Titus 2 Men And Women

Santa Claus ... Fact or Fiction?
by Sharon Merhalski

My husband and I were married in August of 1969.  We never spent a Christmas with just the two of us, for I was expecting our son by our first Christmas together.  We were both very young in the LORD and desiring to always do the right things and make the right decisions.  That first Christmas--after observing children with Santa Claus in every store that we entered...we made a definite decision about Santa Claus and his place in our children’s lives.  Our decision never wavered and we never regretted making it.

The decision:  WE decided that our children would know Santa Claus like we grew up knowing Clara Bell the clown from the Howdy Doody Show.  When our children saw Santa in pictures, in the stores or on television they enjoyed him as a funny clown....no more and no less.  

This allowed them to have lots of fun accepting candy from all of them, talking to them and laughing with...and often at them. We never told them they were Satan in the flesh...that spelling thing---Santa---Satan.

Santa was just a fun part of Christmas...a "bring on the clowns" for entertainment part.  (We did not allow them to sit on his lap for pictures for we did not want them to have false promises---we did not want them to see this clown as someone giving them their wishes....and we did not want to have to buy what he promised to them!)

 In Proverbs 13:12 God says, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick:"

I was one of those children who cried my eyes out when I found out there was no Santa Claus!  My older brother just could not wait to destroy my ‘idolization’( Idol-anything that holds a higher place in your heart than God), of this wonderful giver of gifts to children.

I remember well that my heart was sick when my idol turned to ashes.  I honestly think I was an adult before I ever forgave my brother! C:

 In the above paragraph lies a definite problem for a Christian....idols.

Christmas is Christ...it is the celebration of His birth---our hope of salvation and eternal life.  God has some very definite things to say  in His Word about our having idols in our lives and  sharing His glory with another...God says He is a jealous God and will not share His glory with anyone!!!  We chose not to put our children in the position of sharing the glory of Christmas---the glory of God incarnate-- with a legend.  We also chose not to plan for a devastating time for our children...and many children are extremely disappointed---made sick by lost hope-- when they find out their parents lied to them about Santa Claus.  And may we all remember that children learn very young that lying is sin---always!

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