Santa Clause

[Julianna]

So by your logic, we shouldn’t teach young kids about Jesus since he might come across as a “dry history lesson,” perhaps we should invent a character to serve as a segway into Jesus. I recommend Superman, he does have many of the same qualities exhibited by Jesus afterall but he’s way more FUN for kids!

exactly! That is what I thought when I saw Superman Returns.
Look, you do with your kids what you feel is best, I did with mine, what I thought was best. faghettaboutit…

Ciao, pisan

 

[TimOliv]

exactly! That is what I thought when I saw Superman Returns.
Look, you do with your kids what you feel is best, I did with mine, what I thought was best. faghettaboutit…

Ciao, pisan

If I have kids then I have a LOT of explaining to do…

 

[Julianna]

Then what’s the point…last thing you should be thinking about is kids…didn’t read the “seminarian” part on your tag line.

Tim…don’t worry about it. And when you become Popem please don’t ban Santa Claus!

 

[TimOliv]

Then what’s the point…last thing you should be thinking about is kids…didn’t read the “seminarian” part on your tag line.

Tim…don’t worry about it. And when you become Popem please don’t ban Santa Claus!

Just for you, Julianna

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

I can’t stand what Christmas has become, instead of deep meaningful appreciation for Jesus, it has become (for the majority of our culture) a gluttonous consuming bonanza.

Kids make lists of hundreds of dollars worth of overpriced junk that we as parents foolishly buy. Then tell them some absurd story of Santa Claus flying around giving toys out to good boys and girls with flying reigndeer etc…(this has nothing to do with Christ IMO at all)

I love Christmas season, however I love the season itself, the celebration of Christmas with family, attending Church etc… Blowing $1,000’s on useless gifts albeit well marketed gifts, and lying to my children about Santa Claus I can do without.

Oh but that is why St. Nick and Santa are so important.

Instead of teaching the munchkins to develop that greed list, have you ever considered what anonymous giving fosters?

Have you ever left a whole box of groceries, out of money your family earned in various ways, on the doorstep of somebody you knew could use it but would never ask, ran like the dickens back to the car, and tagged those groceries, “From Santa Claus”?

Have you ever given deprived children bikes your family has fixed up, or for which you all raised money, and labled them, “From St. Nicholas”?

Have you ever sent a passel of gift certificates to an elder person who has nobody and very little in material goods, and signed the card, “From Santa”?

Have you ever received a gift which you truly desired, but had no hope to ever receive, and it was signed, simply, “Santa”?

Then you do not understand about Santa, or St. Nick, and you so desperately need to do that. It is immeasurably wonderful to give a gift for which nobody can thank you, or be indebted to you. It is marvelous to receive a gift for whihc you can thank nobody but an anonymous donor and God.

If Santa is in your house, and he is the bringer of crass commercialism, and you are lying about his true intentions, he is NOT the right Santa, and you should make him leave.

And there is a difference, young man, between “lying” and encouraging generosity through anonymous giving. If my husband the ethicist says Santa is noble and good when done correctly, then Santa is noble and good when done correctly.

The day a child learns who Santa really is, that’s the day the child learns an important lesson in giving.

 

[thechrismyster]

and who here among the posters has proof that there is no Santa Claus.

any of you?

People are so quick to say there is no Santa with a chuckle and wink,
but why is everyone so sure of themselves in their denial of Old Saint Nick?

 

[TimOliv]

Oh but that is why St. Nick and Santa are so important.

Instead of teaching the munchkins to develop that greed list, have you ever considered what anonymous giving fosters?

Have you ever left a whole box of groceries, out of money your family earned in various ways, on the doorstep of somebody you knew could use it but would never ask, ran like the dickens back to the car, and tagged those groceries, “From Santa Claus”?

Have you ever given deprived children bikes your family has fixed up, or for which you all raised money, and labled them, “From St. Nicholas”?

Have you ever sent a passel of gift certificates to an elder person, and signed the card, “From Santa”?

Then you do not understand about Santa, or St. Nick, and you so desperately need to do that. it is immeasurably wonderful to give a gift for whihc nobody can thank you, or be indebted to you.

If Santa is in your house, and he is the bringer of crass commercialism, and you are lying about his true intentions, he is NOT the right Santa, and you should make him leave.

And there is a difference, young man, between “lying” and encouraging generosity through anonymous giving. If my husband the ethicist says Santa is noble and good when done correctly, then Santa is noble and good when done correctly.

“Santa” does not have the capacity to be noble and good, he is fictional.

Santa has become (aside from a symbol of commercialism) a personification of our perfect image of the Christmas Spirit.

But he doesn’t need to be.

Because we have a Saint who this mythical character is based on.

