Christians, tell your children there is no Santa Claus

[Ovedya]

I would add one more thing:

If you have young children you're going to need to train them very well not to tell other children that Santa is not real. We lost a huge testimony to some very close friends because our daughter "spilled the beans" to their daughter. It caused a huge problem, and ultimately ruined our opportunity to preach the gospel to them.

[WayneB]

It's been shown, Biblically, why lying to your children, for any reason, is a sin. Do you not agree with that? If you are feeling defensive about it then maybe it is conviction from God, who is trying to reach you through His word about this very issue.

YES...lying is bad.

BUT...who said we lied? I just didn't tell the kids who Santa really was until they pushed me for an answer. ALL thy knew was that Santa was generous and Mom & Dad were cheap. Then I broke it to them...WE WERE SANTA. Ask my adult sons if they still believe in Santa.

Not feeling defensive. Not feeling conviction. I just don't see the harm...

[Emily~Anne]

In our house, we dont lie to our children by saying 'Christmas is Jesus's Birthday', we tell them Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus's birthday because we dont know the exact day Jesus was born. I agree that to tell our kids that we know exactly when Jesus was born and he was born on the 25th would indeed be a lie. But I know of no parent who does that.

[Vickilynn]

Shalom Ovedya,

Please clarify this for me:

o that's why I find the whole "anti-Santa" thing a bit disingenuous. As Christians we tell our kids that Santa is a lie, yet we observe traditional yearly ritual which ultimately has no true Biblical origins. Then we continue throughout the year with barely a thought, or, let alone the mention, of the incarnation of Christ.

How can you say the birth of Messiah has no Biblical origins?

And what makes you say that if we celebrate Christmas, that is the ONLY time the incarnation of Messiah is celebrated?

As far as I read and experience, neither are true.

As for Messiah's birthday not being in December, actually, the Scriptures do not state specifically, and so we have some theories. However, the date is not the important issue, the ACT is. And I do not consider making a stand against lying about santa to be disingenuous and I personally feel that statement is not at all gracious or even accurate.

The bottom line is:

Messiah WAS born to a virgin and this is cause for celebration! At Christmas, we do celebrate the BIRTH of Messiah, not the date of His birth.

The ACT is the most important thing, not the date.

Telling children that santa is real is a lie, which the Bible condemns.

Telling children that santa is real robs G-d of the glory due Him.

There is no reason NOT to celebrate the birth of Messiah, but there are plenty of reasons not to lie to children to tell them santa is real.

[Vickilynn]

I would add one more thing:

If you have young children you're going to need to train them very well not to tell other children that Santa is not real. We lost a huge testimony to some very close friends because our daughter "spilled the beans" to their daughter. It caused a huge problem, and ultimately ruined our opportunity to preach the gospel to them.

Shalom,

I'm sorry, but I also don't see the need for this. Of course we don't tell our children to go out and broadcast that santa is not real, but when asked, they should always give the truth.

[Vickilynn]

In our house, we dont lie to our children by saying 'Christmas is Jesus's Birthday', we tell them Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus's birthday because we dont know the exact day Jesus was born. I agree that to tell our kids that we know exactly when Jesus was born and he was born on the 25th would indeed be a lie. But I know of no parent who does that.

[Ovedya]

Shalom Ovedya,

Please clarify this for me:

o that's why I find the whole "anti-Santa" thing a bit disingenuous. As Christians we tell our kids that Santa is a lie, yet we observe traditional yearly ritual which ultimately has no true Biblical origins. Then we continue throughout the year with barely a thought, or, let alone the mention, of the incarnation of Christ.

How can you say the birth of Messiah has no Biblical origins?

And what makes you say that if we celebrate Christmas, that is the ONLY time the incarnation of Messiah is celebrated?

It's the yearly ritual which has no true Biblical origins. In other words, Paul didn't celebrate Christmas, nor did any of the other apostles. The tradition of celebrating Jesus' birth is purely of human origin.

