St. Nicholas or Santa Claus?

[drummerboy]

I and my siblings were never led on about Santa Claus.  We always knew he didn't exist and I can't really imagine ever believing in it (what a thing to do to your kids!).   Every now and then we'd find a present from "Santa" but we all knew who really gave it to us.   I think it's also nice for the kids to thank their parents for their gifts instead of thinking that Santa brought them.

As for St.  Nicholas, my family never did much for his feast day.

I cast thee into the eternal abyss, ye heathen!

[JoniCath]

We do both.  Today, our daughter awoke to money chocolate coins in her shoes and later we'll be helping at the local IRC centre, in the spirit of St Nicholas.  Then Santa comes on Christmas, but we always try to  preserve the Christmas idea,the emphasis on Christ and on giving.

Same here!! When it came time to tell my 4 children that the idea of Santa Claus as the world sees him is a nice one & it's fun to read the "Night Before Christmas".......... we also read the "story of the birth of Christ as told by Luke" . I told them about St. Nicholas who had a penchant for giving to the poor & the needy children, the 3 boys who had risen from the dead because of St. Nicholas' prayers, etc., etc..

Bur, what pleased all 4 of them MOST, was the notion that I also believe......that Santa Claus is REALLY God, Who is the greatest gift-giver or all. We were farmers at the time my children were small & there was NEVER extra money, yet somehow around Christmas time, we had a little left over every year. There was a calf that was ready for sale before the expected date, or the corn crop left us with both corn for the animals & cash. It was amazing how it always happened.

[LydiaW]

Thank you so much for so many wonderful replies! It's great to hear everyone's opinions on the matter.

Bur, what pleased all 4 of them MOST, was the notion that I also believe......that Santa Claus is REALLY God, Who is the greatest gift-giver or all. 

Joni, while it's important to teach kids about the true meaning of Christmas, this statement just screams all the wrong things. I have heard of children who actually believe Santa Claus is God, and pray to Santa. That is not a good association, obviously. Do we really want to teach children that God lives at the North Pole with elves, reindeer, and his wife?

[Arun]

Thank you so much for so many wonderful replies! It's great to hear everyone's opinions on the matter.

Bur, what pleased all 4 of them MOST, was the notion that I also believe......that Santa Claus is REALLY God, Who is the greatest gift-giver or all. 

Joni, while it's important to teach kids about the true meaning of Christmas, this statement just screams all the wrong things. I have heard of children who actually believe Santa Claus is God, and pray to Santa. That is not a good association, obviously. Do we really want to teach children that God lives at the North Pole with elves, reindeer, and his wife?

Worst part is that in today's world that's actually a fairly moderate level of heresy :o

[LoneWolfRadTrad]

Modern Santa is a lie.  Getting your kids to believe in fairy tales will undermine their belief in truth when they find out. 

I'd rather not mess with their perceptions on reality.

[JoniCath]

Thank you so much for so many wonderful replies! It's great to hear everyone's opinions on the matter.

Bur, what pleased all 4 of them MOST, was the notion that I also believe......that Santa Claus is REALLY God, Who is the greatest gift-giver or all. 

Joni, while it's important to teach kids about the true meaning of Christmas, this statement just screams all the wrong things. I have heard of children who actually believe Santa Claus is God, and pray to Santa. That is not a good association, obviously. Do we really want to teach children that God lives at the North Pole with elves, reindeer, and his wife?
Yet, during all of my years as a Catholic, I've NEVER witnessed either child or adult praying to Santa........AND........the next poster calling this idea "heresy"??
I wish that, when people quote me, they'd do it in the context of the entire message!

I DO believe that God works in all areas of my life & that includes financial issues. Every year I'd pray that we would get the crop out in time to have a little extra $$ for Christmas.....not a lot, but enough to get gifts for my children.......usually a pair of those "in" jeans or an album (we're speaking of the 70's & 80's), a "letter" jacket , etc.
He ALWAYS came through. Sometimes with a lot, sometimes with a little........but ALWAYS with something.

