Still Wrestling with Santa

The other day Caleb (my 4 year old) looked at me and said, "Daddy, I want to see Santa Claus." I said, "why?" "Because he brings us presents."

It took everything within me at that moment from saying... "No. Santa does not bring us presents. Everything we have comes from Jesus!" But I didn't. I just sorta played it off by saying, "Really?" And then I just dropped it and so did he.

I know, I know... some of you are thinking I'm utterly foolish for making a big deal out of this, but I just can't help it. Christmas is one of the most important Christian holidays in the year. During this time, we remember and celebrate probably the greatest miracle to have ever taken place... The Incarnation (God becoming man)... to come and be our Savior!! And what do we do in the church? We wrap it all up with lies and myths about some jolly old man in a red suit who gives presents to all good little boys and girls. I can understand why non-believers would emphasize this fairy tale... for them what else is there? But why do we, as Christians do it? There is so much more to Christmas!! Why do we have try to maintain this whole Santa thing?

And what makes it so hard is the fact that so many Christian parents do it. If I tell my kids the truth, and then they go and tell everyone in Sunday school... I'm going to have a lot of mad parents at me. So, what do I do? Nothing. I just let this myth contine. So frustrating!

I have often thought how great it would be if we, as the church, were as devoted to our faith as many Jews are to theirs. Their religious identity is so unique and well-protected, that they don't worry about Santa or get caught up in all the commercialism of Christmas. I sincerely believe we could learn a lesson from their example.

What To Do With Santa?

Recently my wife and I have been doing a lot more talking and discussing about what to do with Santa Claus. As good parents wanting the best and most fun for their kids, we want Caleb and Taite to have many fond and very fun memories of Christmas. But at the same time, we're also extremely dedicated Christians, and desire to make sure they understand the real meaning behind Christmas. I guess every Christian parent has to deal with this issue at some point. And right now, our Caleb is at the age where we're going to have to really address it one way or the other. My wife recently wrote a very good blog about this issue from her perspective, to read it just follow this link: http://dreawd.blogspot.com/2007/12/santa.html

Personally, I really do not want to do Santa at all. And the reason may surprise you a little. It's really not about keeping the main thing at Christmas about Jesus... because we're going to do that anyway. The real issue for me is Integrity. The Santa Claus game or legend is not truth. I mean, let's face it... It's a lie. Now, I know that people will say, "but we're just pretending; it's a game." And I would have to say, "To you, it's a game... But to the child that you're convincing of it and even using it as motivational tool for good behavior, it's not pretending... it's real!" And in my opinion thats when pretending becomes deception... and for me, that's the issue.

My Experience
I remember when I was growing up, my parents did the whole Santa Claus thing. I wrote letters to Santa, left cookies and milk out for Santa, I can even remember my mom giving me a Santa-Chore chart to help me keep track of my chores and if I was doing good or not. The more gold stars I had the better! We're talking motivation here!! Now, I didn't like sitting on his lap at the mall or something, somehow I didn't think that was necessary. In my little mind, Santa was like God... He could just see you and He knew instinctively what you wanted. And I remember seriously believing in Santa until I was like 9-10 years old. And I remember even arguing with adults who expressed doubt in Santa. In fact, I believed with all my heart that I had actually seen him one time, and so I would argue with people about his existence. I'd look out my bedroom window on Christmas eve and believe I saw just a glimpse of his sleigh (probably a jet or plane). And so with all of that in my background... Can you even imagine how betrayed and how utterly FOOLISH I felt when I came to understand that it was all FAKE!

One of My Goals as a Parent
Now, taking that experience... look at it from my perspective as a Christian parent who is desperately desiring to teach my children about our great Faith. My parents were Christians and they taught me how to be a Christian, mostly through their actions. But they never aggressively taught me hard-core Christian doctrine from early childhood. Me, on the other hand, one of my goals is to pour out my Faith and all the truth I've learned about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Salvation, Sin, the Church, etc, etc... into my children. I want them to be extremely educated in the Christian faith. I want them reading and understanding things in high school that I never even heard of until seminary. I want them memorizing Scripture. I want them knowing the Bible backwards and forwards. I want them being able to recite catechsimal questions that teach systematic theology. I'm serious... I want my kids to be able to keep their youth minister and Sunday School teachers really on their toes, because their Daddy has taught them the truth.

The Dilemma
Now here's the question... How can I teach them so diligently about God and all these important spiritual things one minute and then turn around and lie to them about a jolly man in a red suit coming on Christmas Eve to bring them toys if they're good the next? Honestly, in good conscience... I just can't. I can teach them about the real St. Nick who was a strong believer, but I just can't convince them of something that is a blatant falsehood. I would rather my boys be able to confess to anyone one day that their Daddy never lied to them. And so when I'm teaching them about the real things of life, they won't ever have to stop and question if their Daddy is being serious or just "pretending."