Santa in Our Home

In my last blog, A Holy Holiday, I briefly wrote a little on Halloween, Christmas, and celebrating secular holidays as Christians. In this blog I will share my heart journey with you. {It is ok to agree to disagree. I am not here to debate. I am not a theologian. This is only the story of my journey}.

I have been on both ends of the spectrum when it comes to celebrating Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. I was raised "doing" the holidays like everyone else. It was fun {SO MUCH FUN} but it wasn't purposed. However, I can honestly say that it has not damaged me as an adult. I don't believe in Jesus less, not even as a child when I found out the truth. I have heard of a few instances where kids found out and then wondered if God was real. I think with a balanced view on fiction, fantasy, and reality this wont happen. Fostering a healthy imagination in children will most likely prevent this and it's important for kids to make-believe. Kids also believe Dora, Elmo, Doc McStuffins, and all of their favorite characters are real.

Fast forward into my adult years as a young mom on a motherhood journey much too young and very much still trying to just figure out the basics. I decided Halloween, Santa, Christmas, all of it was evil and came from the devil. I didn't want our little family to participate. It was always a debate in our home, my sweet hubs wasn't completely on board. We did participate in a few and very limited amount of these celebrations. Back in these days (until last year of 2012) I can honestly say I was completely operating in legalism, a spirit of fear (fear that I was pleasing the devil, not God), and self-righteousness (I wanted to be super holy).

Here's the deal with Santa:
It was almost the holiday season of 2012 when my sweet little 3 year old twins came running through house shouting, "Santa is coming! Santa is coming!" Needless to say I was completely thrown through a loop. We had never talked about Santa with them and it wasn't even December yet (Santa and Christmas stuff weren't even out in the stores yet). I tried to tell them Santa wasn't real, he is pretend like Elmo and Dora. They completely melted down and didn't believe me. The other kids had just accepted this truth like no big deal. I could not bare to crushed their childlike faith. So, I began to search my heart and pray.

After the eye opening experience with the twins I realized that my kids where longing for a more exciting childhood and the space to just be kids. We not only did the Santa thing we even did Elf on the Shelf. Let me tell you one of the biggest reasons why. I had been suffering from depression for a few years and I really needed to have fun and relax. I didn't want the Christmas season to feel like a drag. We celebrated. That is why God gives us the opportunity to celebrate isn't it? To remember His goodness, to relish in His love, and to have fun! God wants us to enjoy life.

We have been open and honest with our kids about the whole Santa thing from the very beginning, including the tooth fairy, but we all enjoy pretending together. I am so bad at the tooth fairy thing, when the kids lose a tooth I will ask them, "Do you want the money now or under your pillow?" They usually will say under their pillow {because it's FUN}. The twins asked me just yesterday if Santa was real. We had a good talk {I'm not sure they totally caught on}. I explained about St. Nicholas, who was very generous but had to remain anonymous and that's where we get the idea to give gifts from Santa, to help us to remember to give generously and without expecting anything in return. Jesus gives to us so we can give to others. We really like this VeggieTales.

We talk about how we just pretend about Santa. They know we eat the milk and cookies. Our Elf on the Shelf, Zippy is his name, is just part of the fun make-believe. And guess what? During Christmas time they choose to go all out and pretend like they actually believe. Our family had fun last year and we really needed that. The kids went bed with anticipation of the fun that Zippy would bring in the morning!

My goal this year is to be purposed with Zippy and our Santa game. I want Zippy to do silly things but mostly bring important messages to the kids about doing acts of kindness. Zippy will come back from the North Pole with assignments for the kids to carry out. As far as Christmas Eve and Santa, he will be riding in his sleigh to bring a few gifts, eat his cookies, and travel around the world-for pretend. It's fun to make-believe with your kids. Our imaginations are beautiful gifts from God. He created us to imagine, to hope, to dream, to have faith in things unseen, and to believe.

We will also be using the Jesus Storybook Bible to go along with our Jesse Tree devotions. I am currently working on our December reading list that will consist of Christmas stories that focus on Jesus, some about the make-believe stuff (like Santa), and hopefully some that incorporate both.

The point is that any day of the week can be as evil as you allow it to be. Any holiday, character, anything at all can be used for evil or for good. I believe it's our choice. We choose to make good what the enemy wants to use for evil. I can't think of a better way to defeat him than to use his own tools against him!

St. Nicholas was a real person who did great things in the name of Christ. He set an excellent example that we can all learn from. However, Zippy is no more real than Cinderella and I don't know about ya'll but we love her! So that's it, my journey, my heart, and how I am hoping to make our make-believing purposed.

{Update: We are following this blog this year, Elf on the Shelf Jesus Style}