Why is Santa our beacon for anonymous and selfless giving instead of Jesus Christ who should be the one we are honoring at Christmas time?

Why is it selfless giving is “being Santa” instead of “being Christian?”

 

[mystified]

The Santa Claus myth is probably harmless. However, with the ever-increasing emphasis on commercialism surrounding the Christmas season, maybe someone should invoke the **Sanity ****Clause **(thanks, Walt Kelly).
There is a movement afoot to counter the ACLU’s drive to remove Christmas from public life: “Happy Holiday!” “Holiday Tree,” Winter break or vacation. The idea is to send Christmas cards to the ACLU’s offices all over the country, flooding them with mail that they’d need to open in case there was inmportant documents or money enclosed. Could keep them busy for awhile, couldn’t it?
Jesús is the real reason for the season.

 

[Saint_Michael]

Oh but that is why St. Nick and Santa are so important.

Instead of teaching the munchkins to develop that greed list, have you ever considered what anonymous giving fosters?

Have you ever left a whole box of groceries, out of money your family earned in various ways, on the doorstep of somebody you knew could use it but would never ask, ran like the dickens back to the car, and tagged those groceries, “From Santa Claus”?

Have you ever given deprived children bikes your family has fixed up, or for which you all raised money, and labled them, “From St. Nicholas”?

Have you ever sent a passel of gift certificates to an elder person who has nobody and very little in material goods, and signed the card, “From Santa”?

Have you ever received a gift which you truly desired, but had no hope to ever receive, and it was signed, simply, “Santa”?

Then you do not understand about Santa, or St. Nick, and you so desperately need to do that. It is immeasurably wonderful to give a gift for which nobody can thank you, or be indebted to you. It is marvelous to receive a gift for whihc you can thank nobody but an anonymous donor and God.

If Santa is in your house, and he is the bringer of crass commercialism, and you are lying about his true intentions, he is NOT the right Santa, and you should make him leave.

And there is a difference, young man, between “lying” and encouraging generosity through anonymous giving. If my husband the ethicist says Santa is noble and good when done correctly, then Santa is noble and good when done correctly.

The day a child learns who Santa really is, that’s the day the child learns an important lesson in giving.

Santa taught me zero about charity, he taught me that some jolly fat man will give my greedy little heart stuff I didn’t need or deserve, and probably put my already struggling parents deeper in debt. Jesus would HATE Santa and the consumerism that surrounds his holiday. He would excorsize the money changers from the Temples all over again.

My father giving our last $20.00 at a Yankee game to a homeless man outside the stadium meaning I had to go hot dogless, and he beerless taught me more about charity in 15 seconds than Santa did in the 6 years I believed in that claptrap.

 

[jmcrae]

The fat guy at the North Pole doesn’t really exist, but he is a symbol of the generous spirit of giving that is within all of us, especially at Christmas time.

The Santa Claus myth teaches children to be generous without seeking a reward when they see their parents making food and gift hampers for the poor, and marking them “From Santa Claus.”

Fanciful stories are good for children - they give them an entry point into the deeper mysteries of life. “Why are there poor people? Who helps them? What can we do?” Santa Claus provides a means to begin to deal with these questions with children.

 

[TimOliv]

“Santa” does not have the capacity to be noble and good, he is fictional.

Santa has become (aside from a symbol of commercialism) a personification of our perfect image of the Christmas Spirit.

But he doesn’t need to be.

Because we have a Saint who this mythical character is based on.

Why is Santa our beacon for anonymous and selfless giving instead of Jesus Christ who should be the one we are honoring at Christmas time?

Why is it selfless giving is “being Santa” instead of “being Christian?”

I will quote myself since the post just above this one seems to have not read it.

 

[jmcrae]

If you put “from Jesus” on your gifts to the poor, you would be committing blasphemy, would you not?

It is precisely because Santa Claus is a fictional character - one that we all agree on - that we can do anonymous acts of kindness in his name, both without risking the act being taken the wrong way, and without taking the Lord’s name in vain.

 

[TimOliv]

If you put “from Jesus” on your gifts to the poor, you would be committing blasphemy, would you not?

It is precisely because Santa Claus is a fictional character - one that we all agree on - that we can do anonymous acts of kindness in his name, both without risking the act being taken the wrong way, and without taking the Lord’s name in vain.

…that has to be the dumbest arguement I ever heard in my life.

So because you need a name to put in the “From:” part of your gift tags we should just run with Santa? Get real.

How about signing them “In Christ’s Love” or “Your Brother in Christ.”

And how would that be blasphemy exactly? By your logic many Hispanic parents commit blasphemy when they name their children Jesus.

 

[Julianna]

…that has to be the dumbest arguement I ever heard in my life.

So because you need a name to put in the “From:” part of your gift tags we should just run with Santa? Get real.

