Comments on: Get thee behind me, Santa!

By: Jonovitch

Jonovitch — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:27:03 +0000

^ ^ ^ Best explanation ever. I like it. Thanks.

Jon

By: Velikiye Kniaz

Velikiye Kniaz — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 02:54:43 +0000

Yes, my child, it is very likely that he is real, but people have changed him a lot over time. You see, ‘Santa’ really means saint and ‘Claus’ is actually the nickname for Nicholas. The real Santa Claus was actually the bishop of a small city called Myrna which was in the country we now call Turkey. Nicholas was a very kind, caring and loving bishop for all of the members in his ‘ward’ or church. He was born to a very wealthy family and when his parents died he became a rich man. Nicholas had a very strong testimony of the Saviour and truly believed in Jesus’ teaching that, “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto ME.” So when ever he saw a person or a family in need in his church he took some of his money and secretly gave it to them. One simple way he did this was to put the coins, usually gold or silver, in a small bag with a tie string. He then waiting until the family was asleep and then toss the money through their window. Once, it is said, the bag of coins landed in a sock that was drying out after being washed and this is thought to be how the custom began to hang stockings at Christmas. Throughout his whole life Nicholas continued to give his money away anonymously (secretly) to all that he knew needed it. When he died his fortune was gone but the fame of his kindness and generosity became a legend. It was in the 1800′s when artists began to draw Saint Nicholas without his religious robes and started to show him in a fur trimmed suit. It was the Dutch who called him in their language “Sinta Klaus” and the English who changed this to “Santa Claus”. Saint Nicholas was living the Gospel to the best of his understanding by sharing his wealth with the poor, just as the Saviour gave us all of His wealth, the gift of forgiveness after sincere repentance and the gift of eternal life with Him and our Father in heaven. So when you see the jolly fat man with the long white beard and the red suit, remember that fellow is a bit of a fantasy cartoon character but Saint Nicholas was a real bishop who lived a long time ago and who loved his ‘ward’ members very, very much.

By: Rob Perkins

Rob Perkins — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:35:01 +0000

Har!

My oldest daughter keeps telling me that nothing seems real anymore. She’s been in her own personal existential crisis for some years now. She’s also the one who resisted me when I took her aside last year and made her reconcile herself to the fact that just because I let her believe a wild fantasy about Santa, doesn’t make him false when the fantasy turns out to be false.

It’s proof that people are complicated. I hoped to teach her a bit of nuance about faith. So far, it looks like it’s in one ear and out the other, but she’s a very good kid, so there is hope yet.

#9: What I used to say is, “I believe in Santa Claus. Don’t you? If you don’t, then, sorry, kid, but he’s not coming.” Cavalcades of confessions invariably follow, even from that oldest daughter.

By: Kathryn Lynard Soper

Kathryn Lynard Soper — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:31:49 +0000

ah, the preschool metaphysicist! I’ve got one of those too.

By: Matthew Chapman

Matthew Chapman — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:22:35 +0000

When my older kids were old enough to ask, I told them, “When you give a gift to someone, and you don’t tell them who it’s from, then you are Santa Claus.”

In related fatherly wisdom, I teach them, “We don’t believe in magic. Only miracles.”

I was getting my 4-year-old ready for his bath, and he asked me, “Papa, are WE real?”

What would you say?

http://lydeem.blogspot.com/2005/12/i-believe-in-santa-claus.html

By: Dead Seriously

Dead Seriously — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:17:35 +0000

From my neighborhood:

Kid 1: Santa isn’t real. Your parents lied to you.

Kids 2-10 in Sunbeams: *gasp*

Sunbeams Teacher to Kids 2-10: She’s lying, kids, don’t worry.

Sunbeams Teacher to Parents of Kid 1: You need to reconsider how you teach your children.

By: CS Eric

CS Eric — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:45:46 +0000

I wasn’t sure about Santa unitl about 15 years ago when one of our nieces came to visit us in Albuquerque. Her name is Jenica, but we always call her “Jen” or use her nickname “Jake.” She was 8 or 9 years old at the time, and starting to doubt. One day while she was with us, we went to the local mall, and since the line was pretty short, she went to see him. As soon as she sat on his lap, he greeted her by her given name Jenica, and thanked her for leaving carrots for the reindeer when he came.

The carrots he could have guessed, but there is no way he could have known her name was Jenica unless he was the real thing.

By: Kathryn Lynard Soper

Kathryn Lynard Soper — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:45:18 +0000

Wow, Rob! Some people tell their kids “If you don’t believe, you get no presents,” but this approach really turns up the heat!

By: Rob Perkins

Rob Perkins — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:36:03 +0000

Whoops! How do you put angle brackets in a comment! Trying again…

Daughter: Is Santa real?

Mother: Ask your father/

Daughter (with full charms switched on and burning bright): Daddy, is Santa real?

Father tells the story of Nicholas of Myra and the shoes and the saving from prostitution.

Daughter (did I fail to mention, she’s 13?): Um… OK, Dad. You *do* know, you’re kind of strange?

Father: Don’t you know? I believe in Santa Claus, and I know that if you don’t believe, then his stuff doesn’t happen.

Daughter: Oh, I believe! I believe!

By: Rob Perkins

Rob Perkins — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:34:28 +0000

Daughter: Is Santa real?

Mother: Ask your father/

Daughter (with full charms switched on and burning bright): Daddy, is Santa real?

Father:

Daughter: Um… OK, Dad. You *do* know, you’re kind of strange?

Father: Don’t you know? I believe in Santa Claus, and I know that if you don’t believe, then his stuff doesn’t happen.

Daughter: Oh, I believe! I believe!