L
Lorelei12
Guest
Kids aren’t dumb. They understand the difference between faith and a fun story pretty clearly, especially if their family is comprised of practicing Catholics who live their faith daily.
- Status
Kids aren’t dumb. They understand the difference between faith and a fun story pretty clearly, especially if their family is comprised of practicing Catholics who live their faith daily.
M
mommamaree
Guest
Santa Claus
Santa meaning saint
Claus being a nickname for Nicholas
St. Nicholas is Santa Claus is St. Nick is Sinterklaus
Other names my kids use interchangeably are Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, etc.
We celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas on Dec. 6, with stockings containing bags of gold coins (chocolate) and other tiny goodies, to honor St. Nick’s generosity in anonymously providing dowries for three daughters of a poor family to save the girls from having to enter into lifelong servitude.
Then on Christmas morning, we celebrate with presents given in honor of baby Jesus’ birthday, and we read “A Place For Santa”, a children’s book showing the relationship between the custom of Christmas presents and the focus upon the birth of our Lord.
Through the season, my husband and I hide our part in giving of the gifts in the same way that St. Nick did in his giving of dowries. We “blame” the whole thing upon Santa, who is in fact, alive in Heaven with our Lord. That is why he is canonized as a Saint. Our Lord cannot be diminished by His sharing His birthday with a custom honoring a saint who so earnestly loved Our Lord that he gave presents to young people and slapped heretics! Our Lord is magnified when we show how He works through the lives of his faithful servants.
Plus, parents get no ego boost through gift-giving at Christmas, if they are not even recognized as the givers. The anonymity shields the parents and makes it so much more fun, just like Operation Christmas and other anonymous Christmas charities!
Santa meaning saint
Claus being a nickname for Nicholas
St. Nicholas is Santa Claus is St. Nick is Sinterklaus
Other names my kids use interchangeably are Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, etc.
We celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas on Dec. 6, with stockings containing bags of gold coins (chocolate) and other tiny goodies, to honor St. Nick’s generosity in anonymously providing dowries for three daughters of a poor family to save the girls from having to enter into lifelong servitude.
Then on Christmas morning, we celebrate with presents given in honor of baby Jesus’ birthday, and we read “A Place For Santa”, a children’s book showing the relationship between the custom of Christmas presents and the focus upon the birth of our Lord.
Through the season, my husband and I hide our part in giving of the gifts in the same way that St. Nick did in his giving of dowries. We “blame” the whole thing upon Santa, who is in fact, alive in Heaven with our Lord. That is why he is canonized as a Saint. Our Lord cannot be diminished by His sharing His birthday with a custom honoring a saint who so earnestly loved Our Lord that he gave presents to young people and slapped heretics! Our Lord is magnified when we show how He works through the lives of his faithful servants.
Plus, parents get no ego boost through gift-giving at Christmas, if they are not even recognized as the givers. The anonymity shields the parents and makes it so much more fun, just like Operation Christmas and other anonymous Christmas charities!
A
ahollars
Guest
http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/im...10/B97ND00Z/posters/danny-hahlbohm-homage.jpg
I go through great lengths to keep up the game before my children make their first communion. I have Google Earth setup with their “Santa Tracker” on the computer. NORAD also has a “monitor” of Santa’s progress on Christmas Eve.
It’s harmless fun. My nativity scene is still front and center in the living room. It is the tree that is off to the side.
I go through great lengths to keep up the game before my children make their first communion. I have Google Earth setup with their “Santa Tracker” on the computer. NORAD also has a “monitor” of Santa’s progress on Christmas Eve.
It’s harmless fun. My nativity scene is still front and center in the living room. It is the tree that is off to the side.
T
The_Bucket
Guest
I quite agree. We stress that St. Nicholas was absolutely a real person and that we should emulate his generosity. We read the Night Before Christmas and all that good stuff… right down to saying “Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night” and making sure there’s no “Merry Christmas” in there because that’s NOT what the book said.
Kids aren’t dumb. They understand the difference between faith and a fun story pretty clearly, especially if their family is comprised of practicing Catholics who live their faith daily.
