So... Last year I did a 12 things I love about Christmas, one each day for the 12 days of Christmas. This year I have been trying to think of what I can do, 12 Christmas memories, 12 days just something we do that is celebrating Christmas each day.... my brother in law Mike said to do 12 things I hate about Christmas, but I love love Christmas I can't put a negative spin on it.(I mean love like making chains when I was younger that started at like 88 days left). So I have come to no conclusion and will just do 12 different Christmas posts.
"Yes Virginia There is"...
This is my post today, a question? a debate? What is all of your take on the Santa Claus thing? Do you lie to your kids? I follow this blog of someone I don't know, but I love her blog and she posted about this whole thing, I do believe we have opposite opinions however so I truly hope I did not or am not offending her. I have some very strong opinions and this is one of them. People say if you tell them there is Santa even though they can't see him and then they found out it was a lie will they question God? Blah!! There is a Santa right?? anyway here is my long long comment on her post.
This is my post today, a question? a debate? What is all of your take on the Santa Claus thing? Do you lie to your kids? I follow this blog of someone I don't know, but I love her blog and she posted about this whole thing, I do believe we have opposite opinions however so I truly hope I did not or am not offending her. I have some very strong opinions and this is one of them. People say if you tell them there is Santa even though they can't see him and then they found out it was a lie will they question God? Blah!! There is a Santa right?? anyway here is my long long comment on her post.
I hear that a lot, but my question is did you believe in Santa as a kid?? and if so do you now question God??? There is an article written by LeGrand Richards on the whole reason why we should allow our children to believe in this magic... That it is for our benefit to learn to give with no recognition to do something anonymously without credit. I am completely devastated when my kids stop believing and go to great lengths to drag it on one more year. When asked logical questions like how does he go down the chimney etc I just answer with if you don't believe he won't give you anything. Have you ever seen the book I believe in Santa Clause? It is by Diane G Adamson, you should check it out, it makes comparisons with Santa and Christ the last page of the book says " Psychologist have written of the healthful benefits of encouraging children to believe in a kind and generous Santa. Strong beliefs in Santa Claus in the tender years are said to foster traits of goodness, helpfulness, and the desire to bring joy and happiness to others. These are all attributes of the Savior and espousing these traits in our own lives not only contributes to healthful living but also helps us to become more Christlike."......
I truly believe in Santa (or the spirit of Santa Claus) so I do not feel like I am lying in anyway....There truly is a spirit of Santa Claus that exists and is real, the giving to others etc etc and that’s how we (my older children and I believe forever in Santa)
I have my kids read the I believe in Santa or the Yes Virginia there is and if they are old enough to understand the "Spirit" of Santa they get it and we never talk about "no" Santa.....otherwise we keep dragging on the magic...
I have my kids read the I believe in Santa or the Yes Virginia there is and if they are old enough to understand the "Spirit" of Santa they get it and we never talk about "no" Santa.....otherwise we keep dragging on the magic...
.the letter says...Virginia, your little friends are wrong, they have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished........ (skipping a little) Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. No Santa Claus! Thank God, he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times then thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Too much??
Let me know your thoughts, just know I will still love all of you even if your thoughts are completely wrong! j/k kind of!!
11 comments:
I agree with you! I love Santa Claus and everything he stands for, which is the spirit of giving to others! I was heart broken when Caitlyn came to me and demanded to know the truth . . . I cried as I explained to her that no actual man existed, but as long as you believe in giving and serving others, Santa does exist! I believed in Santa and I believe in God. I love Christmas and Santa! How sad for a child to not believe in that! Santa is hope and happiness and magic! How can anyone not want their child to believe in that!? I think to not "allow" you child to believe is cruel! I believe in Santa and I look forward to him visiting our house every year! He WILL visit our house every year because we DO believe! I loved your response, by the way!
Brackon is starting to question and I don't want anything to take that innocence away! I'm definitely going to get these books. I LOVE this post! This is exactly how I feel. How tragic to not be able to enjoy the Christmas season and all of the magic that it brings...that Santa brings out of everyone...even the Scrooges. I love the lengths that you guys take to make sure your kids know that Santa's real. I do have a question...what if Santa can't afford to make all of the presents on their list? I have told my kids he picks his favorite few that he thinks they will use most since their lists are like 20 things long. I do struggle each year with just how commercialized Christmas has become and continues to get worse, but to me that's not what Santa is all about. Like you said, he allows you to give without receiving anything, including recognition, in return. It's fun to see the looks on each of the kids' faces when they realize he's been there. Anyway, I'm rambling really about nothing. Just wanted you to know your post made me cry. I love everything you have to say about this. Love ya! I BELIEVE! ;-)
I was surprised once we all started having kids just how many of my friends weren't going to incorporate Santa into Christmas with their families. I've talked about it a lot with them, and I can completely see their logic and all that, but I just can't imagine not having Santa be a part of my kids' Christmas. Christmas is magical to me . . . it was my whole childhood and still is today . . . I think a lot of that magic and Spirit of Christmas came from a childhood steeped with tradition and the magic of Santa when I was a kid. I don't think Santa takes away at all from Christ, and I don't think the inevitable 'finding out the truth about Santa' has to ruin or destroy trust or anything. (My friends' main reasoning is that once their kids do find out the truth, they won't trust them -- I don't ever remember being like, "My parents are filthy liars!" :-) I just remember feeling like I'd grown up a little bit, and I now got to be a part of the magic of keeping my younger siblings in awe of Santa.)
