Last Updated on November 13, 2024
Santa Claus has become a staple part of our Christmas traditions in the United States and abroad. But does the man in the red suit and white beard have any place in our Christmas holiday traditions? Is it a sin for Christians to believe in Santa Claus?
As November hits and the weather gets colder, holiday season is suddenly in full swing. But if you’re a parent of multiple kids like me, you’re probably already thinking about Christmas.
How many gifts should I get my kids this year? Who’s family will we spend the holidays with? Do I have enough time off of work for our plans this year?
In the busy-ness of decorating, shopping, planning and celebrations, it can be so easy for us to forget to focus on what the heart of Christmas is actually all about.
We know that Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of Jesus – God’s gift to the world. But there’s another man who has taken over a whole lot of our attention every December, especially on Christmas morning…. Dear old Saint Nick.
This year instead of ignoring all the Santa madness, I decided to spend some time asking the question I’ve always wondered about – Is wrong for us as Christians to celebrate Christmas with Santa Claus?
Should Christians celebrate Santa Claus?
Maybe you grew up leaving out milk and cookies for Santa Claus every Christmas Eve. Or maybe you grew up in a home where his was a name that was never to be mentioned.
Regardless of how you were raised, what is the right way for us as believers to deal with Santa Claus?
Should we encourage a belief in him with our kids? Is it all just in good natured fun , even though we know he’s not real. Is it a sin to center our Christmas celebrations around Santa Claus, his reindeer and elves instead of God incarnate, sent to us in Bethlehem?
Growing up we were never big “Santa Claus” people, but we did have one of those dancing Santa’s who shook his hips to “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” in front of our fireplace every year.
Right above the fireplace sat the nativity scene, next to a cross, a reminder of why Jesus came and what we celebrate.
And maybe that’s the point – that there’s no harm in a little silly Christmas fun, as long as we ultimately focus our eyes on the One who came to free us from sin and shame.
Like Halloween, the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny, how YOU ultimately decide to celebrate Christmas with your family is completely up to you and how the Lord directs your family. But here’s some of the information I learned that helped us make a decision about Santa Claus in our own house.
Where did Santa come from anyway?
I figured the most important thing for all of us Christian parents to do was figure out who this St. Nick guy even was in the first place? Where did Santa Clause come from, and is he someone we should even be talking about in our home?
The whole Santa story might be a little more familiar to some of us than others.
Today we think of Santa Claus as the big jolly grandfatherly guy in red who comes down from the North Pole with a sleigh and some reindeer, crams himself down our chimney to eat some cookies and lay out presents for our kids. (Pretty frightening when you think about, right?)
But where does the Santa myth REALLY come from and what is this guy all about?
For answers, we literally go all the way back to the 3rd century – around 300 AD to learn about a monk named Saint Nicholas, a real person who was called the Patron Saint of Children.
Hailing from the area where the country of Turkey is today, Saint Nicholas was a super generous guy who gave away his wealth to others and helped the poor and sick throughout his life.
After he passed away, a feast day was create to celebrate his life every December 6h. A lot of people considered this to be a lucky day for those who celebrated, and considered it a day of wealth or a good day to make big life changes like having a baby or getting married.
Fast forward hundreds of years to the late 1700’s where many dutch families in the U.S. were celebrating the life of Sinter Klaas (the Dutch name for Saint Nicholas) every year. The story got picked up by a newspaper in New York, and Santa Claus as we now know him started gaining popularity here in the U.S.
Getting back to the true meaning of Christmas
So what exactly does this have to do with Christmas and the birth of our Savior? The truth is… not a lot.
Through the press and retail, Santa Claus slowly became a symbol of the Christmas season in America and around the world. Artists, cartoonists and the media have helped to shape his image.
And there are some great lessons that we can take away from the life and generosity of the REAL St. Nicholas.
In the same way that he gave to the poor, helped the weak and served others with everything he had, the Christmas season is the perfect time of year to remind us to do the same.
I think the most important part of this to remember and to teach our kids is that the generosity of St. Nick is still nothing compared to the generosity and the ultimate sacrifice of our God and His Son who became the Savior of the world, Jesus.
The messages of giving, generosity, and selflessness that Santa Claus represents are all valuable lessons to bring into our homes and share with our kids. But making this fictional character the focus of our holiday season—not so much.
We can use the story of St. Nick as an example of the types of things we can do to become more like Jesus Christ, our Savior. Giving to others who haven’t done anything for us is a good thing and that generosity sets an example for us to follow.
But God’s Word is where we find the greatest story ever told, not in a Christmas movie or story book about a mostly fictional character who promotes consumerism. So maybe the best thing we can do is tell our children the true story of the real St. Nicholas, after we share with them the greatst story ever told of Jesus’ birth.
4 Things to Remember When It Comes to Santa Claus
Whether or not you and your family recognize Santa Claus this year is up to you. I would challenge you to prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit what He would have you to do and the best way for your family to celebrate the season for the ages and stages that your family is in.
1. Remember our focus should be on Jesus as the center of Christmas.
Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus, who is the reason for the season. While Santa can add to the fun, keeping Christ as the central focus reminds our families of God’s incredible gift.
Bible Verse: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…” – Isaiah 9:6
2. Teach the joy of giving over receiving.
Santa’s image as a joyful giver can be an opportunity to discuss the importance of generosity. We can remind our children that giving reflects God’s love, and that true joy comes from helping others, not just receiving gifts.
Bible Verse: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” – 2 Corinthians 9:7
3. Encourage a spirit of wonder and gratitude.
Santa may bring excitement, but the real wonder of Christmas is the story of Jesus’s birth. Teaching gratitude for both the little and big things helps children appreciate the meaning behind all they receive.
Bible Verse: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” – Psalm 107:1
4. Emphasize truth in all things.
For some families, navigating Santa can bring questions about truth. Parents can choose to use Santa as a fun, imaginative part of Christmas, while emphasizing that the ultimate truth of Christmas is found in Jesus’s birth and God’s love.
Bible Verse: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32
Conclusion
There are definitely some fun aspects surrounding the story and excitement of Santa Claus, and it’s not a sin to share that story with your kids. But we are commanded to keep the first things first, to remind our families that while Santa and his reindeer are fiction, the story of Jesus and the birth of our Savior are exceedingly relevant and real.
Let’s make sure that our kids know that “Every good and perfect gift is from above…” (James 1:17) and that the greatest gift we could ever receive isn’t under our Christmas trees. It’s the gift our heavenly Father gave to us in the form of baby Jesus who would one day save us from our sins.
Merry Christmas from all of us here at MomLife Today!