As for eight reindeer and a sleigh and the North Pole… we just say to them “What do you think?” if our four and three year olds ask if it’s real. They usually say “I dunno.”
If I say “Is God real?” they say “Yes.” That’s what important.
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loozcannon
Guest
WHAT?!!?!?!? Santa isn’t real? :crying::bigyikes::bighanky:
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mellowcalico
Guest
I believed in Santa and have fond memories of it… and it hasn’t had any negative effects on me. So I let my daughter believe too.
She’s 8-years-old and sometimes asks, “Is Santa real?” I don’t lie to her and say “yes,” but I also don’t say “no.” I simply ask, “what do you think?” and let her do the talking. I just listen and let her know I think what she says is interesting.
When it gets close to that time when she realizes he isn’t really real, I will explain to her that Santa is based on St. Nicholas and is a way for parents to help explain the goodness of being selfless in a way that little kids can understand and is fun for them. (to me, this whole Santa thing is done much in the way that Jesus used parables to explain concepts to people so they could understand… we do the same for our kids). But when it comes time and she doesn’t believe, I will let her know that now that she’s older and can understand, she’s in on the “secret”… that each of us “are Santa” in spirit and that being selfless is in each of us and that this time of the year reminds us to be giving and loving (like Santa).
At least, that’s the way I am hoping it goes.
EDIT: BTW, my daughter reckons Santa is real because, “there is no way you can afford all these toys mommy… we are poor!” She doesn’t realize how I save up and plan to make it all happen. And we really aren’t “poor” I am just frugal, lol.
She’s 8-years-old and sometimes asks, “Is Santa real?” I don’t lie to her and say “yes,” but I also don’t say “no.” I simply ask, “what do you think?” and let her do the talking. I just listen and let her know I think what she says is interesting.
When it gets close to that time when she realizes he isn’t really real, I will explain to her that Santa is based on St. Nicholas and is a way for parents to help explain the goodness of being selfless in a way that little kids can understand and is fun for them. (to me, this whole Santa thing is done much in the way that Jesus used parables to explain concepts to people so they could understand… we do the same for our kids). But when it comes time and she doesn’t believe, I will let her know that now that she’s older and can understand, she’s in on the “secret”… that each of us “are Santa” in spirit and that being selfless is in each of us and that this time of the year reminds us to be giving and loving (like Santa).
At least, that’s the way I am hoping it goes.
EDIT: BTW, my daughter reckons Santa is real because, “there is no way you can afford all these toys mommy… we are poor!” She doesn’t realize how I save up and plan to make it all happen. And we really aren’t “poor” I am just frugal, lol.
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thewanderer
Guest
Sounds kind of what it was like growing up for me. All of us kids knew that Santa Claus was St. Nick and that really it was our parents who put out the presents on St. Nick’s day, and our parents knew that we all knew, but we all still played along and it was a great family tradition for everyone invloved. People, this really doesn’t have to be an either or. Its not as though you can’t do the whole santa claus tradition if your kids know the truth.Santa Claus
Santa meaning saint
Claus being a nickname for Nicholas
St. Nicholas is Santa Claus is St. Nick is Sinterklaus
Other names my kids use interchangeably are Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, etc.
We celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas on Dec. 6, with stockings containing bags of gold coins (chocolate) and other tiny goodies, to honor St. Nick’s generosity in anonymously providing dowries for three daughters of a poor family to save the girls from having to enter into lifelong servitude.
Then on Christmas morning, we celebrate with presents given in honor of baby Jesus’ birthday, and we read “A Place For Santa”, a children’s book showing the relationship between the custom of Christmas presents and the focus upon the birth of our Lord.
Through the season, my husband and I hide our part in giving of the gifts in the same way that St. Nick did in his giving of dowries. We “blame” the whole thing upon Santa, who is in fact, alive in Heaven with our Lord. That is why he is canonized as a Saint. Our Lord cannot be diminished by His sharing His birthday with a custom honoring a saint who so earnestly loved Our Lord that he gave presents to young people and slapped heretics! Our Lord is magnified when we show how He works through the lives of his faithful servants.
