Santa Claus: The History and Consequences of a Tradition
Although the present American tradition ╥requires╙ parents to teach their young children that there really is a man named Santa Claus, the stubborn fact remains that no elf, human, angel, or god has, does, or will exist, fitting the description of an overweight elf with a long white beard that drives a sleigh with reindeer that fly. That makes any image a false image, a fantasy, an imaginary description. Santa Claus is simply a pretend character.
╥Santa╙ is most often referred to as a ╥jolly old elf.╙ An elf is defined as ╥1 a: a small, often mischievous fairy; 2 a: a small creature; esp. a mischievous child; b: a mischievous or malicious person. A ╥fairy╙ is defined as a ╥tiny imaginary being with human form and superhuman powers╙ (Webster╒s New Collegiate Dictionary, 1973). The present, popular image of ╥Santa╙ was first painted as a Coca-Cola ad in 1931, having evolved over the last 1500 years from the pagan figure ╥Father Christmas╙ and Nicholas, a bishop of the 4th century.
Where did the Santa Claus legend come from?
The Encyclopaedia Britannica, volume 19, pages 648-649, 11th edition, states: ╥St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra, a saint honored by the Greeks and Latins on the 6th of December... A legend of his surreptitious bestowal of dowries on the three daughters of an impoverished citizen... is said to have originated the old custom of giving presents in secret on the Eve of St. Nicholas [Dec.6], subsequently transferred to Christmas day. Hence the association of Christmas with Santa Claus....╙ Bishop Nicholas became the patron saint of children and is said to have given his money secretly to the poor. Bishops wore red robes.
Legends of St. Nicholas turned him into a magical figure, embodying traits of the Norse god Odin and of witchlike elfin deities who rewarded good children and punished naughty ones. This image became blended with the pagan figure, Father Christmas, who was closely tied to midwinter celebrations. To Dutch immigrants his nickname was ╥Sinterklaas.╙ The German immigrants had the ╥Christkindl╙ (an angelic child messenger of the new-born Jesus, who often carried the gift of a tree) and ╥Pelznickol╙ (a scary Nicholas dressed in furs carrying switches as well as toys). These two blended into ╥Kriss Kringle╙ and on to ╥Santa Claus.╙ American writers and painters of the 19th century continued to mold people╒s ideas with ╥The Night Before Christmas╙ (1822), ╥A Christmas Carol╙ (1843), and the picture of a rotund, pipe smoking elf dressed in a furry suit and jaunty cap decorated with holly sprigs working at his North Pole workshop or preparing to descend a chimney with a bag of toys taken from his reindeer-drawn sleigh (1863).
Is ╥Santa Claus╙ real?
If you say he is an elf, check the definition above. Elves are imaginary beings. ╥Imaginary╙ means ╥not real.╙ He is certainly not a real person, angel, or god. Santa Claus is an idea, an image painted in people╒s minds much like Dumbo, the flying elephant, or Superman. Dumbo is a pretend character. Superman is a pretend character. Santa Claus is a pretend character. Parents know that; so why teach a child that he is real? Hopefully, parents don╒t teach their children that elephants or people really do fly. The unfortunate fact is, the adult peer pressure is at its maximum, pushing parents to teach the lie that Santa╒s reindeer do fly, pulling him and his sleigh from house to house all over the face of the globe in one night. And yet the same parents teach their kids NOT TO LIE! Doesn╒t that make them hypocrites?
A grandmother once stood up and addressed 125 adults in a church class: ╥My granddaughter came to me not long ago with a question: ╘Gramma, Mommy and Daddy said there was a Santa Claus, and there really wasn╒t; and they said there was an Easter Bunny, and there really wasn╒t; and they said there was a tooth fairy, and there really wasn╒t. Now they are saying there is a Jesus Christ and a God; Gramma, is there really a Jesus Christ and a God?╒╙ The room was silent. You could feel the cold chills running up and down the backs and arms of those present. The point is so clear! Our children are listening to us! What are we teaching them? Are we crying ╥Wolf╙ only to lose our credibility with them?
