Need some advice.....off topic question about Christmas

[Saved-Eagle]

We do "believe" in Santa at our home. My husband and I agree it's a fun part of growing up. We also agree if our children ever come out and ask if he is real, we would not lie to them. We do stress each year what the true meaning of christmas is. We even have Jesus a b-day party and the kids just love that. We too give 3 gifts to our children (from us) to represent the 3 gifts baby Jesus had gotten. And each yr we go on a shopping trip to buy toys for the needy, the kiddos get just as excited as I do! I guess what I'm trying to say is while we do believe in Santa we don't forget that Jesus is the real reason for the season !

[2plus2]

I am 37 yrs. old & can still feel the pain of the day my parents sat me down to tell me that Santa, the tooth fairy & the Easter bunny collectively weren't real!! ok maybe I am being a little dramatic but my 2 cents is that it would have been much better not to make such a ceremony out of it & to just gently answer my questions, as I got older, with the truth.
It's such a toughie! My guy is Mr. Christmas. He sells Christmas trees & loves the magic of it all. He wants our kids to believe in Santa. I wanted no Santa. So we've compromised. We allow the Santa part but have never lied when asked if it was REALLY real. My daughter, 6, even though she's asked me a thousand times if he's REALLY real, will still say to me is there just ONE Santa who's REALLY real?? Kinda like, please please say yes this time, i WANT to believe!!
SO, along this topic, does anyone have any Christ-centered traditions that really focus on the true meaning of the season? That is my goal this year. I want to turn all of my generic Christmas traditions into Christ-centered ones. i.e.: I remember Jon & Kate making a manger scene out of gingerbread instead of the typical gingerbread house we normally do. Also, we trace our hands and feet, fold up the paper tiny & wrap it and hang the little packages on the tree & explain to the kids how we can give God gifts of service with where we go & what we do for others. (they may not fully grasp it at their little ages, but they always get excited to do it) I would love to hear anyone else's ideas!!
great topic!

[deltagal]

HI all,

I apologize, for not having read everyone's responses, but I simply thought I would share what has happened in our family. My husband and I really have neve planned to do Santa. We've never dwelt on him - built him up or tore him down. We do fill stockings for each child on Christmas Eve. And have a scavenger hunt for a special family present on Christmas morning. But in the churches my husband has pastored and our extended families - many people have really made a big deal about Santa to our children. As each child has gotten older they've asked questions and we always ask, "What do you think?" I have found that when they are still in the "believing" stages they already have answers worked out for this, but at some point they really want to know and so, I've told each child the same. "The Santa game is a game Mommies and Daddies love to play with their children. It's their way of surprising and delighting their children and doing something unexpected for them. It's their way of letting their children know how very much they are loved. And when you get to be a mommy or daddy , if you want to, you can play this game with your children." Of course at this point each child wants to know if they can help us play the game But we politely decline their gracious offer and say, "No, now that you know the secret you can play the game by having fun on Christmas morning with your siblings, until one day they know the secret, too." We also let our children know that only Mommies and Daddies can tell their children about the game and that they are not to share this discovery with anyone, but instead when asked if Santa Clause was good to them to just wink and say, "He sure was!"

Our children know Christmas is about Jesus. They've never thought otherwise, even though we do play the Santa game on Christmas morning.
So, yet another thought.

With Joy!
Florence