So yeah, there's totally a Santa. I believe!
I love Santa Claus, and I am so glad that my kids believe and get excited every Christmas Eve! I remember growing up how I would try to stay up just to hear sleigh bells or even catch a glimpse of him. One year, I set out a tape recorder hoping to record Santa. I got him. My Uncle was great! Santa gives people hope in the unbelieveable. I will be sad the day my kids figure out the whole Santa thing, but I am excited for them to be involved with me as we try to put a smile on someone's face and hope to their life.
Santa is the magic of Christmas. My kids know the truth or rather Santa's true identity but they still get caught up in the magic of Christmas. I know it is something they will carry into their own families some day along with the true meaning of christmas. I read the same post you did and was a little taken back because I had no idea she had such strong feelings on the subject but to each his own. Santa lives on at our house and will for years to come :D
so wait are you all saying there isnt a santa claus because my mom never copped to that. In fact I think if I were to ask her today she would still tell me there is. I think that its all about the meaning of christ anyway who else besides santa gave to us with nothing expected in return, I sort of look at it like that. In todays negative everything is for the minority not the majority world Santa or Christmas in general is more important than ever, people dont want us to say merry christmas or believe in santa they are taking that away and what does that really mean they are taking away? The birth of our savior, that is wrong, so I say lie away, its the one time its ok. I never felt slighted by knowing the truth, I felt sad, but not angry and never questioned god because of santa that is silly. I will say that becoming santa brought back that magic for me. I also want to say that you and Tom do a great job teaching your kids the true meaning, even if you never tell the complete truth, you guys give a lot to people in need and not everyone knows that I know. But your kids see that and become a part of that and nothing else can teach them better. You must believe to recieve right?
one more thing, I don't really see it as lying anyway, I think like everyone else has said its not about whether there is an actual man or not its about the feeling or the spirit and I dont know how anyone can deny that that does exist.
Christmas is MAGICAL!! and so is Santa! I never once thought anyone lied to me, maybe because I still believe. No not the way children do but like you said in the 'spirit" of santa. I love the book "I believe in Santa" and who doesn't remember "hearing santa's sleigh bells, or that one year driving home from Vaughns and we saw Santa in the hot air balloon? it was a very UNwhite christmas and Dad said he wouldn't be driving his sleigh that year because of the lack of snow and then we saw the hotair balloon! MAGIC I love SANTA!! and you show your kids by doing sub for santa that they can be someones Santa!
and those that don't believe, I just feel bad for them
Santa = pure JOY. Why would anyone want to rob their kids of that joy when we're all living in a world where kids are growing up way too fast and they're seeing so much negativity all around them? I totally agree with your views on the subject. Chloe is 10 and this is the first year she is starting to doubt. It breaks my heart. There will never be a year that Santa doesn't come to our house. WE BELIEVE!!! There's a blog that I read and she did a post called "A Crazy Thing" that you should read. www.memoriesoncloverlane.blogspot.com
Touche'! Life is to be lived, not some event that constantly hammers you down and makes you weaker than when you entered. Christmas is the souls' holiday to freely believe in everything that is good and imagine the things that you can make better. It lives on because of the love, caring and generosity of mankind. Christmas exemplifies mankind and allows us to all give and all receive in one form or another. We need both sides of this equation to make it work, and so we give fully some years and we have to graciously receive in others. Its just like life. The little child who wakes up hungry and in want of Santas visit and he doesn't come, gives the child a perspective in later life that he either gives because he understands what it was like not having anything or takes wantonly because he is angry. We all can choose everyday whether we see the glass half full, or half empty...no matter our circumstances. Christmas is Humanity.
Well even though there is plenty of comments to justify and prove your theory, I feel the need to put in my two cents. That as a child of the white family I was taught to do. I think like everyone there is this certain magic of christmas time that only comes from the belief in Santa Claus. The most amazing man too children who are far too young to understand Christ and what an amazing sacrifice he gave to us. Little kids just think this man love all kids so much, no matter who you are, and wants to give them toys and all these things they ask for without anything in return. How do people experience that magic and joy without that belief from their children, or the remnants of the magic from their childhood christmas memories. It would be like taking the magic away from Disneyland. There is a certain magic at disneyland that only comes from the belief chidren have in fairy tales and imagination. Disneyland would just be another ordinary amusement park that was overly crowded. I for one believed in Santa until I was 11 years old. Pathetic maybe, or just so willing to believe all the magical things I had experienced. Like Audrey mentioned the Hot air ballon that Santa and his reindeer used that non snowy Christmas. How amazing were our parents who had nothing most of the time but gave us the best christmases always without wanting or needing recognition. Maybe that is why we are so passionate about it. Dad created the Santas birds story and mom will never admit it. I never questioned my god or my savior. Its real because you believe its real. Its like when your mom kisses your skinned knee. Does it heal the bleeding knee? No but it feels better because your mom said it would and you believed her. And somehow you always believe your mom makes things better. Like when Im hurt or sad I still at the tender age of 27 want my mom.
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