Believe in Santa Claus

The week before Christmas is the perfect time to address the question of Santa Claus. We adults have our opinion and children have theirs. My favorite conservative blogger Matt Walsh posted about Jolly St. Nick to his audience recently here, asking parents how they explain Christmas to their children and sharing his beliefs. Honestly, I have been thinking about this question for nearly a month now and I have come to a real conclusion. Let them believe. 

When I say let them believe I say it loosely. I do not blatantly fill my children's heads full of Santa propaganda. I have society to thank for that. My "To believe or Not to believe" revelation came as the boys and I were watching the Polar Express. The movie is pure magic for all ages and it is by far my favorite Christmas movie to date. What may I ask is wrong with believing in a little Christmas magic? Santa Claus represents love, joy,  and peace. The spirit of Christmas celebrates that giving is far better than receiving. There are truly worse things for my child to believe in then Santa Claus.

My favorite magical story comes from my mother who swears she came into contact with an angel as a child. Maybe she did.

My mother was sent to the grocery store to pick up some essentials for her mother. On her way back home she became lost. She began to cry. A strange woman came up behind her and asked what was wrong. My mother told her she could not find her way home. The women responded with, "You are not lost" and "You live right up there". She pointed my mom in the direction of home. My mom said when she swung her head around to thank the woman she was gone. She said their was no alley to duck down or store to jump into....she seemingly vanished. She said, "God sent me an angel to find my way home".

Angels and Santa Claus fall into a similar category. Things you cannot see or touch that some people believe in anyway{mostly children}. Santa technically is a mythical being, but I will gladly keep his spirit in my heart. Santa portrays positive influences that I will gladly share with my children. We are Buddhist-Christians in our home. The most important part of Santa is that our children feel free to dream and use their blossoming imaginations. Our boys know what Christmas is really about: The birth of Jesus, giving, and family. Santa Claus is something they believe in and you know what? I believe in him a little too:}

Merry Christmas everyone and cheers to a Happy New Year!