Santa Free Christmas

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Robert_Burns

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I came across this this Morning.

BERLIN (Reuters Life!) - A group of German Catholics wants to do away with Santa Claus because of the fictional figure’s commercial hype and replace him with St Nicolas and the selfless giving they say he represents.

Even before shops fill with Santa-themed goodies, the Bonifatiuswerk of German Catholics – a Catholic aid organization – has begun calling for “Santa Claus-free zones.”

WHY NOT take back our Holiday from the Secularists?
 
Way ahead of you.

I’ve already got my wife to agree last year that Christmas should be Jesus-centered (as it should be) and we’re not raising our kids thinking Santa is real. I can see all the PO’ed parents right now who’s complaining how my kids spoiled Christmas for their kids 😃

But thats not my intention. There was this beautiful commercial in the Philippines where they have a pencil sketch of Santa Claus and while the voice over is talking about what Christmas is all about, like replacing the “ho ho hos” with “Alleluias”, the pencil is carefully editing the sketch and at the end of the commercial its now a sketch of Jesus.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Way ahead of you.

I’ve already got my wife to agree last year that Christmas should be Jesus-centered (as it should be) and we’re not raising our kids thinking Santa is real. I can see all the PO’ed parents right now who’s complaining how my kids spoiled Christmas for their kids 😃

But thats not my intention. There was this beautiful commercial in the Philippines where they have a pencil sketch of Santa Claus and while the voice over is talking about what Christmas is all about, like replacing the “ho ho hos” with “Alleluias”, the pencil is carefully editing the sketch and at the end of the commercial its now a sketch of Jesus.
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Robert: We have been having Cathollc Christmas’s for the past ten years. We give out the gifts on the Epiphany in honor of the Three Kings. We decorate the Tree only after midnight Mass. We do the Advent wreath during the Season of Advent and the Prayers and instead of being in a festive mood as most everyone else is during that time of year , for Catholics its a penitential season in preparation for the Great Joy of Christmas - Christ is born.

We have such rich traditions in our faith that have been overshadowed by the Secular world. But it seems that Catholics are beginning to stand up and be counted like in the article I read this morning.

Good for you ! One by one we can take our Holidays back instead of letting them attempt to change them and dictate to us.

Pax
 
Right. I forgot to add that Christmas would be about giving to the poor. Since we’re relatively well off, our kids can get their toys any time of the year. But Christmas whould be about gifts for those who really need them, as Christ was given to us because we really need Him.
 
While I agree whole heartedly that Jesus be the center of Christmas, I LOVE the fantasy part as well. Not necessarily the COMMERCIAL part… but just the magic of it all.

And Santa has always played a part in that. And even though I saw the Santa at the Mall, I had my baby pic taken with him… so did my kids, when the pretend part fell away, in the “Mom, is Santa Real?” we went straight into St. Nicholas… Which I’m actually starting earlier with my kids.

There are some books about Santa that are charming and fun to read. My recent favorite A Special Place for Santa It’s about how he TOO finds that Christmas has been commercialized… and that people are looking on his poorly for this… when his whole goal was to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I highly recommend this story. I actually picked it up on a Catholic Store online. It would be a great transition for those whose home is already visited by Santa…

We also have an advent wreath… one of my best memories as a child was the nightly anticipation of lighting the candles and saying prayers. This year will be the first year, I think I can safely take out my Nativity Scene and not risk all the ceremic pieces. If anyone has a tradition wrapped around that, I’d love to hear it. Somehow bringing out the pcs. a few at time… Like the arrival at the birthspot??? We pick up and decorate our tree the day after Thanksgiving… I love the whole season to last… All the way through the first of the year. And we also have an advent calendar. It’s a large box with little doors. Painted… My priest happend over during the holiday season last year… It was the first thing he commented on… and wanted to know where I had gotten it. He loved it. Costco btw… they are about $30.00 And will last forever.

I also take my kids shopping (because that’s fun too!) and they buy toys for other children. We donate them to toys for tots. It’s getting more fun to watch them figure out what they’ll get some unknown boy or girl.

