How does the little fat guy in red figure into the Christmas story?
Published: 12/20/2012 12:00 AM
Last Modified: 12/19/2012 5:54 PM
Macy's Santa visits children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation at the Barber Motorsports Park during his cross-country Macy's National Santa Tour on Dec. 17 in Birmingham, Ala. (Butch Dill/AP Images for Macy's)
One of my earliest memories being raised in a non-Christian home was forcing myself to stay awake on Christmas Eve, my neck and back aching as I maintained a steady gaze out of my bedroom window hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa’s reindeer landing on a neighbor’s roof.
I don’t think the Santa hoax warped me as a child. I outgrew that belief along with the belief in tooth fairies and monsters in the closet.
But decades later, when my wife and I had to address the issue with our own children, I chose to be honest with them whenever the issue came up. And as a grandparent, I defer to the wishes of the parents.
The issue is particularly acute for parents seeking to instill a biblical understanding of the Christmas story. Where does the little fat guy in a red suit fit into that picture?
Several Christian leaders recently weighed in on the Santa debate in Christianity Today, the world’s largest evangelical magazine.
Michael Chanley, executive director, International Network of Children's Ministry, said, "Santa teaches us how to give with joy and to receive gifts with gladness. Don't discourage belief in Santa; instead, spend time encouraging people to put their belief in God."
Scottie May, a professor at Wheaton College, said the Santa figure in popular culture does not belong in church. "The key word is belief. Emulating Saint Nick is awesome, but I have problems with parents duping their children into believing that Santa exists,” he said.
Phil Vischer, creator of VeggieTales, said, "We should take those fun Santa traditions and link them back to St. Nicholas rather than getting rid of the fun part of Christmas."
Leon Wirth, executive director of parenting and youth, Focus on the Family, said families should “make it their main goal to tie every practice to the true meaning of Christmas."
Author Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira said, "Churches should be in the business of encouraging belief in Jesus, not micromanaging which bits of folklore parents choose to include in their family holidays. Santa gives us opportunities to show our kids the love Jesus brought into this world."
Dennis Okholm, professor, Azusa Pacific University, had this advice: "Have Santa join the children to celebrate the birth of Jesus. … The more we invite into the story, the less we will have to worry about the competition. All can bring their gifts to the King — even Santa."
Written by
Bill Sherman
Staff Writer
