The Controversial Santa

In the immediate future of this blog, there are several posts that while they may not be timely are either family history and need to be recorded  or things on my mind that I want to share. So the next few weeks will be catching up on the last few weeks of Christmas and the crazy train that our lives have been on. Some posts will be about family, some will be more reflective. 

This will be a bit of both. 

Now that Christmas is over, I can "come out of the closet" and confess my kids believe in Santa.

This is not the most popular sentiment in the Christian culture - because apparently my children will either forget that Christmas is about Jesus or hate me for lying to them when they find out that Santa isn't really real. 

I like Santa Claus. 

I like the magic of Santa Claus. 

My kids like Santa Claus.

We also love Jesus.

We love Jesus more than Santa and we all understand that Jesus is what we celebrate at Christmas.

More than any other prayer, I desire my children know and love Jesus. That they depend on Him and not themselves. That they earnestly seek Him and His purpose for their lives. That they die to themselves every day for a Savior who died for them. I don't care how much money they make, who they marry, what they do for a living or anything else about their future - if they love God with all their heart and mind and soul and strength, I will consider my life well spent.

I do not believe that a belief in Santa as children compromises that. Santa visited our house - and left three presents. As a reminder of the three gifts the wise men left in worship of the baby Jesus. 

Becky wanted to know if Santa was sent by Jesus to remind us of Him with the gifts he leaves.

I think they get what's important. 

So I am going to let them have the magic of Santa and the fantasy of childhood. 

A child's delight - priceless in the eyes of Jesus, especially in a fallen world full of things no child should have to worry about. My kids know that is was only God who was with them in their darkest hours. They know it is Jesus' sacrifice on the cross that gives us eternal life. They understand that Jesus is a very real and living presence in their lives and the world today.

When they discover that Santa is a tradition formed from a story about a real person living out Jesus' love for others, I am not worried they will be unable to distinguish between the myth of a Santa they can't see who is not real and Jesus who is alive and living in their hearts. 

I suspect they will love the magic and cherish the memories of a childhood belief. And that is all good and pure and true.