I was raised in a Baptist family that did not teach about Santa bringing gifts. We knew about Santa, and thought it was fun, but my parents were careful to explain that he is pretend, while Jesus is real. So I grew up knowing the difference, and never had my childhood faith shaken by thinking my parents lied to me about one Christmas story, so they must be lying about the other one. (North Pole vs. Bethlehem.) What about others? Did the realization that Santa Claus does not exist (in a real, physical way) affect your belief in Jesus?
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6 comments
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2009, 12, 18 at 1:35 am
akhomeschoolfun
I didn’t but my older brother did. When he was little he started to come downstairs and dad yelled out HO HO HO. My brother ran upstairs fast and the next morning was all excited because he heard Santa. As far as it impacting our faith. No. It was all in fun, never faith.
2009, 12, 18 at 2:46 am
Bean
I was raised in a secular household, we did believe in Father Christmasa. When I was around 6 or 7 years of age some children at school said that Father Christmas wasn’t real, I don’t think it upset me, it just puzzled me so one evening I asked my Dad. My Dad gently asked me to think about Father Christmas going up and down chimneys all over the world in one night and did I think someone could do that? That is all he said, I remember thinking about it and coming to the conclusion that Father Christmas was not real. It did not shake my faith, I didn’t have a faith at that time.
I started this comment by saying that I was raised ina secular household, but by the time I was 10 I was very curious about church, I liked to spend the night at my friend Susan’s house on Saturdays because then I could go to Chapel with her family. I would visit the church in our village a lot, (a 14th century building), we played in it, I liked it a lot, I always felt happy at the church, in all my memories of the church it is always a sunny day.
When I was 14 we moved to the US, and everywhere there were churches, and almost everyone went to church, several families invited us to attend their church with them, and we did, I always enjoyed it.
My faith grew and grew, we have raised our children in the church, we practice our faith, we live for the Lord. My parents and one sister do not belong to a church, or practice a faith, but are respectful of my choices, my youngest sister attends church.
So, does belief in Father Christmas/Santa Claus intefere with a person’s belief in Jesus Christ – I don’t know, all I do know is that each of us walks our own journey, either we are open to the Lord, or we are not. Perhaps having parents who allow a child to think for themselves and make their own choices (within reason) do much to foster an atmosphere where a seed of faith can grow.
Merry Christmas to All
2009, 12, 19 at 2:06 pm
magdalenaperks
I’m thinking that the Baptist propaganda fifty years ago may have been a little stretched!
2009, 12, 18 at 11:45 pm
Paula
I was raised with Santa and was heartbroken when mom told me he wasn’t real. In a way I knew, but just didn’t want to hear it. But I NEVER questioned God’s existence. They just weren’t equated together.
I think it’s kind of like complaining about the violence in the old cartoons (think coyote and the road runner). Kids were really into them, but everyone knows you can’t drop anvils on people.
Santa’s just for fun. We teach Ella the real reason for Christmas, but her stocking gets filled too.
2009, 12, 19 at 2:04 pm
magdalenaperks
I recently found out that the whole stocking/shoe git idea (which is pretty weird, if you think about it) is because of St. Nicholas dropping gold into the shoes of girls who needed dowries. So that was always a Christian tradition!
Patience knows who Santa is (called “Tanta” by her) but doesn’t know that he brings gifts. Right now, her gifts are sitting in boxes in plain sight, and she’s not at all concerned by the ‘ToysRUs’ logo. It’s one she doesn’t know yet, unlike the coffee shop and the supermarket logos. I’d say she’s more into eating than shopping.
2009, 12, 20 at 9:24 pm
Paula
Ella’s far too observant for her own good. Last year (when she was 2) I could do her Christmas shopping with her in the cart
This year, nothing gets past her and I had to leave her with Grandma and do a solo shop.