Comments on: Should Christian parents play the “Santa” game? http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:27:00 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Carey http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/comment-page-3/#comment-841 Carey Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:21:51 +0000 http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/#comment-841 Hi Rebecca, thanks for being a part of the conversation... While I must admit that your perspective is unique among those who tell their kids of Santa (clearly using Santa to point to Christ, a good thing), I must still disagree with you. I don't think it's OK to lie to our kids - ever. I don't tell them they did a good job if they didn't, though I will applaud their effort and encourage their creativity (or whatever is observable). Hi Rebecca, thanks for being a part of the conversation…

While I must admit that your perspective is unique among those who tell their kids of Santa (clearly using Santa to point to Christ, a good thing), I must still disagree with you. I don’t think it’s OK to lie to our kids – ever. I don’t tell them they did a good job if they didn’t, though I will applaud their effort and encourage their creativity (or whatever is observable).

]]> By: Rebecca http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/comment-page-3/#comment-840 Rebecca Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:13:31 +0000 http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/#comment-840 Okay, I cannot agree with what you parents are saying. My daughter (Cayleigh) will be 4 tomorrow and while she questions the reality of Santa Claus and his magic elves, I feel it is important for her to believe. Cayleigh is aware of why Santa is important, he brings a present (yes, one) to remind us of the incredible gift God and Jesus gave to us on Christmas. As a Christian, I speak openly with her about salvation and death, but all of that is very hard for her to understand. She even becomes worried that my husband or I will die soon. Explaining mortality to a child is hard. For Christians Santa can foster in children the ability to believe something beyond what they can comprehend. I as an adult become caught up in the complexities of my Christianity, but much like I tell my daughter about Santa, my Pastor just tells me to have faith in it. My niece is 13 and this is the first year she is in on the myth, she is sad to be left out of the magic that surrounds Santa Claus, but she can appreciate and understand the magnitude of a God that CAN be everywhere and in everyone. So don't be so quick to take Santa away from your children, it is a lesson in understanding Christianity, not deception. Have you ever told your child he/she is doing something great, when you KNOW it is wrong. Sometimes, lying to our children is neccesary for them to gain confidence in themselves and continue on the learning path. So, HO HO HO, Merry Christmas, and God bless. Okay, I cannot agree with what you parents are saying. My daughter (Cayleigh) will be 4 tomorrow and while she questions the reality of Santa Claus and his magic elves, I feel it is important for her to believe. Cayleigh is aware of why Santa is important, he brings a present (yes, one) to remind us of the incredible gift God and Jesus gave to us on Christmas. As a Christian, I speak openly with her about salvation and death, but all of that is very hard for her to understand. She even becomes worried that my husband or I will die soon. Explaining mortality to a child is hard. For Christians Santa can foster in children the ability to believe something beyond what they can comprehend. I as an adult become caught up in the complexities of my Christianity, but much like I tell my daughter about Santa, my Pastor just tells me to have faith in it. My niece is 13 and this is the first year she is in on the myth, she is sad to be left out of the magic that surrounds Santa Claus, but she can appreciate and understand the magnitude of a God that CAN be everywhere and in everyone. So don’t be so quick to take Santa away from your children, it is a lesson in understanding Christianity, not deception. Have you ever told your child he/she is doing something great, when you KNOW it is wrong. Sometimes, lying to our children is neccesary for them to gain confidence in themselves and continue on the learning path. So, HO HO HO, Merry Christmas, and God bless.

]]> By: Carl E http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/comment-page-2/#comment-638 Carl E Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:29:30 +0000 http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/#comment-638 Just checked with Jacob and Mathew, thier answer about christmas, we celebrate christmas because of God. It's His birthday. Not one metion of santa or presents. Did not talk about Santa, but we will have fun with him during Christmas. Carl Just checked with Jacob and Mathew, thier answer about christmas, we celebrate christmas because of God. It’s His birthday. Not one metion of santa or presents.

Did not talk about Santa, but we will have fun with him during Christmas.

Carl

]]> By: Carey http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/comment-page-2/#comment-636 Carey Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:32:01 +0000 http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/#comment-636 Hi Santeklaas, thanks for the comment... My main gripe in this post is that if Christian parents use the Christian season to LIE to their children through all kinds of elaborate trick to convince them that an unreal person is real - then they are doing their kids a great dis-service. They are telling them that Santa is more important than Jesus - and then when the kids discover the truth, they may wonder if Jesus is just a tall tale too. Having said that, my kids watch Santa movies at Christmas, sing the Santa songs, and all that stuff - BUT, we are very clear that Santa is make-believe, like Mickey Mouse or Spiderman - and that Jesus is the real reason for Christmas. Hi Santeklaas, thanks for the comment…

My main gripe in this post is that if Christian parents use the Christian season to LIE to their children through all kinds of elaborate trick to convince them that an unreal person is real – then they are doing their kids a great dis-service. They are telling them that Santa is more important than Jesus – and then when the kids discover the truth, they may wonder if Jesus is just a tall tale too.

