December is here, which means that Christmas is coming, with all of its party-planning, tree-setting, lights-hanging, list-making, money-spending, gift-wrapping glory. And for those of us who are parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, or otherwise meaningfully connected to young children, we’re also preparing them for Christmas…by telling them little white lies about a morbidly obese, bearded man who breaks into millions of homes every year to bestow gifts, stuff our stockings, and eat our cookies. Why are we lying to our children about Santa Claus?While I don’t love the idea of lying to kids, and while my wife and I chose not to teach our children that a red velvet-clad stranger gives them presents if they’re good, I do understand why most parents go along with the Santa narrative these days. Generally speaking, I think it’s fun and mostly harmless. But I also think it’s important for Christian parents to teach their kids these two important caveats about Santa Claus:1. SANTA > EASTER BUNNY & TOOTH FAIRYIt’s probably clear by now that I’m no fan of what “Santa Claus” has come to symbolize these days, but I also believe that we should be careful not to mindlessly categorize him alongside the likes of the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. Unlike those mythological figures, Santa Claus – aka “Saint Nick” – is based on a real, historical figure for reasons that are both understandable and admirable. Nicholas of Bari was born in the year 270 in the Roman port city of Patara (present-day Turkey) to devout Christian parents, both of whom died when Nicholas was very young. After their death, Nicholas apparently devoted his life to learning more about the roots of Christianity. As a young adult, he traveled to the Holy Land to walk where Jesus walked, and on his journey home across the Mediterranean Sea, his boat nearly capsized in a storm. According to the witnesses, Nicholas rebuked the storm in Jesus’ name, which caused the winds and waves to subside. The most famous story about this man is the one that gave rise to our modern idea of Santa Claus. Nicholas became acquainted with a fellow Christian man who was the father of three daughters. Through no fault of his own, the man and his family had lost everything, and without any dowries to offer potential suitors, the daughters faced a grim future of begging for food and offering their bodies in exchange for money. That’s when Nicholas stepped in and, reaching inside the man’s house through a window, he left three bags of gold inside three damp stockings that the girls had hung out to dry above the fireplace. Although Nicholas meant for this act of courage to be anonymous, the father saw the whole thing from a dark corner across the room. And thus, the legend of Saint Nicholas was born. Nicholas was also a priest who later became the Bishop of Myra, a region in present-day Turkey, and he was imprisoned and tortured during the Great Persecution under the Emperor Diocletian. When Constantine rose to power in 306, however, the “first Christian emperor” set Nicholas and many other persecuted Christians free. Nicholas died on December 6, 343 in Myra, and he was buried in a cathedral there. Within a century, Christians from all over the world traveled to pay their respects at his tomb. In recent years, archaeologists and historians at Liverpool University analyzed the skeletal remains of Nicholas’ crypt and claimed to “reconstruct” his face using 3D facial reconstruction technology. I can’t attest to the accuracy of this image of St. Nick, but I find it striking nonetheless.2. SANTA <<< JESUSYou can lift Jesus up at Christmas without kicking Santa to the curb, and it’s an effortless argument that kids of any age can grasp. Santa stops by once a year. Jesus is with us always (Matthew 28:20). Santa only brings gifts for kids on the Nice List. Jesus offers salvation to Nice and Naughty people the same.Santa says “You better not cry.” But Jesus wept (John 11:35) and said you can give him all your troubles (1 Peter 5:7)Santa’s helpers make toys. Jesus’ helpers make disciples that serve the poor, care for the sick, visit the prisoners, give to the needy, and love their enemies! I can’t be sure exactly how the modern-day legend of Santa Claus evolved from the original, historical man known as Nicholas, but I think there’s a way for parents to honor the latter without erasing the former. We just need to be clear with our kids that Santa is based on the true story of a truly extraordinary Christian man, and that JESUS is the true center of our Christmas celebration!
