I Believe in Santa Clause

Is it Santa Claus or Santa Clause? I can't remember! But that is besides the point.

Recently my husband has had two very separate conversations with two very separate people that could not have more opposite mindsets when it comes to politics, religion, and family. Yet, they came to the same conclusion: They aren't comfortable teaching their children about Santa Clause.

One is in the far left as far as politics goes, is atheist or agnostic, at best and doesn't feel that marriage is a sacred covenant but instead just a piece of paper. He feels that to teach your children about Santa Clause is a bold faced lie and nothing more and that it will be detrimental to the child's upbringing when they find out their parents lied to them for years on end until they were old enough to find out for themselves that Santa isn't real.

The other is far right as far as politics goes, is a devout Christian and feels that marriage is a sacred covenant to be taken seriously and to be upheld. He feels that to teach your children about Santa Clause is taking away from the true meaning of Christmas and that it is commercialism gone awry and trying to take Christ out of Christmas.

Given the two options, I have to say I relate more to the latter, but not entirely.

I feel that you can teach that Santa is the Spirit of Christmas personified. How do you explain to a two year old the true meaning of Christmas? How do you make them understand that this is a time to remember all that we have and because we have so much, we should share of our love, time and in some cases, our means, to better mankind? What better way than to tell them of Santa Clause and how he comes in the middle of the night, not to receive glory, to leave presents anonymously under the tree for each and every person so they can put a face, a name, to what we all feel inside? Then when the times comes that they find out Santa Clause isn't "real", they can truly understand that he is real in the spirit of what Christmas truly is about. Love and giving of ourselves, which is what Jesus Christ did throughout His entire life.

Santa Clause loves little children, Santa Clause is happy, Santa Clause brings great and wonderful gifts much like Jesus Christ loves little children, is happy and brings the world's greatest and most wonderful gifts known to mankind.

So you can say that at my ripe old age of 23, I still believe in Santa Clause and I hope my children never stop believing, either.

Merry Christmas!

Sweet Whisperings of the Spirit

I love my sweet little son. I especially love how aware and sensitive he is becoming to things of a spiritual nature. The other day he was playing with his toy cars, making them vroom and go fast across the room and he stops playing, stands up, folds his arms and bows his head, mumbles for a few seconds then says, "'men!" and continues playing. He did this about 10 times in a 5 minute span. It is amazing to me that at such a young age, he can recognize those things.
Also, he has become a big fan of pictures of Jesus. Every night I read him scripture stories and right now we are in the New Testament. Every time he sees a picture of Jesus (there's like 2 on every page, at least) he will point to it and say "Jesus!!" well, it comes out more like "Gee-ya" and then proceed to tickle Him. Apparently, Jesus is ticklish. :) He will also point out pictures of Jesus as we are walking through church or if he sees the one we have hanging in our house.
It makes my heart swell to see his precious spirit coming out and I am so grateful I am blessed with such a wonderful child. It absolutely makes up for the irrational terrible two tantrums that have started to rear its ugly head.