Plus, parents get no ego boost through gift-giving at Christmas, if they are not even recognized as the givers. The anonymity shields the parents and makes it so much more fun, just like Operation Christmas and other anonymous Christmas charities!
R
R_C
Guest
I was waiting for this one!
@Skye_Ariel I’d love to see like postcards or posters with similar images that say “Jesus is the reason for the season”
P.s.: this debate reminded me of the story of St. Therese of Lisieux…but I won’t mention it so that those who don’t remember it/know it will find out by reading Story of a Soul
T
TheRealJuliane
Guest
My kids never directly asked me if Santa was real. There was no “moment” when they had their fantasies shattered, they just grew up. Seriously. I think the people who want to make this an issue either don’t have children, or got messed up in other ways as children. It’s just not a big deal. You do it until the kids are mature enough to figure it out, and then you develop other traditions.
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Aeden
Guest
My folks had me believing in santa for a while there. Never said he lived up north or anything. My old man used to laugh when he called him a big fat man, because he was talking about himself.
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Mrs_Sally
Guest
We didn’t encourage Santa beliefs, but I didn’t go out of my way to shield my children from others who did.
I guess we were blessed to not have friends who went crazy over the top about Santa. I just do NOT understand things like leaving reindeers “droppings” in the yard!
We didn’t hang up stockings, leave out cookies, write letters, or get pictures taken with ‘Santa’. We did have stockings at my mom’s house and she sometimes wrapped a present or two in special ‘Santa’ paper. My kid’s friends may have talked about what they were getting from Santa, but mine were fine countering with what they got for Christmas and no one noticed the disconnect.
We also live in a very diverse area so plenty of kids at school were celebrating other things in December.
I guess we were blessed to not have friends who went crazy over the top about Santa. I just do NOT understand things like leaving reindeers “droppings” in the yard!
We didn’t hang up stockings, leave out cookies, write letters, or get pictures taken with ‘Santa’. We did have stockings at my mom’s house and she sometimes wrapped a present or two in special ‘Santa’ paper. My kid’s friends may have talked about what they were getting from Santa, but mine were fine countering with what they got for Christmas and no one noticed the disconnect.
We also live in a very diverse area so plenty of kids at school were celebrating other things in December.
L
Litcrit
Guest
I love fantasy and fiction and make-believe. Stories, cartoons, plays, costumes, games.
But “doing” Santa crosses the boundary into “really real” reality in a way that I am just uncomfortable doing. It’s one thing to tell a story or play a game, and another to claim that an actual real person named Santa Claus has been to our home and left tangible gifts.
Even the tiniest of kids know this distinction. My two-year-old loves cooking air in a plastic cup and eating it, shouting “yum-yum”; but when she’s hungry, she knows it’s actual real food she wants.
I tried to “do” Santa *without *crossing this boundary. I told my older daughter the story of Santa - about St. Nicholas and how he helped others and how he died and went to be with God and how some people now believe he brings presents to kids.
I dressed up as Santa and brought presents, and then my kids got to wear the costume too.
I’d like to say that this approach has been perfect. My older daughter, now almost 6, seems a bit bitter about there being no real Santa. And I can’t, just can’t bring myself to utter the words “Yes, Santa Claus is a real person who really brings real presents to every kid.” I don’t remember ever consciously and deliberately telling my child *as a fact *something that I don’t believe to be factually true. Stories are different. They don’t make my children expect to see a fairy or an enchanted princess or an evil witch in their daily lives and feel disappointed if they don’t.
I really dislike the whole Santa thing and the fact that it exists and that it leaves me with two uncomfortable options - deprive my children or lie to them.
But “doing” Santa crosses the boundary into “really real” reality in a way that I am just uncomfortable doing. It’s one thing to tell a story or play a game, and another to claim that an actual real person named Santa Claus has been to our home and left tangible gifts.
Even the tiniest of kids know this distinction. My two-year-old loves cooking air in a plastic cup and eating it, shouting “yum-yum”; but when she’s hungry, she knows it’s actual real food she wants.
I tried to “do” Santa *without *crossing this boundary. I told my older daughter the story of Santa - about St. Nicholas and how he helped others and how he died and went to be with God and how some people now believe he brings presents to kids.
