And that makes me sad.
Several months ago he brought up Christmas.
Peter: Mom, you know how Santa is just a game?
Me: Yes.
Peter: Well, I want to play the game.
That's straightforward, don't you think? He wants to play the Santa game. I smiled at him when he told me and said as long as we remember it's a game, then we can play.
I'm not sure he remembers.
I know his classmates have talked about Santa and what they're getting. When I went to Peter's class Christmas party most of the kids told me what they had asked for. Thanks to the list he brought home from school, I know what Peter wants too.
Can't read the list? Peter has decided he prefers artistically arranging the letters rather than legibly printing them. I'll translate. He wants:
- Hot Wheels tracks
- roller skates
- an iPad
- another Hot Wheels set
- a nicer little brother
- art supplies
I've struggled with the Santa game the past few days. Since we agreed to play, we have a present for each child from Santa. I've wrapped them in paper that I haven't used on anything else. They're hidden in a box in the office, waiting for Christmas Eve. And I feel sick about it. Peter might know, deep down, that we're pretending, but Cooper and Phoebe don't.
How can I teach my children that Christmas can be magical without Santa Claus? How can I play along without feeling like I'm lying to them? We play pretend all the time. Seriously, the majority of our time is spent jumping and running as animals or speeding down the track in a train or flying around the house as superheros. Why is this so different for me?
10 comments:
Don't worry about it. I always told my kids the truth and they never understood, but we all survived and love the Lord Jesus.
I love that my kids believe in santa....we also talk about the real reason we celebrate christmas, and my kids understand that....but santa is a magical part of it for them, and i think there are a rare few years in childhood where magic and mystery are totally real and it's AWESOME. they will grow up soon enough. I think no matter what you are setting a good example for your kids and they will have a healthy understanding of the real meaning of christmas
I am a Santa fan too! We don't go over bored with it. I think its fun for them. I never believed in Santa when i was 3 i told my parents they were Santa. Watching the fun my siblings had growing up i was sad i missed out on it. My kids know (well Jackie does Abby just does not care one way or another)
I let my kiddos know Santa will bring them a small gift. Jackie is asking for Operation the game this year. At our house Santa also brings our kiddos a book. Inside of the book Santa writes a message to them always reminding/telling them about Christ and to remember him.
But you have to do what you feel is best for your kiddos :)
We do Santa at our house (and, yes, I have relented and my kids have changed their behavior so we will be having Christmas) but we discuss the parallels between Santa and Christ. That is the only way I can be okay with having Santa traditons.
Parallels include:
- wearing red and the symbol of our sins being washed clean "though they be crimson"
- Santa brings gifts to everyone just like the Atonement is a gift for everyone
- Santa wants us to be nice and good just like Christ and we can be nice by following Christ's example
- Santa is a symbol of something good and full of hope just like Christ is our best example of good and through Christ's life and death there is hope for all of us
- even the impossiblity of going to everyone's house in one night ties into the miracle of Christ's love being able to reach all of us no matter where we are or what are circumstances may be
We try to keep Santa gifts simple and I have even been "caught" helping Santa do the shopping. It's a tough call, as a parent, to determine where Santa fits into the true meaning of Christmas. Good luck!
You have described my predicament perfectly. Except that my main concern, and the reason I haven't totally been "truthful" about Santa is that I have several family members who would truly be mad at me if my kids tell their kids santa is make believe! Stuart often tells the kids Santa isn't real, but I just try and emphasize that Santa brings us one gift because God gave us His Son and Jesus gave us his life and example and Atonement. I don't know what I'm going to do as my little ones get older, but I don't want to use Santa as a reward or really focus on him at all. They'll get Santa everywhere else, I hope they'll get Jesus from me. :)
You remember what Peter said about his imaginary friend when you started (briefly) to play the Franklin game.
I am with you. Pretend is fun, but the truth is the truth. Did you miss out because you knew the truth? You certainly have a good imagination. Does playing the game with Peter mean you have to play it with Cooper and Phoebe too? I don't think this is as hard a decision as you think. You have not bent to peer pressure before.
My kingdom (such as it is) for an edit button...
We celebrate and participate in all sorts of traditions associated with Christ's birth because they are, well, traditional.
So much of the symbolism of Christmas is adopted from other cultures and religions, yet we continue to celebrate them despite their doctrinal and historical inaccuracies.
Santa is a fun part of Christmas that should be used to teach about Christ. If we're to be completely honest we should scrap the tree, the ornaments, the gifts, the date, our traditional Christmas Eve dinner - everything - because none of it is 'accurate' and all of it can get in the way of the True meaning.
Instead, we use it all to teach about Christ.
One approach Nathan's chiropractor (a faithful Christian but I'm not sure what denomination) took when her kindergartener asked if Santa was real was to say that some things are real weather you believe in them or not, like God, Jesus, Satan, and others are real because you believe in them, like Santa. I thought that was good but I don't know that little little kids would understand.
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