Well, here comes Christmas hurtling toward me.
We don't do Santa.
You're probably thinking we are some freaks for sure. We don't like Halloween and we don't do Santa. Well, let me just start off by saying I don't hate Santa. I am not offended by his overly-jolly self. I am not opposed to a bunch of elves helping him gather gifts for children. My problem is that none of this exists.
Santa isn't real. I hope all of you know this, because I don't want to destroy your lives or anything, but really. He's not real.
Someone like Santa may have existed once. I have heard this. But the fact is that he doesn't today, so why are millions of people telling their kids he does and teaching them to believe in him almost like God? Therein is my issue.
First, if you teach your kids to believe in Santa, you are really taking away from what Christmas really IS. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ. The gift He has given us is better than anything we can get for Christmas (from Santa or otherwise). You are training your children to believe in a LIE. Once they find out Santa doesn't exist, how hard would it be for them to begin doubting that Jesus exists? This is true especially because young children are very concrete. It's either true or it's not.
Second, IF you MUST do Santa, I really think you better make very sure your kids are VERY familiar with Jesus and God. I know of some kids who can tell you all about Santa and where he comes from and when he's coming. But these same kids, who go to church nearly every Sunday, can't seem to answer some simple questions about Jesus or God. That really scares me. I know of some other children who have elevated Santa to a status nearly equal with God, such that Santa apparently whispers into Jesus' ear what the kids want for Christmas. Really? Is no one else a little alarmed at this?
Again, I don't HATE you if you do Santa. However, we are not going to do that with Mae, no way no how. And, guess what? Santa doesn't exist, and I am not going to sit there and lie to your kids for you. I won't blatantly say, "Child, Santa is not real." but if they ask me, I will tell them, and if they're discussing it with me, I will change the subject.
Reading back on this, it sounds really mean. I am not really trying to be mean, but this is a really big deal to me. Christmas is SUCH an important holiday for Christians that I can't stand the idea that children might not get the idea of what it truly represents.
No, Virginia, there isn't a Santa Claus, but there is a Jesus.