What does Santa know?
The popular song tells us that he knows when you are sleeping, when you╒re awake, when you╒ve been bad, and when you╒ve been good. Does Santa really know these things? Does Dumbo know those things? Does Superman? Pretend characters don╒t know anything. Parents know that; so why make a child think that Santa really does know these things? Santa Claus is not an individual with the capacity to think. His ╥supernatural╙ knowledge is just another lie slipped into children╒s minds to put the ╥fear of Santa╙ in them. Kids are taught not only to fear Santa, but to pray to Santa, lie to Santa, bargain with Santa, blame Santa, go to see Santa, write to Santa, sing songs about Santa, leave cookies and milk for Santa, love Santa, and worship Santa. Worship means ╥to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power╙ (Webster╒s New Collegiate Dictionary ). What is done to and for ╥Santa╙ certainly fits that definition of worship. Who are we to worship? Who do you want your kids to learn to worship? Surely not an imaginary elf!
Why do Santa supporters become so defensive?
╥We don╒t want to ruin our children╒s fun!╙ they say. But wait, children love to pretend. They play with their dolls and toy trucks for hours. They are just pretending and we pretend right along with them and drink the imaginary tea from the imaginary teacup. Why don╒t you teach your kids to pretend about Santa Claus? He is an imaginary figure. The kids will have great fun pretending right along with you. You have fun pretending don╒t you? Why not let the kids pretend with you?
╥What if they go to school and tell the other kids that Santa Claus is not real?╙ they say. A good question. Someone told you that Santa was not real and how did it make you feel? Some of you don╒t remember anything about it, but some of you remember where you were sitting, what you were wearing, who told you, and can still feel how you felt: hurt, betrayed, angry, etc. You realized you had been lied to by your own parents. That did not feel good.
For those of you that don╒t remember that event when your Santa ╘bubble╒ was broken, there are people you know and see everyday that still carry those hurts, that still have not been able to fully forgive their parents. Could your kid be hurt by the lie even if you think you were not hurt? You don't want to play ╘Russian Roulette╒ with your child. Feelings can be very fragile and, believe it or not, your kids are vulnerable. They need to feel secure with your words, not skeptical.
By the way, this pamphlet is not laying all the blame at parents╒ doorsteps; they are just doing what they had been taught to do by their parents. Biblically speaking, lies have their origin with the devil (Joh 8:44). The good news is that we now have a clear choice: to promote the lie or tell the truth. This discernment understanding makes us more accountable for our future choices in this matter. Many parents across the country are realizing that traditions that sacrifice basic values are not worth it.
The tradition of Santa has become a tradition of deception for many families. If you want to continue the tradition, remove the deception by just letting everyone, including the kids, in on the game. Sometime, you may ask, ╥Why do we keep playing this expensive game?╙ Some people are realizing what a financial, emotional, and spiritual trap this tradition has become. Change is possible. Believing the truth can free you from the trap!
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Have You Ever Wondered...
1. Who am I?
2. Why am I here? What╒s my purpose in life?
3. Why do I do things I don╒t want to do?
4. How did this world we live in get into the awful condition it is presently in?
5. Can I ever really know and understand God? or will he always remain a mystery to me?
6. Why does God let bad things happen? Isn╒t he Almighty?
7. Who should I pray to? Am I really praying to the right person? Should I be praying to God, or Jesus? or are they one and the same person?
8. Why do people have to die? Is this what God intended?
9. What happens to us after death?
10. What happens to good people who die having never heard of Jesus?
11. Is suicide really a solution to anyone╒s problems?
12. What happens to the souls of people who have committed suicide? Are they lost eternally?
The above are common questions that most of us have had at some point in our life. These questions deserve to be answered! If you would like answers to any or all of the above questions, call or write to the address below, or circle any or all of the above questions and fill in your name & address on the back-side of page & mail it to us!
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THE WORD church
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Route 2, Box 137
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