So what's my problem with Santa? It boils down to this idea that Santa is watching to see who is naughty or nice and only the nice boys and girls will get presents. I didn't realize how big of a problem this is until the other day while we were driving Jude said, "Mommy I have to be nice so that I can earn my presents from Santa because he only gives presents to good boys." Did you catch that, my 4 year old picked up on the fact that he must "earn" a gift. A gift is or should be freely given thats what makes it a gift.
We have been teaching Jude that the reason we give gifts at Christmas is to celebrate the Jesus' birth the greatest gift ever given. God gave his Son. And guess what, we had not been nice. Oh no we were very naughty indeed. Yet God gave us his Son because we had been naughty and it was the only way he could reconcile us to himself. Thank God that we do not have to earn the gift of Jesus and the gift of salvation because it is a gift.
I am so thankful that God uses my kids to teach me awesome lessons!
So I told Jude that the world has created a nasty lie (one that we tell withou even realizing the implications) that Santa only gives presents to nice girls and boys. I explained to him that the real St. Nicholas was a man who loved Jesus and gave gifts to those in need because of the love of God in him. I told him that he would receive gifts from Mommy and Daddy wether he is good or bad as a way to show him what God's love is like and how God gave us a gift (though he may not get to enjoy his gifts if he is being naughty...) and to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
So really my issue is not with Santa - it's with an unbiblical worldview that teaches us we must earn gifts.
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