I dressed up as Santa and brought presents, and then my kids got to wear the costume too.
I’d like to say that this approach has been perfect. My older daughter, now almost 6, seems a bit bitter about there being no real Santa. And I can’t, just can’t bring myself to utter the words “Yes, Santa Claus is a real person who really brings real presents to every kid.” I don’t remember ever consciously and deliberately telling my child *as a fact *something that I don’t believe to be factually true. Stories are different. They don’t make my children expect to see a fairy or an enchanted princess or an evil witch in their daily lives and feel disappointed if they don’t.
I really dislike the whole Santa thing and the fact that it exists and that it leaves me with two uncomfortable options - deprive my children or lie to them.
M
Mrs_Sally
Guest
Lovely sentiment! And God bless you richly for taking in those children that needed a new family and home.What’s wrong with the truth? What’s wrong with teaching our children about Saint Nicholas? The generous Bishop of the Catholic Church who teaches us the values that Jesus gave us? Or that the symbols of Easter ALL point back to the 1st Easter? What’s wrong with that?
**Personally the Catholic calendar and the immense richness of our faith is so much more beautiful then what’s being sold in shopping malls. **
So when we took in 5 children from the foster system it was a perfect opportunity to start over right. Our older children agreed. And our faith has grown because of it.
Today we remembered Saint Nicholas’ feast day and celebrated it with me baking cookies and fudge to celebrate a “sweet” man
signed a happier mother & wife :extrahappy:
P
Portrait
Guest
Dearly beloved friends,
Cordial greetings and a very good day.
Those who morbidly worry overmuch about children believing in Santa Claus are, I think, falling into a sort of cultish mentality and are actually missing something very big. It is always a risky business to analyse fantasies, but perhaps it maybe worth our effort. Fantasies, dear friends, are critical ways of entering a world, a real world that is closed to us in ordinary human language and affairs. They are doors to wonder and awe and a way of touching Something otherwise out of reach. Santa Claus is, I believe, like that.
No one has expressed this truth more movingly and accurately, in my opnion, than the noted British Catholic author C.K. Chesterton, in an essay years ago in the London Tablet. On Christmas morning, he remembered, his stockings were filled with things he had not worked for, or made, or even ‘been good’ for. The only explanation people had was that a being called Santa Claus was somehow kindly disposed towards him. “We believed,” he wrote, that a certain benevolent person “did give us those toys for nothing. And…I believe it still. I have merely extended the idea”. “Then I only wondered who put the toys in the stocking; now I wonder who put the stocking by the bed, and the bed in the room, and the room in the house, and the house on the planet, and the great planet in the void. Once I only thanked Santa Claus for a few dolls and crackers; now I thank him for stars and street faces and wine and the great sea. Once I thought it delightful and astonishing to find a present so big that it only went halfway into the stocking. Now I am delighted and astonished every morning to find a present so big that it takes two stockings to hold it, and then leaves a great deal outside; it is the large and preposterous present of myself, as to the origin of which I can offer no suggestion except that Santa Claus gave it to me in a fit of peculiarly fantastic goodwill”.
Are not Catholic parents blessed abundantly to have for their children (and for themselves) such a fantastic and jolly playful bridge to infinite, unconditionally loving Goodness, that Goodness, dear friends, which conceived of the Christmas event in the very first place? Let men call Santa Claus a myth or what they will, but in his name parents and, for that matter, all of us who give gifts at this special and happy time of year, are putting each other in deeper touch with, to use Chesterton’s words, the “peculiarly fantastic goodwill” which is the ultimate Source of the Holy Season and it is all jolly good fun to boot. Moreover, as another poster has said, it is a tremendous opportinity to teach our children the duty and blessing of generosity to others.
Warmest good wishes and compliments of the Season,
Portrait
Pax:tiphat:
Cordial greetings and a very good day.
