(I don't know why this post has been difficult to write. I don't want to offend anyone who includes Santa Claus in their Christmas celebration. I simply want to share what we will do as a family.)
We don't "do" Santa Claus. There. I said it.
Sometimes it's difficult to make a decision that isn't popular. After all, four-fifths of America get excited about Santa Claus, having pictures taken with him, making wish lists and writing letters, setting out cookies, milk and reindeer food. And that's just the adults.
Just before Christmas last year, I took a poll of the readers of my humble blog regarding if Santa was included in their Christmas celebrations. Hubby and I were just in the beginning stages of trying to decide how we will talk about Santa and what we will celebrate in our family.
Very briefly, here are the reasons that will not be including Santa Claus in our celebration of Christmas:
1. We want to keep Jesus at the center of our celebration. Carrien wrote last year about how they don't exchange gifts at all but focus on what gift they will GIVE to Jesus for His birthday. I like that!
2. In spite of all the arguments that make-believe is part of the magic of childhood, we just can't shake the thought that we would be lying to our child if we said that Santa brings presents to all the good girls and boys. I don't want to teach my child that lying is acceptable, nor do I want to give her a reason to doubt Mama and Daddy.
3. We want to teach Ladybug that giving is more important that receiving, at any time of year. I really do not like the "gimme, gimme" attitude that I see in so many children when it comes to Christmas.
4. K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, sweetie. All the pretending to sprinkle reindeer food then sweeping it away after the kids go to bed, remembering that Santa uses one specific kind of wrapping paper, which presents did Santa bring last year = too much to keep straight!
5. And today on Twitter, Casey reminded me of another reason to omit Santa at Christmas. Kids can be afraid of him! Think about it from a kid's perspective. Your parents tell you that a strange old man sneaks into your house while you sleep. Then they want to take a picture of you sitting on some stranger's lap. A stranger who might look and/or smell funny. That can be scary to a kid!
I'm sure there are other reasons that I am not thinking of right now.
However, not including Santa Claus presents a conundrum in today's American culture, doesn't it? We will be teaching Ladybug the story of the real-live Saint Nicholas. More on that tomorrow.
Special thanks to the following Twitter friends who helped me gather my thoughts today: @monicabrand, @carrien_laughs, @CBerbs, @girlymamamel, @erinclosingtime, and @Trysha_.
we don't do santa either, but even so, we are totally seeing #3 rear its ugly head with our older girls.
ReplyDeleteits going to be a lifelong battle!!
great post!!! thanks for sharing!! (its nice to know we're not the only ones ;-)
I feel like I should apologize for the ornament I sent you as part of the exchange. My sincerest apologies. May your CHRISTmas be blessed. :)
ReplyDeleteAs I was visitng with family during Thanksgiving one member mentioned Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy, etc. I told her my 3-year old didn't know who any of those people were and they were shocked and thought I wasn't doing my job as a parent very well. My husband and I have not totally decided what to do just yet, but I think we will be keeping Santa Claus out of our Christmas celebrations.
ReplyDeleteI think you've made a commendable decision to "not do" Santa. We had that discussion as we approached our first Christmas as parents. We were both raised with Santa as part of Christmas (but not Jesus), and we really wanted to raise our family with an emphasis on Jesus and not Santa. We celebrate Jesus' birthday and we tell stories about this fictional character named Santa. At age 4 (and a half), I am proud to say my daughter knows the REAL reason for the season, and Santa is just for fun. Like the Easter Bunny.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your perspective! You are not alone! :)
We are with you on this one! I'm shocked at how many people get upset or think we are harming our kids by not having them believe in Santa. We are doing what we feel is best for our kids, making sure they know that Jesus is the real reason for Christmas. It would be easy to lose the focus with the excitement of Santa. We bake and decorate a birthday cake for Jesus and sing Happy Birthday to Him on Christmas. My 4 & 9 year olds know that Christmas is about Jesus and giving to others and as a mom it makes me proud!
ReplyDeletegreetings! wonderful post...we don't do santa either, and we catch quite a bit of heat for it. we tell them he is like frosty or rudolph :)
ReplyDeleteon Christmas morning we open one gift each that is faith-based, and read a Bible passage that talks about it (Creativity gifts, creation psalm or passage). How God has given us gifts to use for HIS glory. Then hubby and i shop the week after Christmas, save a TON of $$$ and open presents to celebrate the new year. we wrap on new year's eve and the kids love waking up to a new year and new toys! No conundrum over trying to get the meaning of Christmas clear. wonderful post!!!!! thanks for sharing. people need to hear what you have said!
Did you know if you switch a couple letters Santa spells Satan? lol Now I'll be in trouble!
ReplyDeleteReally though, we don't celebrate Santa nor teach our kids to believe in him either. But, when we are at the mall if there isn't a line and the kids want to "visit" him we allow it and remind them as necessary that this guy is just an "actor" and that Santa isn't real. One day after a "visit" my 5 yr old asked..."then why do (we tell him what we want for Christmas)?" Good question lil man? Why do you bother? lol
Besides the fact that it is a lie to tell them Santa brings them gifts when they are asleep, yadda yadda yadda...if you pay attn to the characteristics attributed to this "man" they are God's ...he see's you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he's knows if you've been good or bad...etc.
No thanks!
We will teach our kids the truth about Christ- not just now but all through the year while acknowleding the fact that Santa is part of the world we live in. I want to provide balance where balance is useful and teach my kids how to live in this world that is not part of our home.
hey lady! good thoughts here. let me chime in again: you could do worse than to do Santa. it would bother me greatly when I first heard of my friends doing the whole Santa gig. Then I got further on in this parenting journey, discovered there is way more to be concerned about, and got over it. lol. I still wish all my Christiam friends didn't do Santa, but I can overlook it. It's between them and the Lord, and I won't stand in judgment of them. good post on a touchy subject!
ReplyDeleteI can understand how this is difficult to write! I remember when I wrote about Halloween (we never celebrated before but did just recently start) and the Santa thing we do but it IS complicated!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your family does it.
Steph
If you think about the whole Santa scene, what is it we are telling our children? We tell them there is Santa Claus and there isn't; we tell them there is a tooth fairy and there isn't; we tell them there is an Easter Bunny and there isn't; then we tell them about our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is real and who loved us so much He gave His life for us. The fact is that they just might end up thinking we're lying about all of it. That is not what I wanted.
ReplyDeleteSo, we too, did not do the Santa thing, but told the story of St. Nicholas. My daughter is following the same way in her little family. However, it is a verry touchy subject. Some of us have been made to feel like we are robbing our children. I feel that we gave our children the best by keeping Christ in our Christmas celebration.
I never try to foist off my feelings onto others, but I'm glad to know that we are not alone.
Gloria