I have big plans to decorate our house for Christmas today. My precious Princess will be in preschool for a big chunk of the day, so my schedule is set!
I was reminded of a dream I had back in 2003. In my dream, I was looking at my nativity set that had come to life! The wise-men were actually giggling at one another because one of them had fallen over (ok, just follow me – ha). I approached them and asked, “What was it like? What was it like to witness the birth of our Savior?” I was so excited to have this opportunity. They looked at me and said, “There has been nothing like it! Nothing like it!” I remember awaking with such excitement in my spirit!
My beautiful daughter is 3 years old, so full of life and God’s joy. This is the first year she has really had an understanding of Christmas. When asked what she wants for Christmas, she replies, “A present for Jesus.” Hallelujah for her sweetness! However, the world and the pressures of “Santa” are starting to influence her little world. Everyone around her has asked if Santa was coming to her house and she has said, “No.” lol I feel guilty because I haven’t played up this whole “Santa” thing. But now she is seeing Santa movies/cartoons, seeing his picture everywhere we go, etc … My husband wants her to enjoy Santa … so someone PLEASE help me! Here is my dilemma. HOW DO I JUSTIFY LYING? A lie is a lie. How can I lie to my daughter and tell her that Santa flies through the air — especially when I tell her all of the time that magic is not real (Thanks a LOT Dora the Explorer – argh!).
At the same time, being a temporary member on earth, I get teary-eyed watching children sit on Santa’s lap. Am I a mess or what? And David wants to take her to see Santa. I am so torn!
Will some Spirit-filled Mom’s please give me some godly advice here?
Do I just let everyone else lie to my daughter and I just stay quiet until she corners me with the “Is Santa real” question?
Christmas is about Jesus. We celebrate the birth of our wonderful Savior. But the world has made it about mystical creatures. God help me.
Luke 1:26-56
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.”
38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”
46And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers.”
56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Luke 2:1-20
1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone 
around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
I’m obviously not quite there yet, but Leon and I have already been talking about it. He wants to teach our children Santa just like we were taught. I’ve told him that’s lying. He talks about “the spirit of Santa” and what Santa represents and that all of us should be like that, and I remind him that Jesus is the real thing and so much more and that’s who we should strive to be like.
I would love to hear what others suggest to you. Maybe Leon will come around when the time comes (he has on other things, so…..) If we’re both together on not lying about Santa, I think it would be easier to tell the rest of the family we don’t play that game (which is the only way I can think of to describe it – “the Santa game”) and we could teach our children the truth, including the part about why other children believe the game is real and what they should do when other kids talk about it, praying for them, etc. If Leon doesn’t come around, I don’t know what I’ll do. I could try to teach my children that daddy’s playing the game too, but I can actually see that being a problem.
Hey Beth! I want to thank you so much for stopping by my blog…I assume from Dorinda’s…Finding Treasure in Jars of Clay…she is my pastor’s wife and one of my best friends.
I don’t believe it was by accident that you stopped by because you encouraged me so much through your powerful and moving words. I will pray these words today and everyday until Brandon comes back to the Lord.
I would be honored to have you follow my blog, as I will be following you.
As for your dilemma…I’m not one to give advice on the subject. We have always had Santa Claus with our children but we stressed, taught and instilled the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus and without Him…there wouldn’t have ever been a Christmas to celebrate. We celebrate the birth of Jesus first and foremost. I have never looked at it as lying to my children and not one of our 4 children have ever been upset with us or accused us of lying to them once they knew the truth but cherished those childhood memories. You and your husband have to do what you feel is right in your own heart.
If you come by my site tomorrow, you will see pictures of our home decorated for Christmas…I have a huge collections of…Santa Clauses. So…I’m not one to advise you either way. Pray and seek God’s direction.
My husband is from South Carolina and his brother coaches in North Carolina…what a small world.
Thanks again for stopping by.
We do Santa only for the stocking. Everything else comes from Mommy & Daddy. They know the real Christmas is about Jesus. We don't go and see Santa at the mall. They both went and saw him when they were babies and that is it. They have never asked to see him. When I was little I only got a stocking. When Tom was little everything came from Santa. We had the Santa battle here. He really likes just the stocking thing now. Merry Christmas!!!!
Beth, I raised two children (my son, Titus, is going to be 30 on the 15th of December, and my daughter is 25) on the reality of Christ and not Santa.
Being German, there is a different tradition. There is St. Nicholas (where ‘Santa Claus’ came from). It’s an interesting story about St. Nicholas and how he, an actual historical person, very wealthy at the time, rode at night to poor children and distributed presents secretly.
I always belived in telling my kids the truthful situations. So, I got all the necessary info re St. Nicholas and told them that this is how it all started, and that there is a difference in celebrating St. Nicholas’ love for children and his selfless giving secretly at night, and celebrating the ‘birthday’ of Jesus.
I told my kids that people got it all muddled up with St. Nicholas and Jesus’ birthday. However, because St. Nicholas was a believer with Christ in him, he was motivated by Jesus to give all the good things to the children around him, as Jesus could not physically do that right now, and still motivates people to give.
It made sense to my kids, and they felt very sorry that other kids did not know the real story!
Yes, I have been terribly criticised that I destroyed the magic Christmas for my children, apparently. However, they were really quite happy with a sensible explanation.
You see, when I grew up as a child in Germany, I was never permitted to open my presents until my father got out his Bible, read from the book of Luke, and then got his guitar out and we sang some Christmas worships songs (NOT ‘Jingle Bells’!!!)
I believe that children accept what one tells them. For me it was important to share my values, rather than do’s and don’t’s.
Once they understood the historical person of St. Nicholas and that he acted through the inspiration of Jesus Christ in him to bless children, they were very happy with that, and we could still celebrate Jesus’ birthday.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for the comments friends. I know what I feel in my heart, yet I need to be in agreement with my hubby. I do pray God will give us unity and wisdom.
Life is good and Jesus is Alive. :o)
I need to talk with my hubby and kids to see what we did, because it was a long time ago and I really don’t remember.
I do know that we taught them that Jesus was the reason for the celebration. On Christmas we would make a birthday cake for Jesus and sing Happy Birthday. They loved that.
I think that we did allow them to believe in Santa, but that we told them that the gifts were from us. So I don’t know what they thought Santa did. I’ll have to ask and get back to you. I’m curious myself, lol!
Christmas… Jesus vs Santa
Jesus IS the reason for the season.
This is what we teach the children in our family. We explain the real stories for each.
December 25th was chosen to be the day Christians would celebrate the birth of their Saviour, Jesus Christ.
A long time later came a man by the name of St. Nicholas, he became a historical figure. When St. Nicholas gave gifts to the children he was honoring the birth of Christ and the gifts bestowed upon Him by the Wisemen.
Here are some books you can get at http://www.christianbook.com:
Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend, Hardcover
By: Julie Stiegemeyer
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=603762&event=CF
St. Nicholas: A Closer Look at Christmas
By: Joe L. Wheeler, Jim Rosenthal
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=504076&event=CF#curr
God Gave Us Christmas
By: Lisa Tawn Bergren
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=071755&netp_id=444000&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers
Santa, Are You For Real? Board Book
By: Harold Myra
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=306299&netp_id=380005&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers
We also let them know that not everyone believes as we do and celibrates Christmas differently.