I don't see any problems with parents telling their little kids stories about Santa. I don't see any issues with adults pretending that Santa is real. I think its good for parents to be a bit evasive when asked if Santa really exists. Here's a few responses we've given to the question 'Is Santa real':
- what do you think?
- you've seen him in shops haven't you?
- He looked pretty real to me when I saw him in myer last week!
- and again... Hmmm. What do you think?
Let's not sweat it. Let's not bring out our capital letters and call it a LIE. In christian families where the bible is regularly read, there is no chance of long term Jesus and Santa confusion.
So it's just a coincidence that Santa is an anagram of Satan?
ReplyDeleteI agree. I don't think we need to be on the warpath when it comes to Santa.
ReplyDeleteMy problems with Santa are:
ReplyDeletea) Santa's giving is predicated on law ('naughty' by some arbitrary standard vs 'nice') not on grace - the exact opposite of God's gift of his son to us.
b) he's become the secular world's god of Christmas to the extent that i) when businesses send out "we'll be closed between these dates" messages, they all have pictures of Santa - literally none of the ones I've seen at work have a nativity scene; ii) children's stories become "How so-n-so saved Christmas" (there's one on the book table at work) because they helped Santa deliver toys when some disaster at the North Pole occurred and iii) people have been known to complain to the Brisbane Lord Mayor about the 'religious' element in the BCC supported Christmas carols events because Christ is mentioned! When I heard that one I wondered if that person complained about Buddha being mentioned in the BCC promoted Buddha's birthday celebrations.
Each family deals with this in their own way but if I had the care of a child he or she would be taught the facts of Saint Nicholas but Santa would not bring them presents. There are still games available to parents/guardians e.g. "Sorry, no pillow-slip/stocking/arbitrary receptacle presents unless you're asleep."
Hmm, now there's a thought - it would be interesting to know what parents did before St Nick threw some coal to a poor family.
I agree with you, Simone. My parents never told me directly that Santa was real, but I got a stocking-full of pressies in my stocking every year (whether I had been naughty or nice!) and we left out fruitcake for Santa who left them! Laetitia, I appreciate your points, but surely they all apply to the secular use of Santa in our era. I'm certainly happy to critique the way Christmas is celebrated in modern Australia, but I don't think the portrayal of Santa is the root cause of that - I think it's just a symptom. 'Christian' societies had Santa Claus for hundreds of years, and I'm not sure it did much harm.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how people who claim to be Christians can be in question as to wether or not telling your kids that Santa is bringing them gifts is a lie. It's simple. Is Santa going to bring them gifts? No. So if you tell them he is, it's a lie. I'm not against the idea of Santa. I think Santa is a lot of fun. I believe it's necessary to tell our children the truth. Saint Nicholas was real, but is no longer alive. Santa is a character based on Saint Nick, but is not real himself. But we have Santa decor, movies and books. But our son is aware that the truth this character is only pretend.
ReplyDeleteI don't like saying that Santa commercializes Christmas away from the birth of Christ. I do think that "Xmas" does. Just as it's important for us to teach our children the truth about Santa, it's up to us to teach them the true meaning of Christmas. It's obvious that we can't trust our world today to raise our kids for us.
I think that playing the anagram card can be a little stretched. Yes it's true, but we can focus on anagrams. No offense Nathan.
It concerns me that Christians will try to justify their sin of lying about Santa by saying it's just for fun or "make believe." Let me help clarify that. Make believe is when all those involved are pretending together.
Picture This:
You know someone is having a cookout this weekend. You don't know that they don't want you there. When you ask to participate while standing amongst those who are attending, they may "make believe," rather convincingly, it had to be cancelled. Don't you see, it's lying.
Offense is an anagram of "seen off"...
ReplyDeleteNone taken. I was being facetious.
Here's two links I found interesting. Abraham Piper is onto something!
ReplyDeletehttp://theologica.blogspot.com/2008/12/do-you-believe-in-santa-claus.html
http://twentytwowords.com/2008/12/03/my-thoughts-on-santa-claus-who-cares/
Also, Simone - what a brave topic to broach on the internet! Santa is up there with gay marriage for instant controversy!
ReplyDeleteI agree, it's not a lie - just a game. ... like the tooth fairy (or as we have in our household 'the tooth troll'!).
ReplyDeleteWe don't 'do santa', but I'm not much fussed about whether others do or not. So not something to make a big issue about.
Thanks everyone for your responses. Now I know how to get comments!
ReplyDeleteAnyone for gay marriage?
What does Santa add?
ReplyDeleteHow does he help us to remember and celebrate (to reference an Australian songwriter) 'our God come near'?
Can I just say in reply to Laetitia: St Nick did a lot more than give coal to some poor family. He gave presents to children (often in socks! sound familiar?) and also paid the dowry for 3 sisters whose family could not afford it (in a society where unmarried women mostly ended up resorting to prostitution).
ReplyDeleteSt Nick was originally celebrated as a saint (as Catholics tend to do), and his Dutch name was Sinterklass (= Santa Clause!). The celebration of St Nick ended up being merged with Christmas because they were celebrated quite close together anyway. Martin Luther, protesting against the Catholic tradition of canonising saints, brought in Christkindl as new Christmas icon. Christkindl (english pronunciation: Kriss Kringle) is, literally, Christ Child. Somehow, that name ended up reverting back onto St Nick, which is how one of Santa's alter egos is Kriss Kringle.
St Nick was also allegedly on the Council of Nicea, in support of Jesus' deity.
Either way, it's all very much steeped in Christian history. Modern secular society has certainly forgotten most of that, but that doesn't mean we have to do away with the victim of today's secularity. (If that's a word??)
My family certainly did "the santa thing". I can't remember ever being told "Santa is real". I can't remember ever being told "Santa is not real". I can't remember ever believing Santa was actually real.