Those who morbidly worry overmuch about children believing in Santa Claus are, I think, falling into a sort of cultish mentality and are actually missing something very big. It is always a risky business to analyse fantasies, but perhaps it maybe worth our effort. Fantasies, dear friends, are critical ways of entering a world, a real world that is closed to us in ordinary human language and affairs. They are doors to wonder and awe and a way of touching Something otherwise out of reach. Santa Claus is, I believe, like that.
No one has expressed this truth more movingly and accurately, in my opnion, than the noted British Catholic author C.K. Chesterton, in an essay years ago in the London Tablet. On Christmas morning, he remembered, his stockings were filled with things he had not worked for, or made, or even ‘been good’ for. The only explanation people had was that a being called Santa Claus was somehow kindly disposed towards him. “We believed,” he wrote, that a certain benevolent person “did give us those toys for nothing. And…I believe it still. I have merely extended the idea”. “Then I only wondered who put the toys in the stocking; now I wonder who put the stocking by the bed, and the bed in the room, and the room in the house, and the house on the planet, and the great planet in the void. Once I only thanked Santa Claus for a few dolls and crackers; now I thank him for stars and street faces and wine and the great sea. Once I thought it delightful and astonishing to find a present so big that it only went halfway into the stocking. Now I am delighted and astonished every morning to find a present so big that it takes two stockings to hold it, and then leaves a great deal outside; it is the large and preposterous present of myself, as to the origin of which I can offer no suggestion except that Santa Claus gave it to me in a fit of peculiarly fantastic goodwill”.
Are not Catholic parents blessed abundantly to have for their children (and for themselves) such a fantastic and jolly playful bridge to infinite, unconditionally loving Goodness, that Goodness, dear friends, which conceived of the Christmas event in the very first place? Let men call Santa Claus a myth or what they will, but in his name parents and, for that matter, all of us who give gifts at this special and happy time of year, are putting each other in deeper touch with, to use Chesterton’s words, the “peculiarly fantastic goodwill” which is the ultimate Source of the Holy Season and it is all jolly good fun to boot. Moreover, as another poster has said, it is a tremendous opportinity to teach our children the duty and blessing of generosity to others.
Warmest good wishes and compliments of the Season,
Portrait
Pax:tiphat:
A
aloe
Guest
Santa is fine. It only lasts a few years then no more. Let them enjoy it. That elf on the shelf thing is super creepy though.
C
Cristiano
Guest
It am very offended by your comment about the elf on the shelf. I am related to him and I find him really nice.
Regards,
The Lawn Gnome
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aloe
Guest
Lawn gnomes are awesome. They aren’t creepy looking dolls that live indoors while coming to life, watching you intently, moving about your house only to never know where they will be next. Only the creepy looking doll is gathering information for “reports” on you, judging your every move and behavior with their creepy plastic grin
E
Em_in_FL
Guest
We don’t talk about Santa much at home.
That doesn’t mean we are anti-Santa! I know people who tell their children really early-on that “Santa isn’t real and we don’t believe in him.”… we don’t do that at all.
We allow our kids to see cartoons with Santa and such, to hear the stories at preschool, to see the images as you walk around the stores and watch TV… I’m okay with all of that. I think there is something precious and sweet about believing in fairy tales and having that certain “mystique” about the whole thing… I really love that.
However, my husband and I just simply don’t mention Santa much at home. We don’t use him as bribery (although, I’m fine with bribing my kids, LOL!), or as motivation to behave (they should always behave) - and we certainly don’t do that stupid Elf on the Shelf thing…
But we do hang our stocking and decorate our Christmas Tree… usually following the American culture and doing it soon after Thanksgiving (our tree is up now, but not totally decorated yet - we’re just slow this year!)
What we TALK about at home is the birth of Jesus, though. We try to do the Advent Wreath candles and say those daily family prayers throughout the season of Advent. That’s what our voices and actions are actually doing in the home.
So for us it’s about balance…
My older boys are at the stage of discovery… my oldest asked direct questions (“Is Santa real?”) in 2nd grade (age 7 1/2) and we told him the truth. He’s been great about keeping the secret. Now my second son is in 2nd grade (also 7 1/2) and he’s starting to ask questions. Normally my first answer is “What do you think?” and they usually work logically through the answer themselves with, “Well, I don’t think reindeer can actually fly.” and “I don’t think one person can fly over the whole Earth in one night.”… they aren’t DUMB kids, so once they start working through those thoughts we don’t see any reason to keep the truth from them, but we also expect them to not destroy the childhood fantasies of their younger siblings.
