Is the Santa Claus and Jesus question a challenge for you at Christmas? Are you unsure about mixing up fictional beliefs with faith? Maybe you just want to make sure your kids focus more on the true message of Christmas. It’s a tricky business to manage faith and fiction as a parent.
If you’re wondering about these kinds of things, I want to encourage you that it’s good that you are thinking deeper. I’ve struggled with all of this and studied scripture for answers. Read on. These things are important to figure out before the holiday comes.
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Contents hideHow is Santa Claus connected to Jesus? How did a big magical man in a red suit get associated with the birth of the savior of the world? More importantly, should Christians participate in the myth of Santa and what are the implications? We discuss all of this below.
As parents, we are all in on the big secret. And that in and of itself can be a problem. Is keeping secrets and covering up lies something you want to teach? Don’t forget that more is caught than taught, so “Do as I say and not as I do” won’t get you very far.
It’s important to consider the role secrets play in your household. And consider what makes a good reason to hide the truth.
For your context, I think it’s best if I share my experience with the Santa story. I grew up without Santa because my mom was still upset about being lied to as a child. Also, my parents were very religious, and reminded us, “Christmas is not about Santa.”
While I recognize that these are legitimate objections, I still felt robbed as a child. Among my peers, I was alone in my knowledge and therefore lack of excitement surrounding this “magical” part of Christmas. There was no wonder or mystery to contemplate.
I realize now that it’s not the magic of Santa I missed in childhood, but the true magic of Christmas – the miracle of Christ on Earth.
So, how is Santa Claus Connected to Jesus? Santa Claus actually has a history in Christianity! The original Santa Claus story had more in common with Christian virtues than our modern tales. In fact, the real St Nick was a generous Christian monk. And you don’t the official label of “saint” without doing some pretty great things.
St. Nicholas of Myra (in modern-day Turkey) was a Christian monk who lived in the third century A.D.. It’s not clear what the hard facts are, but he became famous for spending all of his time and inheritance traveling around helping the poor and sick. A beautiful example of Christian living.
The real man was widely admired and became the center of a series of folk legends after his death. He was credited with extraordinary miracles, like stopping violent storms and bringing children back to life who had been murdered. Today, he is actually considered by some to be the patron saint of sailors, children, wolves, and more.
When the story of St Nick spread to northern Europe, it mingled with folktales of elves and sky-chariots. Sinterklaas was the name given to him by the Dutch.
December 6th is supposedly the date of his death and the official sainted feast day. This may be one more reason he became associated with Christmas which is only celebrated 19 days later.
So that’s how we came to know the mythical figure of today. But sharing the real, original story surely has value. The true story is beautiful and better than the myths, in my opinion.
What does our modern Santa story teach our children? Is it in line with the way Jesus lived and taught? Consider the following issues of character below.
For me, one of the most important things for my relationship with my kids and my ability to have influence over their lives, in the long run, is my trustworthiness. You only get unwavering trust from your children for a very short while before they start to question you. Then it’s up to you to prove you are worthy of their trust.
Taking advantage of their natural trust as a young child tells them that you can’t be counted on, to tell the truth. What’s more, they learn a great deal about deception and just how far you will go to deceive them. It betrays your integrity and does not reflect the person and character of Christ.
If I go to great lengths to deceive my child in the name of “fun” what does that say about what I value most? What kind of example is it? Is having fun a good excuse for lying?
If I lie to them about Santa, what’s to keep me from lying to them about Jesus? My words have lost worth.
Not only does the current Santa paradigm undermine our authenticity and integrity, but it undermines it in our kids. I want to know my kids, really know them. And I want to talk about uncomfortable truths with them.
I’ve done some personal work to stop myself from using negating talk like, “Don’t cry,” “It’s not that bad,” and “Calm down.” Even though it may make me uncomfortable to see them cry or be angry, it’s important to me that they learn to identify and accept their feelings. How else will they learn to be authentic with themselves and others?
Santa says “you better not cry,” but the Psalmist says of God, “You number my wanderings. You put my tears into your bottle. Aren’t they in your book?” And John records that Jesus did not hold back his tears, but in even in public Jesus wept.
While the threat of Santa’s ire may convince your child to comply in the holiday season, it’s teaching them to behave for the wrong reasons. It’s teaching them to behave for a reward or for fear of judgment. It’s the same practice predators, fascists, and cults depend on to get compliance.
Obedience that pleases God is done out of love. I want my kids to do what I tell them as an act of love and trust, not to please some judgmental old man who’s holding all the cards.
With the rise of the Elf on the Shelf has come increased leverage to control children’s behavior. Ever present is the lingering threat of losing out on “gifts” and having a sad and shame-filled Christmas day.
I want my kids to trust their gut, to speak up when something feels wrong, and to question the stories they’re told. I’ve heard of parents silencing an older child who was figuring it out by telling them if they don’t believe in Santa, they get no gifts. This invalidates a child’s trust in his own discernment or thrusts them into the world of keeping an open secret. It values keeping up the charade over truth.
“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2, HCSB).
I’ve gone to great lengths to shape and educate my children that no other person has a right to their bodies. I don’t force them to hug or touch anyone, especially not strangers. But, I’ll admit, I have laughed at the photos of kids crying in Santa’s lap. The subtext is, “Silly babies, don’t they know that this strange man is safe and here to bring them good things?”
We ignore their rightful distaste for being placed in the hands of a complete stranger. Has every man who plays Santa been background checked and his only intentions for wanting to handle children been proven pure? Even so, are all the predators in the system?
Regardless, forcing a child into a stranger’s lap for a photo op or to whisper wishes betrays their body boundaries.
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The current model of Santa bringing gifts is contrary to the very meaning of a gift. Merriam-Webster defines a gift as “something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation.”
Santa’s gifts are dependent on behavior. Why should a child be grateful for gifts from Santa? They are compensation, not gifts. Do they write thank you letters for his generosity or do they feel entitled and relieved that they have been deemed “good enough”?
And here’s another reason why. One year, a friend shared that after spending a great deal of money on a very nice gift “from Santa” for her child, it was almost immediately broken. When the mother got upset, the child responded, “Why do you care? You didn’t pay for it.”
A definitive part of having gratitude is recognizing and valuing the kindness of the giver. Santa gets his toys from enslaved elves and magic. Alternatively, the kids could receive gifts based on the kindness of those who love them. Sharing the beauty of this truth gives them a taste of unearned grace and an opportunity to experience genuine gratitude.
The Santa paradigm places all focus on the child, their wants, and their behavior. It encourages self-contentedness.
Every interaction becomes about them being good enough to earn their gifts. They are told to make a list, not of what they are thankful for, but of all their wants and desires. Their focus is turned away from the good gifts that they may have just spent Thanksgiving being thankful for to getting their parents ready for the big shopping day.
Not only does this breed discontentment with what they have, but also with themselves. They are being watched and judged at every turn. One wrong move and they might be declared “bad” and lose all that they wished for or they might be perfectly “good” and feel self-righteous and entitled to their “gifts.”
Your parents who’ve told you no throughout the year are about to be overridden by Santa. Be good and he’ll give you what your stingy parents won’t. Of course, as mentioned above, these gifts are dependent on behavior. So they aren’t really gifts, but compensation.
This conceals the example of generosity. Not even Santa is generous. He is not giving freely out of his own kindness.
Additionally, all their self-focus leaves little room for considering how they might give generously to others. If they have not freely received, why freely and abundantly give?
My 6-year-old, a very literal and possibly on-the-spectrum child had been asking a lot of questions about Santa. Some of them were very direct and pointed. There was no skirting around them. I decided the jig was up.
I asked my older daughter, who has known for a few years now, what her thoughts were on Santa in hindsight. She said it didn’t bother her much, except that looking back knowing she was sitting on some strange man’s lap kind of creeped her out. I felt bad about that.
The way I told my son was to tell him I was ready to answer any questions he had about Santa. So when he asked, I answered honestly, every time. He took it really well, seemed relieved even.
After understanding Santa wasn’t real, he asked why people dress up as Santa. I said it was kind of like Halloween – for fun. To mix in some good news with the disappointing, I also told him that give him the gifts because we love him and want to be generous and thoughtful. I told him that it is better to get gifts because people who love you rather than from Santa, who judges you to decide whether you get gifts.
We don’t make him “earn” his gifts. He actually didn’t remember any of the gifts “from Santa” so he thought Santa “didn’t know about me.” He thought that was why Santa only gave him a candy cane and coloring book (the Santa who drives thru the neighborhood does this – ha!).
My son asked why we give gifts at Christmas. I told him it is because we are celebrating Jesus coming to earth and being born and when someone has a new baby, you give them gifts.
I also told him about the real St Nicholas, a Christian who lived a long time ago in a country far away. I gave him a brief overview of how this man wanted to help the poor, who had no presents on Christmas.
And of course, we make sure to celebrate the Christian traditions and stories leading up to Christmas. We talk about the need for a savior to come to Earth and the joy and relief when Jesus finally arrived. The true message of Christmas is that God delivers on His promises, that He chose to be God with and among us, and entered this world humbly.
Just because I kicked Santa to the curb doesn’t mean it’s the right way to go for everyone. Here are some suggestions on how to do Santa in a way that doesn’t betray Christian values.
Don’t preach Santa. It’s not needed. The kids will hear lots about it from their friends.
Thinking through and questioning things is an important part of development.
If they figure it out, if they say “this just can’t be true,” then concede the jig is up. Doubling down makes you doubly untrustworthy. It models fighting for a lie.
When there’s an important question, when it’s unclear what’s right and true, teach them that you are the one they trust to be truthful.
