by Akua Hinds

Created on: July 24, 2010

Weeks before Christmas Day, parents stand in the long shopping mall lines to pay tribute to Father Christmas.  Holding their little ones’ hands, these parents do their best to perpetuate the Santa Claus myth by encouraging their children to take pictures on jolly Santa’s fat red knee.  Years go by and each Christmas it is the same; Santa Claus gets the responsibility to grant gifts to children and make dreams come true.  Children become so attached to believe the lie about Santa Claus and his elves working feverishly in the North Pole that they miss the meaning of Christmas entirely.  Christmas is a Christian holiday meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.  Christmas is not supposed to be about myths and fantasies; it is supposed to be about giving thanks to God for sending his Son to earth to change the lives of every human being who chooses to accept Him.  Parents who perpetuate the myth of Santa Claus to their children are robbing them of honoring the meaning of Christmas as it should be and setting their children up to be doubtful of anything their parents tell them.   

Parents are responsible for training their children.  One of the worst things a parent can do is train their children to tell lies.  Equally harmful as telling lies is when a parent encourages their children to believe lies and not question the truth.  When parents teach children about Santa Claus instead of teaching them about God’s grace and mercy, parents are taking the risk that their children will grow up believing that God doesn’t really do anything for us, only Santa does.  Children might also grow up believing that if Santa doesn’t give them every gift on their wish list that they are not deserving of gifts or appreciation.  The truth is that God gives us everything- the air we breathe, the eyes we see with and our bodies and souls.  God also gives us our parents and our parents are the ones who bought our Christmas gifts when we were young, not Santa Claus!  A mythical figure does not deserve to claim the credit of a parent’s hard work in saving money to buy gifts for their precious children.  Children need to be taught that respect should be given when it is due and it should not be wasted on a mythical man. 

It is sad to see what Christmas has been reduced to; atheists and non-Christians say Merry Christmas to others and shop for Christmas gifts without truly considering what Christmas means to Christians and the world on a whole.  Christmas is a holiday that should be taken seriously; it should not be turned in to a joke by honoring a fairy tale character and lying to children.  How deceived will a child feel when they learn the truth about the lie of Santa Claus?  Some children may never trust their parents again.  Parents should avoid taking the risk of this happening by explaining the true meaning of Christmas to their children.  If children ask why Santa Claus is a constant theme at shopping malls, in movies and in Christmas carols heard on the radio, parents should simply explain that people from long ago made up stories about a fairy tale character that has the power to make or break Christmas but he is not real.  Christmas is a joyous holiday because it is about our Savior’s birth and the true gift He gives to us all- the gift of salvation for those who believe in and accept Him.  Long after children have grown up, they will surely thank their parents for teaching them the true meaning of Christmas and encouraging them to accept the priceless gift of eternal life. 

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