We do celebrate St. Nicholas Day (Dec 6th - yesterday!) by leaving our shoes out and having them filled with chocolates the next day… so they get that history lesson on the REAL St. Nick as well.
That doesn’t mean we are anti-Santa! I know people who tell their children really early-on that “Santa isn’t real and we don’t believe in him.”… we don’t do that at all.
We allow our kids to see cartoons with Santa and such, to hear the stories at preschool, to see the images as you walk around the stores and watch TV… I’m okay with all of that. I think there is something precious and sweet about believing in fairy tales and having that certain “mystique” about the whole thing… I really love that.
However, my husband and I just simply don’t mention Santa much at home. We don’t use him as bribery (although, I’m fine with bribing my kids, LOL!), or as motivation to behave (they should always behave) - and we certainly don’t do that stupid Elf on the Shelf thing
…But we do hang our stocking and decorate our Christmas Tree… usually following the American culture and doing it soon after Thanksgiving (our tree is up now, but not totally decorated yet - we’re just slow this year!)
What we TALK about at home is the birth of Jesus, though. We try to do the Advent Wreath candles and say those daily family prayers throughout the season of Advent. That’s what our voices and actions are actually doing in the home.
So for us it’s about balance…
My older boys are at the stage of discovery… my oldest asked direct questions (“Is Santa real?”) in 2nd grade (age 7 1/2) and we told him the truth. He’s been great about keeping the secret. Now my second son is in 2nd grade (also 7 1/2) and he’s starting to ask questions. Normally my first answer is “What do you think?” and they usually work logically through the answer themselves with, “Well, I don’t think reindeer can actually fly.” and “I don’t think one person can fly over the whole Earth in one night.”… they aren’t DUMB kids, so once they start working through those thoughts we don’t see any reason to keep the truth from them, but we also expect them to not destroy the childhood fantasies of their younger siblings.
We do celebrate St. Nicholas Day (Dec 6th - yesterday!) by leaving our shoes out and having them filled with chocolates the next day… so they get that history lesson on the REAL St. Nick as well.
A
Aggies08
Guest
We do santa. Nothing over the top- when we see Mall santa’s/etc, we let them know “He’s dressed up as a Santa” etc. As far as everything else, it’s just that he leaves the stocking and 1 or 2 presents. We don’t get into all the fantasy that goes along with it (elves/northpole). They are allowed to watch acceptable santa movies that have that stuff.
We lean heavily on St. Nicholas, his story, and how it’s like santa.
My hope is that they are like my family- you know it’s not really santa, how St. Nick started much of the lore, and that if you EVER deny he’s not real, he won’t come again! LOL.
We were recently informed he is no longer going to appear at the grand’s house- we’re all in our late 20’s LOL
We lean heavily on St. Nicholas, his story, and how it’s like santa.
My hope is that they are like my family- you know it’s not really santa, how St. Nick started much of the lore, and that if you EVER deny he’s not real, he won’t come again! LOL.
We were recently informed he is no longer going to appear at the grand’s house- we’re all in our late 20’s LOL
C
Cariethra
Guest
I let my kids enjoy the magic of Santa. It is a bit different for us. Santa only brings stocking gifts. But they only get one gift each besides that. I didn’t want “Santa” to bring a main gift because we can’t necessarily afford to buy even one gift.
I will admit that a big chunk of it, is that I absolutely love Santa pictures.
We do thinks a lot like how Em_in_FL described. Which is also how my parents did things. There wasn’t any lying, just letting the child believe and have fun.
I think it is a bit sad that we take all the magic of childhood away.
I will admit that a big chunk of it, is that I absolutely love Santa pictures.
We do thinks a lot like how Em_in_FL described. Which is also how my parents did things. There wasn’t any lying, just letting the child believe and have fun.
I think it is a bit sad that we take all the magic of childhood away.
- Status