Tis the Season!! The Santa Clause Debate Begins!
It is that time of year again. This HUGE debate comes up every year. Is Santa Claus real or not! Should we teach our children to believe or not? Especially Christians! What will God think about Santa? Let me share what I know and believe.
Around 280 AD a boy, named Nicholas was born in Patara, a
city in what is now modern-day Türkiye (Turkey.) His parents were rich
merchants. When they died Nicholas was a very young man. He spent a lot of time
in church and a Priest suggested he join the church, becoming a Priest. Nicholas
not only become a Priest he later became the Bishop of Myra. He was known for
his generosity to the poor, and his protection of women and children. Nicholas
was also a defender of the Christian Faith. How do we know this? He served on
the Council of Nicaea! At the Council of Nicaea Nicholas reportedly got into a
physical fight with another Bishop because the other Bishop denied the deity of
Christ. There he defended the Christian Faith.
Some of the stories told about Nicholas are about how he
used his vast inheritance to feed the poor and provide treats, and small toys
for children on the day the birth of Christ was celebrated. He did not do this for
his fame or glory. He did it because he felt called by God to give and care. He
wanted to show God’s loving grace in a way that taught others to do the same.
He wanted others to see God’s love in action.
One particular story can be tied to our current day Santa Claus! The story states there was a poor family in Myra that had 3 daughters. When the eldest daughter neared the age to marry the father did not have a dowry price saved for her. At that time if a woman was dowerless, they would not be able to marry. They would either become household servants, a beggar, or worse yet enter into a life in sex trade. The father worked hard but could not raise the money. He went to church and prayed often about it. Nicholas found out about this situation and decided to take some of his own coins and drop them through an open window. They landed in the girl’s shoe. He did not want any glory. He did not want anybody to know where the funds came from. He wanted it to be from God not him. Nichalos told no one what he did. The young woman was able to marry and live a life of love and happiness. The family praised God for the gift.
A year or so later the second daughter came of age. The
family was still poor and had nothing to give for their daughter as a dowry. As
the day approached the father prayed that somehow a miracle would happen again.
The father watched to see if he could catch the person who might have helped
his first daughter, if they tried to help their second girl. He wished to thank
whoever it was. The family shut the windows and doors to make sure to catch who
it was and waited. Nicholas reportedly dropped the coins down the chimney this
time. They fell into the second daughter’s stocking that was hanging by the
fireplace to dry. The family did not catch Nicholas doing this. Again, the
family praised God for the gift, but the father was determined to find out who
was giving such loving gifts to his daughters.
When the third daughter came of age the family again prayed
the dowry funds would arrive so their youngest would not have to live a life of
sorrow. Again, Nicholas went to the house to leave coins for them. This time
the father caught Nicholas. Nicholas swore the family to silence. The family
honored that request and the kindness and respected his wishes.
Nicholas died around 343 AD. The family decided that the
promise to Nicholas needed to be altered somehow. They told no one that
Nicholas left the dowry for the girls. They started doing something else. The
father started leaving gifts for others as he could, nothing as grand or large
as what Nicholas did. He left them in Nicholas’ name, not his own. It was his
way of honoring God and Nicholas. This sparked almost two Millennia of giving
out of remembering the Gift God gave us, His Son along with compassion and
caring of Nicholas.
Nicholas became known as Saint Nicholas, protector of
sailors, women and children. His name and stories went with those who left Myra
and became known in other parts of the world. Each country called him by a
different name. The Dutch called him Sinterklaas, their interpretation of Saint
Nicholas (Sinter = Saint / klass = Nicholas). When the Dutch came to America the
non Dutch started calling him Santa Claus.
Is Santa Clause “REAL”? Does he exist? Not as the little
jolly man in a red suit. He lives on as a living spirit of love, kindness and
giving. YES!! Nicholas of Myra lived and died. His memories sparked generations
of love. His name, kindness and spirit live on in the kindness we show others.
Just as it did in the father who had his daughters saved by Saint Nicholas of
Myra. Let’s all be Santa Clause at Christmas and all the yearlong. May we keep
the spirit of sharing God’s love alive in our hearts all year. May we always
remember the Gift God gave us in His Son and honor it as Nicholas did.
Do I think you should let children believe in Santa Claus?
YES!! Yes, Virginia there is Santa Clause, Mickey Mouse and God! From a
Christian point of view here are the reasons. We need to remember Jesus said, “Come
to me as a child.” That does not mean self-centered, uneducated, uncontrolled,
foolish, and untrained. It means come with an open-heart full of wonder, joy
and anticipation. A heart that is willing to believe in the unseeable.
Believing in Santa Clause can ready the heart to believe in God. Also, Nicholas
was real. He was a man who showed grace and faith. He showed how good people
behave. He reminds us how important knowing God is. He wanted to be a living
example of Jesus Christ’s loving gift. This has been passed down for
generations and I believe still needs to be taught today.
