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Christmas
I was watching an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond today and it sparked a thought that I haven't been able to dismiss all day. So much that I am using this as my Sunday school lesson tomorrow. (Don't fret, they're teens)
It was about lying. Long story short, Ray found out that his father lied to him about a signed baseball that Ray based his career choice upon. After finding this out, he promised Deborah that he would never lie to his children. No sooner did he make this promise, his oldest kid asked him is Santa was real.
My Question:
How is the Christian to answer this question? Lie at the expense of keeping little Suzie happy? ... or, truth?
- 3 Answers
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With Santa Claus are we really lying to our kids or are we engaging in traditions and culture that make this holiday special? I think my daughter (10) has figured out, but if we slip up and say something about buying a particular gift, she'll correct us and say "Santa got me that." Do I feel like I've been manipulative? No. Is she going to cry her eyes out when she convinces herself it's not real? Probably not. Maybe we're different. But I have yet to hear of a child going ballistic on her parents b/c she found out Santa wasn't real. I think we have to look at the reasons behind the lies. Lying for personal gain or to hurt others is wrong. I don't really think Santa fits that idea. |
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I think the same people who freak out about Santa at Christmas freak out about Halloween because it's "of the devil", and they're both crazy because Santa and Halloween are harmless. Nobody worships the devil at Halloween, and if you do what Steve says and find a good balance, talking about Santa doesn't do anything to diminish the birth of Jesus. If your kid loses their mind when you tell them Santa's not real I think you may have a bigger issue to worry about... :) |
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I'm wrestling with this too since I don't have kids yet. Personally, I loved the Santa Claus experience as a kid, and finding out it wasn't real didn't diminish it much for me at all. It was still fun to pretend. I've met many parents who won't talk about Santa at all, though, for a variety of reasons. I do have one friend, however, who I think has found a good balance. He and his wife have always told their 5-year-old daughter that Santa is not real, however, they still have fun and pretend at Christmas. This keeps the fun of pretending involved, but steers clear of the lying and the heartbreak of finding out the truth. Plus it helps her not focus on Santa so they can talk about the real reason for Christmas. |
