Comments on: Ready Always to Give an Answer: The Santa Survey

By: Allie

Allie — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 09:01:47 +0000

I realize this is an old post, but I remembered it being here and searched for it because this came up last night with my husband and I wanted to read the responses! Our daughter is only 6 months old so she obviously doesn’t care about holidays or presents yet, but my husband asked me, “Are we going to ‘do’ the Easter bunny?” I kind of looked at him sideways because he knows I don’t want to lie to our kids about Santa, and he said, “Not pretend he’s real, but have an Easter egg hunt?” That much is fine with me! Anyway, it’s a good question about Santa – because following the Easter Bunny conversation my husband said I had won him over on that one. I think we’re going to explain the truth but still give ‘anonymous’ presents – maybe have stockings that each person can add to everyone else’s stocking secretly??

With us, the problem will be with our moms, especially one of them we think – the Christian one, oddly enough. He said maybe we can pretend to pretend that Santa is real – but come to think of it, isn’t that lying about lying? :S We’ll have to think on that, and on the right response to give. I think something like “We celebrate Jesus at Christmas [Easter]” might be the best.

Thanks for the thought-provoking post, and comments!

By: Amy

Amy — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:56:11 +0000

Dr. Terry Watkins has written a great booklet called, “Santa Claus: The Great Imposter.” Using history and Scripture, he argues that the Santa Claus of today actually has nothing to do with the legendary St. Nicholas and is very dangerous for children. The booklet is available here for $2.50: http://www.av1611.org/tracts/index.html

By: Allison

Allison — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:53:39 +0000

If you feel it is appropriate and you can do it honestly, you might tell your children about the real St. Nicholas, and explain that in some countries people remember him on his own day (which is supposed to be the day of his birthday in heaven) just as people sometimes remember a dear family member on their birthday, or as we honor Abraham Lincoln.

St. Nicholas was known for his anonymous generosity. So people in other countries may remember St. Nicholas by exchanging cookies or small gifts. So if you wished, you might bake cookies on that day (December 6), or exchange handmade Christmas ornaments, or even pledge to give your time in a food pantry or other community service. In this way, the generosity of the Saint is honored as he and his Savior would wish.

Then, when your children are asked about Santa, they could say that Saint Nicholas, or Santa, was a very generous person, and they are learning to be generous, too, because Jesus said it is better to give than to receive.

As an alternative, it is possible to find small figurines of Santa kneeling at the manger and worshipping the Christ Child. I create a small nativity scene in which Santa is present and worshipping. Think of all those medieval and baroque paintings in which contemporary people are included as honoring the Baby.

If we Christians reclaimed Santa Claus as St. Nicholas, and with St. Nicholas pointed to the baby in the manger, the unchurched might see a glimpse of the unmatched generosity of God in giving Himself to us.