My Thoughts On Santa As An Adult Christian

*Edited 1/12/2021 – Revised a few sentences and updated a post link.

Is it okay to talk about Santa? What the problems related to Santa Claus? These questions has been making me think, and I thought I’d share.

The past couple of years I have done a few posts on Christmas:

• Importance Of Christ’s Birth
• Ways To Incorporate Christ Into Activities
• Where Are Our Eyes This Christmas
• Positives Of Christmas When Focused On Christ
• Let’s Discuss Santa & St. Nick As Christians Issues We Face
• Holiday Traditions…An Idol?
• How I Focused On Christ While Decorating A Christmas Tree

Ever since 2017, I started to notice the separation between a holiday spent with family and traditions, and then…actual recognition of Jesus, His birth’s importance, everything God was preparing through Christ, the depth of His love, and more. I still am okay celebrating the holiday, however, I really want to take the time to focus on Christ, and not just “say” I am.

It’s really interesting because as Christians we should already be having a daily time with the Lord in His word, prayer, and worship. However, many of us are not. During a time in which people consider it the busiest time of the year…it is really about Christ?

And then…we have Santa.

In one older post, there was a lot of discussions. One point a few people brought up was basically, “How can we tell kids to believe in someone who is NOT real and then teach them about someone else, who they can’t see, BUT IS REAL?”

Jesus is real. Santa is not.

I know a few adults who shared when they grew up and found out about Santa, some of them took it really hard. In my own experience, I was pretty sure he didn’t exist (when I was older) and when I finally found out there was a twinge of disappointment…because I still had that “faint” hope.

Truthfully, and this may not have been the intention of my parents, but as a kid, I was more excited about “Santa” and gifts than baby Jesus. Christmas, as a child, was “about me” celebrating for the wrong reasons. Sure, I went to church and was part of the kids’ programs…but I was caught up in the commercialism and the “give me” stuff. Christmas was fun because of what I got out of it, which, in recent years, I’ve really been convicted of. Growing up hasn’t changed the temptation to be focused on self or self-serving during Christmas time…even if we are doing good…

It’s about what we do or what we give, and that’s not the point, either.

The idea of Santa is force-fed. Commercials, tv specials, movies, pictures, etc. It’s funny because in the adult world… media sells us all these lies, too. Look this way. Guys like this in a girl. Girls like this in a guy. Food. Gym. Health. Treat yo self. ROMANCE…and how it’s “suppose” to look.

This is probably not what everyone thinks, but I feel like it’s kinda twisted we make up something for children to have fun with only to take away because “you’re grown up.” Everyone I know who grew up not believing in Santa didn’t have any problems. It’s the kids who grow up thinking Santa exists that sometimes have issues.

In fact, I think it’s the adults who get the most excitement from watching the kids getting excited. So… isn’t that kind of selfish? We know better and the kids don’t. I think that’s why adults are so strongly upset when people are against Santa. We are attached to Santa. We want to be entertained.

Kids who never knew Santa have no issues, it’s the adults who have the issues. (Kind of a role reversal)

When kids find out Santa is a fake, they can have trust issues, and it’s not funny. Why SHOULD they trust their guardians with something they legit thought existed and then their world is smashed? Like it’s some big joke to the adults. To a kid, that’s cruel. Why should they believe in Jesus when they haven’t seen Him and the same adults who lied about Santa are saying Jesus exists?

Perspective is key. 

Why can’t we spend our time beyond the talk of “Santa” and excitement for gifts? Why can’t we just build up a foundation solely in Christ from the beginning?

(NIV) Phillippians 4:08, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”

Commerical Santa does not fit this scripture. —-> Whatever is true….NOPE!

But Jesus fits the bill every time. Jesus is better than Santa.

Jesus is even better than St. Nick, but that’s for another time 😉

Comment Below: 

Do you think kids should be told about Santa?

Monthly Scripture – (NIV) 2 Corinthians 2:11, “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”

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