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Ah, the old Santa Claus issue!

Do we emerse our kids in the American person and magic of Santa, seeking to touch our own child-hood memories?

Do we treat Santa as a minor part of Christmas and the holidays?

Or, we do we let kids know early on that Santa is marketing myth and figure designed to make Americans spend money?

Once, years ago, I was doing mission work in a very poor area of Central America.  I asked the local villagers what they thought of Santa?  They about laughed me out of the hut.  This was one of the poorest regions in the world and it became obvious to me that Santa was a very (upper/middle class) American invention.  Further reading demonstarted there was no real connection of St. Nicholas of history and the Thomas Nast figure we idolize today.

I have four kids.  I let Santa be fun while they are very small, then transition them to seeing Santa as a minor (but enjoyable) figure during Christmas time.  I am actually one of those parents who attempt to make Christmas about the birth of Jesus and what it means to have peace of Earth. 

So, Santa is fun!  However, Santa presents some large problems, too.  These include:

1.  Why don't the poor kids of Central America, Hatti, and Iraq get toys from Santa?
2.  Why does the Salvation Army report that up to 30 million kids in the USA don't get a "visit" from Santa?
3.  Psychologically, Santa creates some interesting unresolved childhood issues.  Notice how many adults have hang ups linked to Christmas, childhood, and Santa.

I was in MO and while there, I got to meet one church which the pastor absolutely disliked the mentioning of Santa as it "Distracted from the Holiness of Jesus and God" and frankly, I had to agree that he was right.

Next I guess you're gonna tell me there ain't no Easter Bunny either! 


katt

Luckily I didn't have to think about what to say to my daughter about Santa Clause...she justed kinda figured it out on her own when she was around 8 or 9. I guess since she kinda expected it, she wasn't all that diappointed when she asked and I said no.

The whole Christmas season package, including Santa, has become a huge marketing event. That's why I think that kids should be educated to see Christmas as an opportunity to spend time with the family, maybe give gifts to one another, but by no means assault the shops and spend insane amounts of money just because everybody does it in December.

You ever wonder what this world would be like without imagination?

When i was little i beleived in Santa with all my heart, when i found out there was no santa, it didn't do a thing to me.. but made me realize what my parents went through each year to insure a magical christmas with santa and the whole christmas schabill, i am extremely thankful for those magical years, some of the best memories i could have..i would never want it any other way, i handed it down to my daughter, never failing to make sure Santa brought those gifts, we didn't have a fireplace/chiminey chute so i made one lol.. and to this day she thanks me for giving her the same magical childhood inwhich now she does with her own daughter who's eyes light up at the thought and stories of Santa.. let them beleive.. maturity will tell them he's not real.. as a grown woman i know Santa is make beleive..but to me he lives in my heart along with all those joyful childhood memories.. Santa is real

I don't know no if I ever really "believed" in Santa.  We were very poor so we got usually got necessities for Christmas, never any of the good stuff that the better-off children recieved.  I am a realist and quickly figured out about the Santa bit.  I do believe there are "santas" out there, people who give freely and generously of themselves.  But I do agree that children are children for such a small time that it doesn't hurt to encourage their imagination.

I love your post imagination.....thats what he really is all about in my opinion! I can't EVER remember having that intense a feeling of excitement I did as a kid on Christams Eve just waiting for him to show up...always had cookies and milk out and ALWAYS had to be in bed before midnight because he wouldn't come if we were awake and trying to take a peek at him, lol.

Love that little pic Katt.

I always told my son there was a Father Christmas and we used to leave the mince pie and glass of sherry out every year.  When he was about 10 he said to me "Father Christmas isn't real is he Mum".  I looked into those big blue innocent eyes and said "no he's not real sweetheart".  He promptly burst into tears.  His friend had told him that he wasn't real.  I felt sad that I'd misread the situation but it was the way he worded it that  made me think he had come to that conclusion all by himself.  It was magical while it lasted.

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