Christian Parenting and Santa Claus

Every year we get well meaning people who grinch about how we celebrate Christmas. The truth is, you can't escape all of the cultural trappings that come with the season. But you can help your children see through it. The easiest way I know is to make all of those other things (Santa Claus, lights, Christmas trees, Stockings, gifts etc.) secondary to the Story.

Help your children understand the Season first Biblically, and then culturally. For example: start a family tradition of always putting up a creche or nativity scene. Make it a meaningful ritual by reading the Story and taking time to explain how accurate or inaccurate the actual nativity scene is, but that what it stands for is totally true.

Shortly thereafter tell them the story of St. Nicholas (shortened to Santa Claus) and why gifts are given to children (as a symbol of Christ, the greatest Gift) being given to us. Then you can help them understand the tree, candy canes, lights etc., but, don't overload them. Over the years, as you repeat this ritual the children will be saturated with the truth of the symbols and the symbols themselves shouldn't become stumbling blocks of Grinchdom.

We've successfully raised three children walking them through the mine fields of culture. We didn't allow ourselves to teach them a gospel of denial, isolationism, or legalism. We carefully explained the story, and all the other trappings became secondary, and eventually unnecessary for successful celebration of the Incarnation.

If Santa Claus, lights, wreaths, candy canes and "let's mark everything up and then discount it so we can fool people into thinking there is a sale" were to disappear tomorrow, Christians would still have a reason to celebrate. It's the story that needs to be emphasized. If it is, God is able to reveal the truth of the story and change lives through our celebration of God in flesh laying in a manger.