So the other night at dinner the kids were talking about Christmas because I had purchased some cute lil placemats in preparation for decorating for the holidays. Zack asks, “Is Santa really real?” Uuuhhhh (I’m a deer in the headlights then I look down at my plate HOPING Brian says something so I don’t have to!) Brian replies, “You need to finish your dinner… eat your vegetables.” Pheeww! HAHA… that was close. He didn’t ask again so we lucked out.
I’m not at all opposed to telling him the truth about Santa Claus… it’s something I have felt conflicted with for a few years now. We were just caught off-guard and don’t know how to tell the kids without it making them sad!
The next day I told Zack’s teacher about this and she gave me an excellent book that we are going to read to the kids as a family tomorrow night. It’s called “Santa Are You For Real?” by Harold Myra.
I’ve read through it a couple times in preparation. It tells the story of the REAL “Saint Nicholas” and how he would secretly give gifts to those in need. Nicholas loved Jesus very much and he gave these gifts because Jesus came on the first Christmas to give himself. It goes on to explain that the real Saint Nicholas is in heaven now with Jesus and when we see Santa in a store or a parade, we think of Saint Nick.
Here is Harold Myra’s Note to Parents;
“Christmas, children, and Santa Claus. The combination often generates adult explosions against materialism. Why should children be encouraged to be so self-centered, so caught up with a myth that distorts Christmas into a pagan holiday?
Why indeed? I had always been ambivalent myself. But then I read about the historic Saint Nicholas. Even after skimming off the tall tales and adjusting for medieval exaggeration, he comes off as a rather exciting person for children to know about. It’s important to understand the roots of the Santa Claus phenomenon and how the original Saint Nick put the Christ Child clearly at the heart of his Christmas.”
So from now on Christmas is going to be a bit different at our house… and I’m excited!
The story of Saint Nicholas reminded me of this Bible verse…
1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
The holidays are going to be here before we know it!!!
It is my prayer for all of us to be blessed with a giving heart this holiday season... and that we can all put the Christ Child clearly at the heart of Christmas… just like Saint Nicholas did.
1 comment:
I should read that book. I have always dodged "the question" with my standard answer of "Santa WAS real...and now we just continue his tradition of giving gifts...". I've head the story, but it's been a couple of decades...so it would be cool to read up before I get "the question"...again.
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