall, but didn't put a LOT of emphasis on it. When our children asked questions, I told them that Santa WAS a real person (St. Nicholas) who died a long time ago, and that we just carry on the tradition he started giving gifts to children. They never felt "lied to" that they told us.

This is exactly how we have raised our six year old son. At times, he has chosen to believe in the Santa concept on his own. This year, he has been saying Santa isn't real.

As a child, I was taught about Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy (racked up pretty good with him) , etc... It never really effected me in a negative way. I always believed in God, never doubting. I did cry, however, when I learned that Santa wasn't real at the age of 9 or 10.

pa

[Sherry]

As a kid, I don't even remember when I found out Santa wasn't real, but it was young. Our family played the Santa games, which we loved. We knew Santa was dad, we set out the plate full of cookies and a glass of milk, we hung our stockings, empty, knowing mom would fill them after we would go to bed. I remember riding home from different families houses on Christmas Eve and laying our heads back looking out the rear window of the car, trying to "spot the sleigh!" The traditions of our family were fun and made the holiday enjoyable all the way through till I left home to make my own family. Then I carried on those traditions and some new ones with my kids. They were younger when they found out Santa was actually mom and dad, but we still have fun with our family traditions each year even if they are 22 and 19! I hope that they carry on some of our traditions when they start their own families.

As for rocking the faith, it never did mine, nor had I ever felt lied to. I feel kids have to grow up way too fast these days, a little "magic" in their life (believing in Santa, The Tooth Fairy, etc.) isn't going to hurt them.

[Dr. Ron]

I found out that Santa wasn't real when my dad took his first church in 1954. We lived in a trailer house that was 8 ft, wide and 28 ft. long. The members didn't have much and dad just sat me down in the trailer and said , Santa can't come this year....he has to be paid and no one tithes at Christmas because they have to pay Santa for their kids...Then he said. let's read about the greatest Christmas gift ever given.

That was the best Christmas of all.....the only one I actually remember..

But as for Santa....I own a great Santa suit and my grandkids love Santa. My two sons and I buy toys for underprivileged kids and on Christmas eve, I dress up and we go take toys to the family...along with food and other stuff...My boys love this...This year I visited a little girl who was sick and she loved Santa....Don't mess with me about my Santa suit...you won't get anything for Christmas!!!!

To me it is playing a part...no harm done.