What should Christian parents teach their children about Santa Claus?

This particular post had a number of hits last year, so I’ve decided to re-post it.

Many Christian parents struggle this time of year giving answers to their children about the existence of Santa. Some practical advice is given in this blog that addresses this issue.

First, should Christian parents teach their children to believe in Santa? If, by Santa, we mean a mythical person who flies reindeer, slips down chimneys, and knows when you’re sleeping and when you’re awake (I always thought that part was a bit creepy!), then no, Christian parents shouldn’t teach their children to believe in a lie. Though Santa gives gifts based on how good we’ve been all year, the heart of Christian gospel is that we’re given gifts – salvation from sin – because we aren’t good. Unlike the song about Santa, we should never encourage our children to be “good for goodness sake.”

There are, however, redeemable features of the historic person name Saint Nicholas that all Christian parents should teach their children. In an article last year in the Washington Post pastor Mark Driscoll explains that Christian parents can either reject Santa, receive him, or redeem him. It’s the redemption of Santa that’s of peculiar interest considering the historical reality of his life and involvement in Christian history & theology.

Nicholas was born in the 3rd century and became a bishop in the city of Myra (see Acts 27:5-6). He’s significant for Christian parents for two reasons.

Nicholas teaches us about the essential theological issues about Christmas, namely, Jesus’ eternal existence and incarnation. In the year 325 Bishop Nicholas attended a church Council at Nicaea which affirmed that Jesus existed eternally with the Father and thus eternally divine. The teaching Nicholas affirmed rejected the heresy of Arianism. So, through the life and ministry of Nicholas of Myra we can teach our children about Jesus’ identity as we read to them the birth stories in Matthew & Luke or about his eternal existence as the Word from the Gospel of John.

Nicholas of Myra

Nicholas was born into a wealthy family and used that wealth to bless others through his gift giving. Cheerful and generous giving is a Christ-like virtue (see 2 Corinthians 8:9 & 9:7). When Christmas in American culture feeds on commercialism, the attitude of generous gift giving can be fostered through a proper (and historical!) understanding of who Nicholas really was.

Driscoll concludes his article by stating, “In sum, Saint Nick was a wonderful man who loved and served Jesus faithfully. So, we gladly include him in our Christmas traditions to remind us of what it looks like for someone to live a life of devotion to Jesus as God. Our kids thank us for being both honest and fun, which we think is what Jesus wants.”

At the end of the day, you might not include ol’ Saint Nick in your Christmas festivities, but Driscoll’s point should be taken seriously: we should learn the good things about the historical minister from Myra while being honest with our children, and at the same time, have fun with the kids as well.

Constantine & his Bishops at Nicaea

Second, how do you break the news to the kids that Santa isn’t real? Here are suggestions.

Emphasize the biblical Christmas story and sing those wonderful Christmas carols about it! Santa is certainly no where to be found in Jesus’ birth stories in Matthew or Luke, but keeping the focus on the main purpose for Christmas – Jesus’ birth – helps derail the emphasis our culture places on Santa’s coming as the main event for December 25.

Also, besides reading Scripture & singing Christmas carols about his birth, tell the children that you’ll be getting them presents for Christmas. Here’s what you can do: tell the children you’re going to wrap their presents you bought them and then make sure they see you put them under the tree before December 25. Doing this shows the children that you were the ones who gives them Christmas joy on Christmas morning.

For more on the history of St. Nicholas, see the website at The St. Nicholas Center or the article at Wikipedia. Also, check out Matt Crawford’s blog (one of the former assistant pastors at my church) on who attended Nicaea.