Choosing to believe
Originally posted December 12, 2010
image courtesy of photobucket.com
I found this note to Santa Claus taped to the refrigerator, penned by my 9 year old daughter:
Dear Santa/Saint Nick,
A lot of people I know don’t believe in you, but I do because of your jolly cheer and happiness. I wish I could let everyone have jolly cheer. I know I’ve changed, but my heart will always believe. I don’t need much, but this is my list…
My husband and I struggled with perpetuating the Santa Claus myth after our first child was born. We had many Christian friends who felt that allowing your children to believe in Santa sent the wrong message. Christmas was about the birth of Jesus, and St. Nick took away from that, not the mention the moral dilemma of knowingly lying to your children, and I completely understand and respect those who choose to forego Santa Claus. But then I remembered my childhood–believing in Santa made Christmas a magical time full of hope and promise. I wanted my own kids to experience what I had, even if just for a little while.
Besides, just like Santa Claus, there are things in life we choose to believe in that don’t always turn out to be true.
The childhood friend who promised you’d be friends forever? That may have proved untrue, but that doesn’t mean the friendship wasn’t real and true…
That special boy or girl–your first love (or your second, or your fifth)–who promised to love you forever only to break your heart? Also untrue, but that doesn’t mean you’re unworthy of love…
And just because I no longer believe a jolly fat man will be visiting our house on Christmas Eve, doesn’t mean we won’t be leaving cookies and milk for him, even if this is the last year we’ll be doing so.
I imagine that this time next year the myth will be busted and I will explain that even if her idea of Santa Claus wasn’t real, the spirit of him — of “jolly and cheer and happiness” — can remain alive in her heart as long as she chooses to believe.
Update: The myth is busted. My daughter approached me earlier this year and casually announced that she knew Santa wasn’t real. When I asked her if she still believed in the spirit of Santa and what he represents, she assured me that she always will. Win/win.
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Myth exists for a reason. I think your daughter discovered it.
“Jolly and cheer and happiness” is not a myth. That makes Santa a near-myth. And certainly enough for me to believe, too.
Whoa! What’s this about Santa not being real?
At least we still have my cousin, the Easter Bunny, to believe in!
You are a GREAT mom!
Are you sure you’re not a lawyer on the side? You make some powerful arguments for St. Nick. The one about the “friends for ever” was my favorite. I knew then that I was going to hang the jury.
I always told our children the truth of Christmas, all of them still pretended that there was a Santa Claus, at least for a few years, even when they knew the truth. I guess that’s part of being a kid.
Maybe the worst part of the whole issue was my heart and attitude toward the world at the time, believing I was right, using a hypocritical and aggressive nature to defend and condemn anyone else who differed from mine. Nothing Merry about that. I wish I could have heard or read something like this back then.
Nice job Mom, Merry Christmas to you and yours!
I was a liar. I spread wet pine straw around the fireplace, made ashes footprints, chewed pieces off carrots and tossed them on the floor, left notes from Santa. I figured it was okay after I read that Ruth Graham made magic, too.
Santa Claus is our American-English way of saying Saint Nicholas.
Saint Nicholas is real. He was a pastor in what is now modern-day Turkey. He was present at the Council of Nicea – a group of church leaders who put together the Nicene Creed (spoken in most Christian churches nearly every week).
Nicholas believed in Jesus Christ as his savior. As a believer, he lives forever. For many years he lived his faith by helping others – part of which was leaving gifts for others.
My wife and I told this story to our kids (read: perpetuating the “myth”). While the oldest (15 years old) doesn’t believe Santa actually brings gifts on Christmas Eve, our 11 & 12 year old still enjoy the story!
Nicholas, or Santa, has always been just one of many ways that our family has been able to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ – the greatest gift of all.
Santa is a story that leads us to THE Story (for us, in the same way that CS Lewis’ and Tolkien’s stories do).
Merry Christmas, Kathy!
So you were not home for Christmas! But you gave great joy to your Grandpa. No one really suffered and you pretty well made out fine.
We just emptied the balance of our pies and cheese cake that is not going to make it and Christmas is past. Happy New year to you!