Christmas is the only time of the year that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. It's the only time of the year we hear sermons preached about the birth of Christ. I recognize that that's a generalization, so it can't apply to "every Christian" or even every Christian denomination, but in my experience the incarnation gets little more than a passing mention in sermon messages with other intentions.

As for Messiah's birthday not being in December, actually, the Scriptures do not state specifically, and so we have some theories. However, the date is not the important issue, the ACT is. And I do not consider making a stand against lying about santa to be disingenuous and I personally feel that statement is not at all gracious or even accurate.

I would contend that, although the incarnation of Christ is truly a miracle, was lauded by the angels, and was observed by kings to be one of the most significant events in human history, it does not rise to the occasion of ritual observance. Jesus told His disciples to remember His death often. He signified it by the observance of what we refer to as "The Lord's Supper" or "Communion." The apostles followed His commandment and that observance continues today with us. Yet nowhere is it recorded in the Bible that the birth of Christ was observed. Certainly Jesus did not observe His own birthday.

Messiah WAS born to a virgin and this is cause for celebration! At Christmas, we do celebrate the BIRTH of Messiah, not the date of His birth.

The ACT is the most important thing, not the date.

Telling children that santa is real is a lie, which the Bible condemns.

Telling children that santa is real robs G-d of the glory due Him.

There is no reason NOT to celebrate the birth of Messiah, but there are plenty of reasons not to lie to children to tell them santa is real.

I completely agree with all of those statements, and have absolutely no problem with them at all.

And to be perfectly clear as to my stand, I do not challenge or disagree one iota with the observance of Christmas. My only point in this thread was that we should have some balance and realize that our testimony could be easily destroyed by the over-reactions to the myths that surround this time of the year.

Remember the birth of Jesus. But do so all year round!

[Ovedya]

I would add one more thing:

If you have young children you're going to need to train them very well not to tell other children that Santa is not real. We lost a huge testimony to some very close friends because our daughter "spilled the beans" to their daughter. It caused a huge problem, and ultimately ruined our opportunity to preach the gospel to them.

Shalom,

I'm sorry, but I also don't see the need for this. Of course we don't tell our children to go out and broadcast that santa is not real, but when asked, they should always give the truth.

I disagree. One might commonly tell a friend or a work associate a "little white lie" about how they look in a pair of jeans or a skirt. Yet a child should be encouraged to crush the fantasy of a dear friend for the sake of being honest? I taught my children that it's better to remain silent in such cases.

[MrsSealedEternal]

I would add one more thing:

If you have young children you're going to need to train them very well not to tell other children that Santa is not real. We lost a huge testimony to some very close friends because our daughter "spilled the beans" to their daughter. It caused a huge problem, and ultimately ruined our opportunity to preach the gospel to them.

I told my daughter when we faced with this issue a few years ago to simpy not discuss Santa with oither kids. Around this time of year, kids would of course be talking about all the lies they believed about Santa to be true and she would have to hear all this nonsense and I know that it has to look as ridiculous as it is to her.

Now I do tell her to try be tactful, but just tell the truth when asked (let your yes mean yes and your no mean no). If she wants to tell others she doesn't believe in Santa because she doesn't believe that he is real, that is perfectly true and fine and good and if anyone wants to make bones with her about it, just tell them they are free to believe what they want to believe whether it is true or not and that they have to take the matter up with their parents at this age, but maybe someday in the future they will see why she believes what she believes.

BTW Ovedya, I think that was a testimony to what imitators of the Lord should be modeling and I think your daughter gave a mighty fine witness to the Lord.

[Vickilynn]

I disagree. One might commonly tell a friend or a work associate a "little white lie" about how they look in a pair of jeans or a skirt. Yet a child should be encouraged to crush the fantasy of a dear friend for the sake of being honest? I taught my children that it's better to remain silent in such cases.

Shalom Ovedya,

I guess we disagree then. I find it more important to teach my children the truth from Scriptures and never to be ashamed or afraid to speak the truth, in love.

1 Peter 3

13Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness