Christians and Santa Claus

[SheWolf]

I am not asking this question to be disrespectful, but why do some Christians teach their children to believe in something that's a deliberate and elaborate lie, originating in Paganism, and then teach them to believe in God and Jesus at the same time? You're basically telling your kids to put faith in something that's an outright lie, and also teaching them to have faith in something else that's The Truth.

I have seen Christians not celebrate Halloween because of it's Pagan roots, but I haven't seen many Christians, with the exception of Jehovah Witnesses, not celebrate Christians at all. I have seen some Christians celebrate Christmas, put Jesus at the forefront and forgo all the Santa Claus myths however.

 

[Enola]

Kind of hypocritical, isn't it?

 

[Your Star]

It's the same with the Easter Bunny, and the eggs, and everything. The early Church put these holidays on these dates for a reason, so the religion would be more accepted, and assimilate with the population over time. Sure it has nothing to do with the actual religion, but it's a tradition, and I don't see anything wrong with celebrating those aspects of it. It's all in fun.

 

[Medusa]

İ am not christian but my child will believe in santa as I do..

 

[Wessexman]

Saint Nicholas was a real person.

I think you are looking at these issues too literally and narrowly. The pagans chose these festivals for a reason as well. Christianity not only usurped the pagan holidays but wove some of the symbolism of them, some natural and some more mythological, into their own narrative. Hence Christmas is the Winter solstice, the nadir of the year, and Christ, the returning Sun. Not that we should equate this sort of symbolism with a highly naturalistic way of looking at natural events, but you get the picture.

 

[SheWolf]

It's the same with the Easter Bunny, and the eggs, and everything. The early Church put these holidays on these dates for a reason, so the religion would be more accepted, and assimilate with the population over time. Sure it has nothing to do with the actual religion, but it's a tradition, and I don't see anything wrong with celebrating those aspects of it. It's all in fun.

I don't think it's harmful to Christians to celebrate Christmas in the sense of having trees and exchanging gifts, but it's the part which involves deliberately teaching their children to believe in something that is false that kind of bothers me.

 

[Medusa]

I don't think it's harmful to Christians to celebrate Christmas in the sense of having trees and exchanging gifts, but it's the part which involves deliberately teaching their children to believe in something that is false that kind of bothers me.

shewolf, in fact this kind of festivals and celebrations still exist just for children,of course they will learn the real story of santa claus when they grew up

 

[Your Star]

I don't think it's harmful to Christians to celebrate Christmas in the sense of having trees and exchanging gifts, but it's the part which involves deliberately teaching their children to believe in something that is false that kind of bothers me.

Well to be fair it's not only Christians, I would say most kids believe in Santa Clause, and the Easter Bunny even if they aren't Christian, it's just a fun little holiday for the kids, even if you don't believe in the religious aspect of it. And what kid hasn't gotten money from the tooth fairy? I think it's unfair to single out Christians in this way.

 

[SheWolf]

Saint Nicholas was a real person.

I think you are looking at these issues too literally and narrowly. The pagans chose these festivals for a reason as well. Christianity not only usurped the pagan holidays but wove some of the symbolism of them, some natural and some more mythological, into their own narrative. Hence Christmas is the Winter solstice, the nadir of the year, and Christ, the returning Sun. Not that we should equate this sort of symbolism with a highly naturalistic way of looking at natural events, but you get the picture.

He didn't live in the North Pole. Do you know where he actually lived? Most people probably don't, but one poster in this thread probably knows. Can you separate the myth from the fact about him? Most people don't teach their kids much about the actual person, plus he's dead... so that makes him less fun than the fat, pasty, white guy from the North Pole with a magical reindeer and elves.

 

[Wessexman]

He didn't live in the North Pole. Do you know where he actually lived? Most people probably don't, but one poster in this thread probably knows. Can you separate the myth from the fact about him? Most people don't teach their kids much about the actual person, plus he's dead... so that makes him less fun than the fat, pasty, white guy from the North Pole with a magical reindeer and elves.

He was from Anatolia or Asia Minor, I believe.

Father Christmas has become some commercialised nonsense, so it is a very poor myth. But I'm not sure we should always be trying to separate the myth from the fact in simple, rigid and historical terms when it comes to legends, myths and Fairy Tales. I don't think it improves them often, or makes them any more or less real.

 

[SheWolf]

Well to be fair it's not only Christians, I would say most kids believe in Santa Clause, and the Easter Bunny even if they aren't Christian, it's just a fun little holiday for the kids, even if you don't believe in the religious aspect of it. And what kid hasn't gotten money from the tooth fairy? I think it's unfair to single out Christians in this way.

I am not asking to be disrespectful. Santa Claus is elaborate and I have seen parents argue with their kids to cause them to believe where they have doubt. What's wrong if a child doesn't believe in Santa Claus? What would be wrong with not teaching a child to do it?

And another thing is, I don't think it's unfair to ask because I have seen others say "Jesus is the reason for the season." So there must be Christians not teaching their children to believe in Santa. How can you teach that Jesus is the reason, but then teach a child that Santa is the reason to? I am sure there are Christians with differing views on this and handle it differently...

 

[nota bene]

I have known some Christians who chose not mention Santa to their kids. Good people, good kids, and a sincere reason: They figured that if they "lied" about Santa, their kids would think they were liars about other issues.

 

[Goshin]

I never said much of anything to my son about Santa Claus, when he was small, but he got the Santa myth from other people and media anyway.

Around the time of his birth (which was near Christmas), I said that I would not lie to him and tell him Santa was real. His mother and grandmother had a fit about that, and jumped on my head like I was the Grinch.... I said "ok fine, here's the deal... I'll leave all this Santa business to you two. I won't say anything... UNTIL he asks me. When he asks me, I will tell him the truth."

IIRC he was five or six when he asked me if Santa Claus was real. I told him the truth... there was a real person called Saint Nicholas, who began the custom of giving gifts to children at Christmastime, and that is the person that the legend of Santa Claus was based on... but as far as a guy flying around the world with reindeer and leaving presents... no, that's just a fairy story people tell children, just for fun. He asked me if Saint Nick was still alive, and I said no, he died like any other man, a long time ago. He accepted this solemnly and without crying about it or anything... even told me he'd suspected as much.

I caught a ration of crap for that too.



Personally I think I made the right choice. To this day, if I ask my son "Have I EVER lied to you about anything?" his immediate answer is "No." Even at almost-16, he trusts me and trusts my word. That is of far greater value to me than any amusement value gleaned from pretending to believe a fairy-story.


Religiously, I don't freak out over it.... though personally I'm kind of thinking that a Christian parent should not be presenting fairy-tale stuff as truth when it isn't, I don't jump on those who do.

 

[ThePlayDrive]

I am not asking this question to be disrespectful, but why do some Christians teach their children to believe in something that's a deliberate and elaborate lie, originating in Paganism, and then teach them to believe in God and Jesus at the same time? You're basically telling your kids to put faith in something that's an outright lie, and also teaching them to have faith in something else that's The Truth.

I have seen Christians not celebrate Halloween because of it's Pagan roots, but I haven't seen many Christians, with the exception of Jehovah Witnesses, not celebrate Christians at all. I have seen some Christians celebrate Christmas, put Jesus at the forefront and forgo all the Santa Claus myths however.

I don't have kids, but I grew up in a Christian household where I was told that Santa Claus was real.

I don't see any significant conflict. It's really not that serious - at all. I personally think that you're over-thinking this. I don't think of my parents as liars nor do I spend any time thinking about the paganism of Christmas traditions and symbols.

 

[ChuckBerry]

Children cannot grasp the concept of a creator God, but they can understand a kindly old man with "magical" powers to give them nice things on a special day. Christmas is about the promise of salvation, a gift unearned by man but freely given from God in the form of the corporeal birth of His son on earth. Christmas gift giving is a gentle way to introduce little ones into that concept.

My family has completely foregone giving gifts between adults, as there is really no point to it. I think most people would be much happier during the holiday season if they did the same.

 

[digsbe]

I'm a Christian and my parents never taught me about Santa. I don't think it's good for a child to be told that someone exists and will give you gifts if you are good only for them to find out that everything was a lie. I never believed in Santa and I always knew that he was fake. Had I known and believed that he was real I would have serious issues with seeing rich kids or kids I knew were mean getting lots of presents under the concept that good child= lots of presents.

 

[ChuckBerry]

Kids are going to make up their own fantasy worlds whether you like it or not. For God's sake let them be kids for a little while and don't try to stomp out their imagination as soon as possible.

 

[liblady]

I don't think it's harmful to Christians to celebrate Christmas in the sense of having trees and exchanging gifts, but it's the part which involves deliberately teaching their children to believe in something that is false that kind of bothers me.

oh, i don't think there's anything wrong with believing, for a short time, in magic.

 

[scourge99]

oh, i don't think there's anything wrong with believing, for a short time, in magic.

Isn't that why we enjoy fiction? Would Harry Potter be entertaining if we read it while fixated on the fact that brooms do not let us fly and people cannot perform magic by waving a stick?

 

[Tigger]

Shewolf, I actually ran into this in the last week. My brother and sister-in-law have three children (2 boys and 1 girl) under 4 years old. Our entire family was spending Christmas together this year for the first time in several years. Since they are very devout Christians, I asked my mother what the company line on Santa Clause and presents was for that part of the family. They acknowledge the characters of Santa, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, etc.... but there is NO discussion of Santa bringing presents or anything like that. The total focus of the holiday is the birth of Jesus for them. Nothing else.

 

[nota bene]

I thought really long and really hard about Santa. Just as important for me was Halloween, which is another difficult decision for Christian parents.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

I am not asking this question to be disrespectful, but why do some Christians teach their children to believe in something that's a deliberate and elaborate lie, originating in Paganism, and then teach them to believe in God and Jesus at the same time? You're basically telling your kids to put faith in something that's an outright lie, and also teaching them to have faith in something else that's The Truth.

I have seen Christians not celebrate Halloween because of it's Pagan roots, but I haven't seen many Christians, with the exception of Jehovah Witnesses, not celebrate Christians at all. I have seen some Christians celebrate Christmas, put Jesus at the forefront and forgo all the Santa Claus myths however.

I was raised without Santa anythings. . . and found it extremely odd when I grew older - had kids of my own - when Church-goers asked the kids what Santa was going to bring them and were SHOCKED (like mortified) when I said "Oh we dont' teach the Santa stuff."

Like it was crazy not to do it . . . and this was when I was quite religious in my early adult years.

I never understood why SO MANY religious people actually do the Santa stuff. My aprents did it a few times just for fun - and it was never a taught belief - it was all just fun.

 

[Your Star]

I thought really long and really hard about Santa. Just as important for me was Halloween, which is another difficult decision for Christian parents.

I fail to see how Halloween would be a difficult decision for Christian parents.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

I fail to see how Halloween would be a difficult decision for Christian parents.

I hated Halloween - I was terrified of knocking on strange doors and my parents MADE me go. Geesh! LOL

 

[Tigger]

I fail to see how Halloween would be a difficult decision for Christian parents.

Mostly because even as religious individuals Halloween has taken on its own secular traditions. For my 2 nephews and my niece (as it was for my brothers and me) it's about candy and really nothing more. We had a discussion about the religious heritage behind the day (and the Catholic tradition of All Saints Day - 11/1) but the religious aspect was never really significant. Of course now that I'm no longer Christian and celebrate Samhain, it's a little different but that's just ME, not the family as a whole.