Before you think I am really going to debate this issue I am not. I just wanted to voice my frustration and get ideas on how you handle this with your family from other mom's. I wasn't keen on doing the Santa thing and we have never told Micah there is a Santa, asked what he wants Santa to bring him, or told him there are presents from Santa...but alas our child is still obsessed with the jolly ole fella. Last year he was a little interested but this year he is full on Santa. Nevermind we've been discusssing Christmas is about Jesus since October but he still focuses on Santa. Thus the confusion that I wanted to avoid has started...here are some things Micah has said regarding Christmas:
When asked what Christmas is about we are 75% Jesus and 25% Santa roughly.
Today when I asked him what he learned at school that Jesus says he stated "ho ho ho" Really?
He told me Jesus will bring us presents, if we are nice.
He said the Santa in our yard isn't real but the one at the mall is...and the baby Jesus in the nativity isn't real the one in the sky is...
Then he said Santa lives in the sky.
You can see this is confusing even to me. I am mostly worried that if he finds out Santa isn't real he will think Jesus is just stories too. Ahhh...the joys of childrearing.
I can't remember but there are a few more.
**Disclaimer: After I typed this my mom immediately called me to remind me that we did both and I appear to be just fine(which is debatable:)) So, yes, I know my babies will probably be fine, but still wondered if you all do anything to bring clarity to these two Christmas things:)
6 comments:
We were raised halfsies - half were told there was a santa and half of us weren't - older set and younger set. We all came out with the same outcome. We all know the truth and we all believe in Christ. So... my opinion... "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." Stop worrying about it and just live what you know and feel God is telling you. The reason it is confusing - he doesn't really understand any of it fully - thus, the continual training. Just my opinion. I wouldn't sweat it.
This has always been a huge issue for me too Steph, especially when Gracie was small and we were trying to figure out how to handle the whole Santa thing. It felt ridiculous to me to tell our kids, there is this great man (Santa) who will bring you wonderful gifts if you only believe in him. Then our kids find out, WE LIED, he's not real afterall. But then we expect them to believe us when we say: There is this great man (Jesus) who will give you wonderful gifts if you only believe in Him.
????? How does this make a shred of sense??????
At the same time though, I didn't want to bahh humbug and nix Santa altogether, b/c I didn't want Gracie to miss out on that part of the fun.
What we've settled on ..... is that I've always told Gracie that Santa is "a legend" -- he is just a tradition that people do every year because he is fun. Santa is a legend, Jesus is real. Those are the words that I used. I've never said specifically "Santa is not real", but if she asks me I will tell her the truth. I tell her the same for the Easter Bunny: LEGEND. A fun tradition.
The other issue I've had is magic. Especially since she's a girly-girl, in the princess and fairy movies there is always some form of magic that happens. I have told her from the very start: MAGIC is make-believe, it is not real. MIRACLES are real. As she has gotten older it has sunk in. She understands the difference.
I think your little man is still prob. too young to fully understand the idea of "legend" and "tradition". Just keep repeating it and by next year he may grasp it more. It is something he will get over time, it may take several Christmases but if you are consistent he will eventually get it.
I've been thinking about this a lot lately too, thus the polland a post about this same thing on our blog last week.
Couple thoughts -- do you know any adult that hasn't come to believing faith in Jesus Christ because their parents told them Santa was real and they just can't believe that Jesus is real because Santa isn't? Umm, of course not. That's beyond silly. Yes, maybe little ones have problems wrapping their minds around this, but that will clear up as they get older.
Also, Santa isn't exactly just a legend. Yes, our culture has stretched the truth quite a bit, but St. Nick was a real person who lived in the Middle Ages who gave generously to others who were in need. I hope to teach our kids about St. Nick as an historical person and encourage them to model his generosity to others during the Christmas season and throughout the year. There are kids books written about the real St. Nick that we will encorporate into our holiday tradtions when our kids are old enough to understand them; my husband's family read them every Christmas.
And I agree with Alison -- at the end of the day, after you've sought after God on this issue and feel like you've done your best to help Micah understand, don't sweat it. Even if he thinks Jesus lives with elves. :)
I have had the same thoughts. Jonathan thinks I am going overboard but doesn't he always? We decided this year that after presents we are having our very own happy birthday Jesus party at home, with cake, the Christmas story, the whole nine yards. So that even in a "tradition" Jesus is not forgotten when her feet hit the floor that morning! A bit of encouragement...His understanding will be much better next year. I can't believe the difference in Madison's understanding and ability to explain Christmas from last year to this year. By next year I can promise he will fully know the real reason and not get his stories of Santa and Jesus intertwined. ;)
My mom always laughs because by 4 I told her that Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are not real. And I probably ruined the fun for several neighborhood kids as well!
Your Micah stories make me laugh! I'm glad you are writing them down-you could probably write a book one day!
Coming to see you soon! :) Promise!
Oh please do not spoil the fun of Santa. I am 38 and still believe in Santa and I would say a very firm believer in Jesus Christ! It has not hurt me to believe! It is somthing fun for your children to look forward to at Christmas. I have lots of good memories of Christmas morning with Mom, Dad, and Mick. These are very special memories for our family.
We tell our kids that Santa and Jesus watch them - Jesus more than Santa!
I say let them be children with no worries. They will soon be filled with questions and concerns in life. Let them enjoy Christms through a child's eyes as long as they can...
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