Of course, I thought it important for my children to know this. I let them believe in Santa Claus for a few years, but I soon let them know that those gifts did not come from "Santa".......all good things in their lives were from God.

[Arun]

It's a joke. You'll be okay.

[kingdaughter]

Our daughter is only 18 months, but we'll be explaining "Santa" as a game where we imitate St. Nicholas and give presents to those who are less fortunate, and those we love. I remember unintentionally sending my parents on a wild goose chase when I was 5 for a toy I made up. They explained that Santa was pretend and I felt pretty bad for the trouble they went through. I had to pretend to believe for years for the sake of my younger sister, and I felt awkward not thanking my Grandparents or other relatives for gifts.
We'll be giving away toys etc every year before Christmas, which is something we never did when I was a child.

I guess my goal in all this is to give my children experiences like my most treasured ones, while trying to spare them some of the awkward/painful ones. 

[JoniCath]

Our daughter is only 18 months, but we'll be explaining "Santa" as a game where we imitate St. Nicholas and give presents to those who are less fortunate, and those we love. I remember unintentionally sending my parents on a wild goose chase when I was 5 for a toy I made up. They explained that Santa was pretend and I felt pretty bad for the trouble they went through. I had to pretend to believe for years for the sake of my younger sister, and I felt awkward not thanking my Grandparents or other relatives for gifts.
We'll be giving away toys etc every year before Christmas, which is something we never did when I was a child.

I guess my goal in all this is to give my children experiences like my most treasured ones, while trying to spare them some of the awkward/painful ones. 

My goal is to help my children teach their children true Catholicism. Since my own kids were brought up in Catholic schools right after Vatican II, it's hard. Those who have criticized my teaching of there is no Santa with the big round belly & white beard, but a very giving Bishop named Nicholas whose prayers to God helped so many of the needy. I'm copying the story I read over & over for many years. it's called:

The true story of Santa Claus   It  begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek. . His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th.

[traditionalLUTHERANmom]

My husband and I were both raised with Santa but both figured out at a young age he was fake. I was disappointed at being lied to by my parents.

I'm a zealot so I have taught my now 8 year old from the beginning that Santa isn't real because I want her to trust me whenever I tell her anything and that St. Nicholas was a Bishop in the church that was a hero of the faith (slapping Arius  ) and that he died in the 300's. We will do the same with our 1, 2 and newborn as well.

I have a mother that adopted my niece (my sister made some bad life choices) and she's 9 now and they have convinced her through "the Santa Clause" and such (like my stepdad dressing up on Christmas and putting presents under the tree) that Santa is real. She still wholeheartedly believes it. My daughter tried telling her there was no Santa when she tried to belittle my daughter about Santa but to no avail. She goes to an Evango school where I KNOW there are other zealots who tell their kids there is no Santa. I tried telling my mom that she's going to feel betrayed and hurt by their huge display they've gone through to perpetuate the lie but she doesn't care. She's like psycho about it. Like I'd be telling her some lie or something if I dared to tell her the truth of the matter. Her friends at school are going to laugh her to death when she talks about Santa bringing presents at Christmas, it's ridiculous really, to listen to her tell about seeing him in person (so excitedly) like it's real, to know that they are lying to her. Everyone in the family thinks it's stupid at her age. She (my mom) tells my niece "I believe in Santa too" to try to convince her we are all wrong. (since the kid knows that we think it's stupid and fake) They haven't had her baptized yet and barely take her to church (at a southern baptist church). I wonder how she's going to believe in Christ dying on the cross and resurrected and alive in Heaven when they try to tell her that...will she believe it since the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy are real too when she finds out those are all lies?

I'd rather not lie to my kids in the first place. I guess if someone wants to have a fun little thing about it when they are little is one thing but perpetuating a lie when they get that old (my niece's age) it's just sad and pathetic.