Please keep sharing the faith centered ideas… of celebration, and giving.

OP… thanks for bringing it up… I’m so excited for the Christmas season!!!
 
Robert_Burns said:
Robert: We have been having Cathollc Christmas’s for the past ten years. We give out the gifts on the Epiphany in honor of the Three Kings. We decorate the Tree only after midnight Mass. We do the Advent wreath during the Season of Advent and the Prayers and instead of being in a festive mood as most everyone else is during that time of year , for Catholics its a penitential season in preparation for the Great Joy of Christmas - Christ is born.

We have such rich traditions in our faith that have been overshadowed by the Secular world. But it seems that Catholics are beginning to stand up and be counted like in the article I read this morning.

Good for you ! One by one we can take our Holidays back instead of letting them attempt to change them and dictate to us.

Pax
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Can you elaborate on what you do for the Epiphany? That sounds like a great way to wrap up the season. Details for the day would be great!!!

I’m like a total kid planning their own birthday party! I’m way more involved for Christ’s Birthday!
 
Robert_Burns said:
I came across this this Morning.

BERLIN (Reuters Life!) - A group of German Catholics wants to do away with Santa Claus because of the fictional figure’s commercial hype and replace him with St Nicolas and the selfless giving they say he represents.

Even before shops fill with Santa-themed goodies, the Bonifatiuswerk of German Catholics – a Catholic aid organization – has begun calling for “Santa Claus-free zones.”

WHY NOT take back our Holiday from the Secularists?
Click to expand...
I got news for them.

Santa Claus IS St. Nicholas.

Don’t care if you or anyone else doesn’t like him, don’t care how he’s dressed or portrayed.

He’s a saint, and one of my favorites.
 
I guess my lack of fondness with Santa Claus is that the images of him is always on a sleigh with snow and he comes down chimneys. I grew up in the Philippines where there are no chimneys or snow. I can’t even remember in actually believing in Santa. Although I did know him when I was young, I always knew my gifts came from my dad.

Besides, Church is very central to the Philippine Christmas tradition. The Nativity scene is a more common decoration in homes than secular characters. The Nativity scene and plastic Christmas Trees 😃
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
I got news for them.

Santa Claus IS St. Nicholas.

Don’t care if you or anyone else doesn’t like him, don’t care how he’s dressed or portrayed.

He’s a saint, and one of my favorites.
Click to expand...
Hardly anymore. Remember that Santa Claus is an elf from the North Pole, not the Bishop of Myra.
 
Isn’t it a bit early for the annual Santa debate? It’s still early October. It’s not even past Halloween yet!

It seems to start earlier and earlier every year…

😛 😃 😉
 
Catholics are just never happy to just let teir kids have a bit of innocent fun, are they? My family went to chrisdtmass mass, decorateed the house in angels and nativity scenes, played holiday hymns, and yet still let me have my fantasy and set cookies out for Santa. It’s just part of being a kid. I’d never take that away from my future children. My familt up and ruined the entire season for me, like heck I want to do that to my own kids.
 
Sadly I don’t think its just innocent fun. Santa Claus has virtually replaced Jesus Christ in many people’s minds as the central figure of Christmas.

Besides, I can always play the race card. Santa Claus was never part of Filipino culture until Westernization came in. Raising my child without Santa Claus is not depriving him of anything that is part of his cultural heritage.
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
I got news for them.

Santa Claus IS St. Nicholas.

Don’t care if you or anyone else doesn’t like him, don’t care how he’s dressed or portrayed.

He’s a saint, and one of my favorites.
Click to expand...
St Nicholas didnt have elves and flying reindeer and he didnt live in the North Pole.
 
faithfully said:
Can you elaborate on what you do for the Epiphany? That sounds like a great way to wrap up the season. Details for the day would be great!!!