Having said that, my kids watch Santa movies at Christmas, sing the Santa songs, and all that stuff – BUT, we are very clear that Santa is make-believe, like Mickey Mouse or Spiderman – and that Jesus is the real reason for Christmas.

]]> By: Santeklaas http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/comment-page-2/#comment-635 Santeklaas Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:12:24 +0000 http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/#comment-635 Santa is harmless, he brings forth goodwill, and endures all to be the best they can be. His being, is nothing more than a modern day St. Nicholas where his inspiration is derived from. It surprises me however, that most adult Christians today, themselves, were allowed to believe, and inspired by just the thought that there was a someone out there who could inspire goodwill. I say, let the children be children, no harm done. Santa is harmless, he brings forth goodwill, and endures all to be the best they can be. His being, is nothing more than a modern day St. Nicholas where his inspiration is derived from. It surprises me however, that most adult Christians today, themselves, were allowed to believe, and inspired by just the thought that there was a someone out there who could inspire goodwill. I say, let the children be children, no harm done.

]]> By: lpkalal http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/comment-page-2/#comment-275 lpkalal Fri, 14 Dec 2007 02:17:05 +0000 http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/#comment-275 LOL LOL

]]> By: lpkalal http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/comment-page-2/#comment-274 lpkalal Fri, 14 Dec 2007 02:16:54 +0000 http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/#comment-274 Just checked with my five year old. She says Santa isn't real, but Jesus is. And Mom and Dad leave the presents. Phew. Just checked with my five year old. She says Santa isn’t real, but Jesus is. And Mom and Dad leave the presents. Phew.

]]> By: Carey http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/comment-page-2/#comment-272 Carey Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:26:54 +0000 http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/#comment-272 While I did already rant about this for some time - my main concern is this. We put Santa and Jesus on equal footing during Christmas by telling our kids that Santa IS real. And they are going to gravitate more toward Santa because there's more tangibly "in it" for them (that's just human nature... why else did Eve take the fruit except that it was pleasant to the eyes and could make her wise?) Immediate gratification. Anyway, back to the point - When we put Santa on par with Jesus then we unwittingly set our kids up to question whether Jesus is real when the fateful day comes that they find out that Santa isn't. While I did already rant about this for some time – my main concern is this. We put Santa and Jesus on equal footing during Christmas by telling our kids that Santa IS real. And they are going to gravitate more toward Santa because there’s more tangibly “in it” for them (that’s just human nature… why else did Eve take the fruit except that it was pleasant to the eyes and could make her wise?) Immediate gratification. Anyway, back to the point – When we put Santa on par with Jesus then we unwittingly set our kids up to question whether Jesus is real when the fateful day comes that they find out that Santa isn’t.

]]> By: cbgrace http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/comment-page-1/#comment-271 cbgrace Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:21:33 +0000 http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/#comment-271 I was brought up in a Christian Home and we believed in Santa (for a while). My mom LOVES Christmas and she always said (and still does) that Santa is real...she is Santa. :D My mom has very distinctive handwriting and we would always wonder why the tags on our Christmas gifts were filled out by her. On the other hand, we also had birthday parties for Jesus. Mom would bake a cake. There would be candles. We would sing "Happy Birthday". It was fun. My father-in-law says that if you rearrange the letters in Santa you get Satan. I don't know what we will do when it's our turn. I was brought up in a Christian Home and we believed in Santa (for a while). My mom LOVES Christmas and she always said (and still does) that Santa is real…she is Santa. :D My mom has very distinctive handwriting and we would always wonder why the tags on our Christmas gifts were filled out by her.

On the other hand, we also had birthday parties for Jesus. Mom would bake a cake. There would be candles. We would sing “Happy Birthday”. It was fun.

My father-in-law says that if you rearrange the letters in Santa you get Satan.

I don’t know what we will do when it’s our turn.

]]> By: lpkalal http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/comment-page-1/#comment-266 lpkalal Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:43:21 +0000 http://thepfjournal.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/should-christian-parents-play-the-santa-game/#comment-266 I meant "telling their kids!" I meant “telling their kids!”

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