What do you do with Santa Claus?

[Bro Flame]

No, seriously.

I know there's a great divide among Christendom (whether one's Apostolic or not) concerning the celebration of holidays, such as Christmas. Most Christians that do celebrate said holiday, however, don't always include the fictional character Santa Claus. We all know who Santa is supposed to be, so I don't think there's any exposition needed there.

My question is this: What do you do with Santa? Do you simply not include him in your Christmas activities? What if your small child asks why we don't take pictures with Santa at the mall? What do you say to them?

Over the past few years, I've had a few co-workers ask me why we don't include Santa in our Christmas celebrations. I typically say that because Santa takes away from Jesus (the Christmas season is supposed to be set-aside in remembrance of His birth) we do not include him.

Just as you, I'm sure, I've heard so many different reasons why it is alright to use Santa and why he isn't taking the place of Jesus. I had a co-worker during the Christmas 2021 season tell me that "Kids don't have fun at Christmas without Santa," or words similar.

What say you?

How do you deal with Santa if you celebrate Christmas?

[good samaritan]

I don’t see any Christmas holiday set in scripture. So I don’t think we have to even participate in it at all. Although it is a national holiday and our family will be exposed to it and all of its traditions. I think the key is just being honest and use it as another opportunity to teach Jesus. Santa isn’t real and we should simply be honest. As far as the holiday is concerned I just enjoy being with my family and having a good cause to celebrate with them. It may not be Christs actual birthday, but is fun celebrating with my family for that reason.BTW, Santa no longer is alive, he got runned over by a reindeer.

[aegsm76]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

I don’t see any Christmas holiday set in scripture. So I don’t think we have to even participate in it at all. Although it is a national holiday and our family will be exposed to it and all of its traditions. I think the key is just being honest and use it as another opportunity to teach Jesus. Santa isn’t real and we should simply be honest. As far as the holiday is concerned I just enjoy being with my family and having a good cause to celebrate with them. It may not be Christs actual birthday, but is fun celebrating with my family for that reason.BTW, Santa no longer is alive, he got runned over by a reindeer.

No, that was Grandma...

[good samaritan]

Originally Posted by aegsm76

No, that was Grandma...

[Bro Flame]

Quite true. There is no Biblical commandment to celebrate or observe Christmas. But I personally see no error in celebrating Jesus' birth, whether or not it be His actual birthday. I also don't mean to imply that anyone that has already posted sees it as being wrong.

As for Santa, I agree with the notion that he isn't real and we should be honest about him not being real. Personally, I will not tell my children lies about a heavyset man sneaking into our home at night to hide presents for them under a tree. Ain't no imaginary Santa bought them gifts, and he ain't going to get the credit for them either.

The issue is -- for the world -- Santa is a major part of the Christmas season. Wrapping paper, bags, knick-knacks, you name it, all commonly bare Santa's image. The "cutesiness" of it all has settled its place in popular culture. Of course, as the Church, we haven't any obligation -- or business for that matter -- to follow in the footsteps of popular culture.

I guess I just used to sometimes find it slightly awkward on how to handle the discussion of Santa when it came to the table. I mean, I don't want to tell kids in Walmart, "Hey, you know he ain't real, right?" But I also don't want to redirect a time of year that Christians are dedicating to Jesus' birth over to fictional Santa.

[Sparrow]

Our kids knew from birth that Santa was not real. We celebrated Christmas but didn't do the whole Christmas tree/Santa stuff. They received presents but always knew Daddy and Mommy bought them. We always focused on Christmas being a day set aside to celebrate the birth of Christ.

[coksiw]

What we can do with Santa is having some compassion on him instead of criticizing him so much and giving him a membership to EB's gym.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Bro Flame

No, seriously.

How stupid.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Bro Flame

Quite true. There is no Biblical commandment to celebrate or observe Christmas. But I personally see no error in celebrating Jesus' birth, whether or not it be His actual birthday. I also don't mean to imply that anyone that has already posted sees it as being wrong.

This is where Catholics and Eastern Orthodoxy laugh. Christianity to YOU is a smorgasbord, you teach it as a buffet table where you pick and choose what you want from the table. There is no Biblical command, but that doesn't stop you from incorporating it into your religion. You tell new converts that you all have the truth at your church? More truth than Catholics? But at a closer look, you make it up as you go along? So, you started this thread to pick a fight?

[Bro Flame]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

This is where Catholics and Eastern Orthodoxy laugh. Christianity to YOU is a smorgasbord, you teach it as a buffet table where you pick and choose what you want from the table. There is no Biblical command, but that doesn't stop you from incorporating it into your religion. You tell new converts that you all have the truth at your church? More truth than Catholics? But at a closer look, you make it up as you go along? So, you started this thread to pick a fight?

What?

I started this thread as a discussion. If you celebrate the Christmas holiday, how do you address and deal with Santa Claus.

It's that easy.