How about signing them “In Christ’s Love” or “Your Brother in Christ.”

And how would that be blasphemy exactly? By your logic many Hispanic parents commit blasphemy when they name their children Jesus.

Tim…calm down…it’s the extremists running amok again…

 

[TimOliv]

Tim…calm down…it’s the extremists running amok again…

It’s the Italian blood. Like when an Italian guy knocks over a lamp or has his foot stuck in the TV after kicking the screen then yells “I am calm!”

 

[Saint_Michael]

…that has to be the dumbest arguement I ever heard in my life.

So because you need a name to put in the “From:” part of your gift tags we should just run with Santa? Get real.

How about signing them “In Christ’s Love” or “Your Brother in Christ.”

And how would that be blasphemy exactly? By your logic many Hispanic parents commit blasphemy when they name their children Jesus.

It’s real simple “Santa” was changed from a story to teach children about giving, into possibly the best marketing mascot in the history of advertisment. This was all done by the advertisement agencies in the 40’s and 50’s and it gets worse every year. Our economy essentially lives or dies on how much garbage we buy from Mid-November to December 24th. That’s just crazy…

Christmas has been “hi-jacked”, and I doubt anyone here would say Jesus would be please with what His birthday has been turned into. And yes the made up fat man in the North Pole is a huge part of it.

I would love for Santa to go by the wayside, and all the garbage, and put the focus back on Christ personally. But where do we start? It’s ingrained in our consciousness…

How awesome would it be to give the billions we will spend this Christmas on Power Ranger action fgures, and Spongebob bubble blowers this Christmas towards ending poverty in Africa?

 

[Julianna]

It’s the Italian blood. Like when an Italian guy knocks over a lamp or has his foot stuck in the TV after kicking the screen then yells “I am calm!”

And that dear Tim, is why I married an Irishman. If I need him, all I have to do it go to the fridge and open a bottle of Killians and he appears in the kitchen, “Yes, my dear?”

My siblings all married Irish as well. There can only be one boss in my house…and that would be me…the IAP…(Italian American Princess).

I do have a daughter, the wee lass…very much the Irish Princess, and temper to go with it.

It’s not only the extremists in politics that scare me, it’s the extremists in religion as well.

 

[TimOliv]

And that dear Tim, is why I married an Irishman. If I need him, all I have to do it go to the fridge and open a bottle of Killians and he appears in the kitchen, “Yes, my dear?”

My siblings all married Irish as well. There can only be one boss in my house…and that would be me…the IAP…(Italian American Princess).

I do have a daughter, the wee lass…very much the Irish Princess, and temper to go with it.

It’s not only the extremists in politics that scare me, it’s the extremists in religion as well.

I try to avoid extremes. I’m a middle path kind of guy.

Born to be mild.

 

[Julianna]

It’s real simple “Santa” was changed from a story to teach children about giving, into possibly the best marketing mascot in the history of advertisment. This was all done by the advertisement agencies in the 40’s and 50’s and it gets worse every year. Our economy essentially lives or dies on how much garbage we buy from Mid-November to December 24th. That’s just crazy…

Christmas has been “hi-jacked”, and I doubt anyone here would say Jesus would be please with what His birthday has been turned into. And yes the made up fat man in the Norht Pole is a huge part of it.

I would love Santa to go by the wayside, and all the garbage, and put the focus back on Christ personally. But where do start? It’s ingrained in our consciousness…

How awsome would it be to give the billions we spend on Power Ranger action fgures, and Spongebob bubble blowers this Christmas towards ending poverty in Africa?

Change comes from within. Teach your children what you have just stated here above. Santa may have turned into a media icon, but it can be reversed in your household…and maybe spread out. As long as people “buy” into the commercial Christmas…the stores will sell. I like some of the suggestions that folks have given on this thread. Think out of the box. Change happens within…and spreads out.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Well, that’s two Italians. And this middle aged Italian lady is very impassioned about Santa; the good Santa, not that greedy weasel that guzzles Coca-Cola and makes people spend money they don’t have on Nintendo games for children who deserve coal and switches.

See, my daughter’s confirmation name is Nicholette, for St. Nick. St. Nick and Santa are special in our house. You have to understand the tradition behind him. Look him up, St. Nick. We use him as our family patron. Patron saints are good things. He is the “excuse” we use because we don’t want to call attention to our good deeds in light of the day.

And I wasn’t trying to condescend. St. Nick does things in our house. We’ve had our share of troubles, but it’s so much fun to be sneaky for a good cause when you’re feeling bad, to go do something nice for somebody else, and blame it on Nick so nobody has to say, “thank you” of feel indebted. It’s not like Befana, who has no saintly counterpart.

Happy now, boys? You’ve made an old Italian Nona cry.