What is the deal with Santa? Zoe is scared out of her wits at just the sight of the bearded man. Always has been. Am I ruining Christmas for my kids by not playing up Santa? I don't really remember my parents pushing him on me when I was growing up and I definitely don't remember a time when I ever believed in him. So here is my question for you - What role does Santa play in your holidays? How did that role come about? Was it a natural process or did you put effort into cultivating a tradition/belief? I'm just curious about your households because I have absolutely no inclination to make Santa a figurehead in our home. I don't think less of anyone who does and I'm not trying to force my disbelief on anyone, I just wonder what the motivation is for incorporating Santa into Christmas. And what is the process for introducing him to children - especially when so many little ones seem terrified of him.
In the meantime, as long as we have nothing better to do on a Friday night in December in Payson, we will probably be found doing this:
7 comments:
Well, at least Owen likes him! Santa was a big deal in our house/family growing up. My parents (mom) went all out at Christmas time and as I've posted, we sat on his lap every year. Once you "find out" about Santa you have to say you still believe or he won't come. He also always writes his name on a part of your body on Christmas eve to let you know he came.
Ashton has never liked Santa and we have never pushed it. In fact we have avoided ever saying Santa is real because I want my kids to believe what I say--especially when I talk about the true Christmas story. This year Ashton was getting into the holiday movies a little more and I finally sat down and told him Santa wasn't real. I know, you all think I'm terrible for telling a four year old there is no Santa, but I want him to always trust me. We aren't total grinches, we do read the Santa stories and watch all the classic Santa movies, but with the knowledge it isn't real.
Our kids didn't like Santa when they were that age, but they sure love him now! And they believe in him with fervency! I don't remember ever ACTUALLY believing, myself, but when they do believe it's usually because of outside influences (since we haven't played it up too much, and our kids don't get very big Santa gifts)
We're not really playing up the Santa thing...in fact, Thomas got a lot of gifts from the Three Kings this year. He is talking about Santa because his school taught him all about it, we didn't! Not that we're anti-santa, but we just want Thomas growing up knowing that we give gifts as a celebration of Christ's gift to us: eternal life. On a side note, my nieces and nephew don't do Santa because they've been freaked by him ever since they were little. And when my sister asked her oldest daughter (then 4) if she wanted presents from Santa, my niece responded "No, I don't care if I don't get Santa presents. I don't want some strange old man coming into our house when we're all asleep" HA! Stranger Danger definitely struck a cord there...
We love Santa, but by about 8,9, or 10 the magic wears off and the kids figure it out for reals. It's just so fun to remember lying in bed as a child wondering if I could stay up late enough to catch Santa sneaking into the house. It was so exciting to find gifts left from him under the tree, unwrapped, pulled straight from his bag.
We definitely talk about what the true meaning of Christmas is and try to teach our kids that giving is better than receiving.It's just a fun tradition for the little ones. And...as you can see from my blog, my kids love sitting on Santa's lap, especially when he's handing out candy canes!
When I was little, my dad was the one who got excited about Christmas and Santa. He would wake up around 3 or 4 am and make noise to wake us kids up! He was still a kid himself (only 21 years older than me). My parents were poor but my mother went overboard anyway. It took them all year to pay off the last Christmas, then they would do it over again. But we did not get things the rest of the year so Christmas was really special. I can remember "seeing" Rudolph flying in the night sky when I was 5 (it was a red blinking light that moved thru the sky...so it had to be him). We kids were so excited for him to come. He always left toys out and a full stocking for each of us. I can not remember when I learned that he was not real but I never felt that my parents lied to me. They made it very special and I was a part of keeping it special for the littler kids.
I tried to make it special for my kids too. All babies and young children cry when they are put on Santa's lap (I did, and my parents still have the picture to prove it). By the time they are 3 or 4, if they are encouraged to believe in him, they adjust. Those 3 to 8 or 9 years are the best ones for Santa "believing".
I have known lots of adults, my age and younger, who do not practice the Santa "belief", and I think that is fine for them. I just loved Christmas as a kid and like to see my grandchildren and greatniece enjoy the excitement of Christmas.
I think that it is really important that the children understand that Christmas is really about Christ's birthday celebration. Coming from a non-church family, that was the only time that I really heard the true Christmas story and about Christ until I was in my teens.
I remember spending one Christmas eve, unable to sleep, so I listened to my transister radio in my bed. I heard the whole story of Christ's birth as a play. It was the best Christmas eve I ever had. I made a choice to become a Christian after that. It was almost 30 years later that I was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Sorry for this long note. I'm sorry that I am not able to see and hear the Gillice kids this year. Maybe another time. I love you all, and I hope you had a great holiday. Love MOM/grandma C
maybe she just didn't like the candy selection in that little bag. you can see how that would be disappointing.
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