Santa : to Visit or Not to Visit...That is the Question

Since I've been married, or maybe even engaged, I been in the Santa or no Santa debate. Both my husband and I had Santa growing up....

But once my mother became a Christ-follower our family's view of Santa, the Easter bunny and the Tooth Fairy all changed. Her view was (I think) that why would she teach her kids these make-believe things when there was soo much true meaning behind these celebrations - Christmas and Easter.

And thinking about being a parent and now being a parent, I can't agree more. I wish my kids knew more Bible verses and songs by heart....oh, goodness (honest moment) I wish I had more verses hidden in my own heart!!! Why would I use "precious teaching moments" on things that were make-believe. They get plenty of make-believe with their cartoons and books...their imaginations are already hard at work:)

All that said, Anna and I were wrapping up gifts this morning. She was helping my by picking out the tag and a "matching" bow. (To those who will get one of these combinations, I left it to her and went with her color schemes...he he he.) Anyway, some of the tags/labels were from a cheap pack I picked up at Walmart so they contained Santa. And I used the moment to try to test her Santa knowledge.

"So, Anna, who is Santa?"

She responds, "He's some boy."

"Oh, really! What does he do?"

She says," He goes to peoples' houses. But he's not coming to mine because I don't like him."

H aha haa....she does get afraid of people dressed up or even someone she doesn't know approaching her quickly, so her response back to me really fits her personality:) But it shows that she's heard about Santa from other people and it doesn't bother her in the least that we don't do Santa:) Although I told her that she was a lucky little girl because at Christmas her family and special friends give her gifts.

"These words, which I command to you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up." Deut 7:6,7