There’s a way to keep the kids guessing without lying. A few phrases:
– What do you think?
– That IS hard to believe.
– I’m not going to tell you. It’s up to you to figure out.
– What are your friends saying?
You get the idea, be dodgy. Respond with questions. Help them talk and work through it. Always have qualifiers like “maybe… it could be… I wonder if… “
Tell them you appreciate their insights and questioning. Remind them that it’s good not to just take everything at face value and that they shouldn’t always trust whatever their friends say.
Don’t force them to sit on Santa’s lap. Offer to let them stand beside him or avoid Santa altogether.
Tell them you are proud of them for speaking up about not wanting to sit on Santa’s lap. Remind them they never have to accept unwanted touch in order to get presents.
I like the idea of Santa only giving small gifts leaving the good stuff to be from friends and family. I think it makes a better opportunity for gratitude. You can say or write thank you notes to people you know and see.
Don’t trigger discontentment by putting a lot of emphasis on their “Christmas list.” Bring it up one time, if you must, take notes and drop it. If you’re unsure what to get I’ve found that fun family activities are an awesome gift. One year we asked all our family to contribute towards Disneyland tickets instead of sending physical presents. It was awesome. Last year a good friend bought us a family membership to a museum.
Give them no more than 3 presents. Downplaying the Christmas list helps with how this turns out. I know that may sound crazy to some of you, but consider that they are likely to get presents from many aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. My kids have yet to complain that they didn’t get enough presents. Last year I spent $20 per kid, this year I went all out and spent $30 per kid.
Clear out your stuff. Before or after presents make sure that you keep the same amount or less space allotted for their possessions. Emphasize that they have plenty to share with those who would have a lot of fun with the toys they no longer want.
Differentiate presents from rewards. If you want to keep the reward aspect, spell it out. Perhaps Santa gives gifts because he is kind and generous, but likes to give extra rewards to those who their best to do good.
If you do let Santa have all the credit, then credit the kind of character you value. Say something like “Someone traveling around the world to bring presents? Sounds like a lot of work. I think it would take a very generous and kind person to that.” Point out the thoughtfulness and effort family and friends went to in order to give.
Tell the origin story of Saint Nicholas and his concern for the poor.
Help them to buy gifts for others – friends, family, and especially the needy. Focus on how giving to them might make their lives more joyful.
Don’t use Santa to manipulate your kids, especially if that means keeping them from expressing their feelings. If they “better not cry” does that mean it’s not OK to feel sad? Doesn’t crying make the sadness go away? Encourage them to be who they are and to express what they feel in healthy and acceptable ways.
Drop the elf / Santa spy. If you want your kids to have integrity, they need to find the value of doing what’s right because it’s right. This is part of intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is more powerful and long-lasting than extrinsic (rewards). Manipulating them to get them to behave can make our lives as parents easier in the short term, but in the long term risks making them into hypocrites.
If building faith in Christ is important to your family, then show it. Talk more about Jesus than you do anything else during the holiday season. Tell them how Jesus is better than Santa.
Whatever you do, be mindful of the impact of your words and actions. Your witness of Christ is your most important duty as a parent.
For your reference here’s where you can find the Christmas story in the Bible.
The 2 most detailed narrative stories leading up to the birth of Jesus are found in Matthew and Luke, specifically Luke 1:26-2:40 and Matthew 1:18-2:23.
The truth is that references to Jesus can be found throughout the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. But here are some more verses surrounding his coming or birth specifically.
Isaiah has some of my favorite verses about Jesus.
“For a child is born to us. A son is given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
being small among the clans of Judah,
out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel;
whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2).
Seeing Jesus in Genesis isn’t as clear as the above verses. It helps to cross-reference with other scriptures.
In John 1:1-5 John gives his version of Jesus’ origin story. As he writes it, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.”
In Genesis 1:3 we see the power & presence of Jesus in word, creation, and light all in just this one verse.
“God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”
Jesus is more specifically spoken of in Genesis 3:14-15. I love that from the moment of the fall, we are given a promise of hope and redemption.
“So the LORD God said to the serpent:
Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and every beast of the field!
On your belly will you go,
and dust you will eat,
all the days of your life.
And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her seed.
He will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.’”
Despite modern notions, Revelation is not about the end times. The entirety of Revelation is about Jesus first and foremost and a revealing of his identity and kingdom. Yes, it also gives us clues of things to come, but it is first and foremost about Jesus.
In Revelation 12:5 the birth of Jesus is retold from a more spiritual perspective. “And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.”
I suppose Revelation is a good place to end. No matter what you choose for your family, I hope you have peace choosing it in prayer and good conscience. As a final note, do your best not to judge others who do Santa differently. Each person is on their own journey and it’s up to God to guide.
I pray that you have a blessed Christmas filled with every bit of the very best parts of this season of hope. I pray that your entire family falls more deeply in love with Jesus and feels deeper gratitude for this special delivery to our world in need.
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