I’m like a total kid planning their own birthday party! I’m way more involved for Christ’s Birthday!
Click to expand...
Well on Christmas Eve - we go to Midnight Mass. When we get home - We place the Baby Jesus in the Manger which during advent had everything but the baby Jesus in it. On Christmas morning we start cooking and have all of our children over usually around mid day for Dinner. We serve Goose as the main meal which is the only time we ever eat Goose. During the 12 Days of Christmas , my wife being Mexican , Makes Tamales and Other such meals , On Epiphany she makes Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings bread) which is a sweet bread shaped in a wreath (Sometimes with a baby Jesus figurine inside. ) Now the tradition is - whoever gets the piece with the Figurine has to have Dinner on Candlemas - but we dont do that part because Some of Our Children arent living nearby. But she still makes dinner and the Bread for Epiphany and we open the gifts on that day. We have mincemeat and Irish Soda Bread too during the holidays. Other than Soda Bread its the only time of Year we eat this type of Food. (Soda Bread on St Patricks day also)
 
Joe_5859 said:
Isn’t it a bit early for the annual Santa debate? It’s still early October. It’s not even past Halloween yet!

It seems to start earlier and earlier every year…

😛 😃 😉
Click to expand...
I read the article today. See the Original Post.
 
Robert_Burns said:
I read the article today. See the Original Post.
Click to expand...
I realize that. It was my attempt at injecting some humor into the thread. I was alluding to the fact that people are always complaining about how the Christmas decorations seem to go up earlier and earlier every year.

When I have to explain it, it doesn’t seem as funny. 😛
 
Joe_5859 said:
I realize that. It was my attempt at injecting some humor into the thread. I was alluding to the fact that people are always complaining about how the Christmas decorations seem to go up earlier and earlier every year.

When I have to explain it, it doesn’t seem as funny. 😛
Click to expand...
Be happy you’re not Filipino. Christmas season there starts September 1 😃
 
faithfully said:
While I agree whole heartedly that Jesus be the center of Christmas, I LOVE the fantasy part as well. Not necessarily the COMMERCIAL part… but just the magic of it all.

And Santa has always played a part in that. And even though I saw the Santa at the Mall, I had my baby pic taken with him… so did my kids, when the pretend part fell away, in the “Mom, is Santa Real?” we went straight into St. Nicholas… Which I’m actually starting earlier with my kids.

There are some books about Santa that are charming and fun to read. My recent favorite A Special Place for Santa It’s about how he TOO finds that Christmas has been commercialized… and that people are looking on his poorly for this… when his whole goal was to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I highly recommend this story. I actually picked it up on a Catholic Store online. It would be a great transition for those whose home is already visited by Santa…

We also have an advent wreath… one of my best memories as a child was the nightly anticipation of lighting the candles and saying prayers. This year will be the first year, I think I can safely take out my Nativity Scene and not risk all the ceremic pieces. If anyone has a tradition wrapped around that, I’d love to hear it. Somehow bringing out the pcs. a few at time… Like the arrival at the birthspot??? We pick up and decorate our tree the day after Thanksgiving… I love the whole season to last… All the way through the first of the year. And we also have an advent calendar. It’s a large box with little doors. Painted… My priest happend over during the holiday season last year… It was the first thing he commented on… and wanted to know where I had gotten it. He loved it. Costco btw… they are about $30.00 And will last forever.

I also take my kids shopping (because that’s fun too!) and they buy toys for other children. We donate them to toys for tots. It’s getting more fun to watch them figure out what they’ll get some unknown boy or girl.

Please keep sharing the faith centered ideas… of celebration, and giving.

OP… thanks for bringing it up… I’m so excited for the Christmas season!!!
Click to expand...
One of the things I do with the Nativity is I set it up empty at the beginning of advent. i put in Mary Joseph with the aniamls then on Christams eve I add the Baby Jesus. then at Ephiany I add the Kings and shepherds.
 
Joe_5859 said:
I realize that. It was my attempt at injecting some humor into the thread. I was alluding to the fact that people are always complaining about how the Christmas decorations seem to go up earlier and earlier every year.

When I have to explain it, it doesn’t seem as funny. 😛
Click to expand...
It was funny!!! It’s probably time we start talking Christmas before Target gets their decorations up! Which you KNOW will be before Thanksgiving… a holiday that I think they have decided to write off!
 
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