The Great Santa Debate

{This is a re-post from last year, but I wanted to bring this topic up for discussion again this season. The hubby and I are still pretty sure we are sticking to our original thoughts on Santa, but I would love to hear some more of your input!}

It amazes me the things that you begin think about when you have a child of your own. Things that normally would have never even crossed your mind become topics of household discussion and reason for debate. The latest topic? Santa Clause.

I have never really thought twice about the idea of Santa Clause or whether or not I would bring up our son to believe in Santa. However, lately I have started to question whether or not we should incorporate Santa into our Christmas Traditions and beliefs.

For us, Christmas is all about the celebration of the birth of Baby Jesus and what his birth sybolizes and means for us. Growing up, I always knew what Christmas meant, but it always more about Santa than about the birth of Jesus. I always grew up giving more credit to the fat man that slid down the chimney than I did to anyone else. It was all about the presents. [Not that there is anything wrong with giving gifts.] I am just starting to wonder if maybe the hubby and I shouldn’t revamp our Christmas train of thought where our son is concerned.

The main reason I am considering doing without the "Santa Conspiracy" in our home is for the shere sake of not having to encourage a lie to my son. I know there are lots of you that teach your kids about Santa Clause and the his sleigh and the North Pole. There is nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all. I am just not sure that it’s something I want to do. My biggest fear is that Noah will start to question everything we have ever taught him when he finds out that Santa Clause isn’t real. If hubby and I spend 8 or 9 years drilling Santa Clause into his head, making him believe that he is a real person what’s to stop him from questioning, oh say, God? Think about it…

They grow up hearing about a man that brings them presents and has elves working for him, that they have never really seen, only to find out he isn’t real. What’s to stop him from growing up and questioning the man who he also has never met, who came and was nailed to a cross and then rose from the dead to live in Heaven?

There is also the fear of unappreciation. Looking back, I remember being far more grateful for the gifts from Santa than I was for the gifts from my parents. Hubby works way too hard for our income to give credit to a "jolly old fat man" that isn’t real. I want Noah to grow up knowing that mommy and daddy work very hard for the things that we give him and that he should appreciate what he has. There are a lot of kids out there who don’t have anything for Christmas.

I have been thinking about incorporating Santa Clause as the "spirit of giving" for the Christmas season. Explaining to him [when he gets old enough of course] that Santa was derived from the Patron Saint Nicholas who was known for giving gifts. That’s the "Santa Clause" I want Noah to believe in. I want him to have a generous heart and I plan to get him involved in doing "Christmas gift projects" for underpriviledged kids when he gets older.

But then, in the back of my mind I fear that by not nurturing the Santa Clause belief that I will be taking something away from his childhood. That maybe one day he may grow up and wish that he would have had that part of his childhood.

What are your thoughts? Do you tell your kids about Santa?

Would love to hear some of your thoughts on this subject…