So the other day one of my clients who has been laid off for over a year now told me that her daughter who is 8 told her the other day that Santa isn't laid off!!!!!! WOW!!!! smart girl! So it then reminded me of my cousin who went on a retreat with me and at the time she stated that she didn't believe in God but at the retreat it opened her heart up to see something different....when she was sharing this, she also stated that she thought that God and the Bible was make believe like Santa was.......smart girl..........so this has really made me wonder how we are going to do the whole Santa thing! I don't remember much of my childhood (not sure why...my friends would always joke about this:)) but i don't remember ever finding out that Santa wasn't real...or i wasn't very traumatized, or may be i was that's why i don't remember my childhood (just kidding!).
Do you remember finding out? how are you going to or not do the whole Santa thing? I want to make Christmas about Jesus but still have a little Santa too....but not oh wow..all these gifts are from Santa....cuz i can see how that can really mess up a child and confuse them a lot when they find out!! So maybe the stockings from santa or just a couple gifts from him.....i don't know....Im glad i have a little while before we have to decided what to do!
What are some great idea's that your family did growing up or you are going to start doing? I had one client who told me after Christmas they had to give away as many toys as they received to a child that needed it more then them. Another family only got 3 gifts like the 3 wise men where they got a family gift, a teaching gift, and a fun gift that they asked for.
IDEAS PLEASE!!!!
My parents gave us one present that they told us was from Santa. It was not traumatizing at all when I found out that there was no Santa. They also didn't go to great lengths to convince us that there was a Santa. That seems to be the biggest problem that kids have... when they point blank ask their parents if there's a Santa. The parents say yes, and the kids later learn that their parents lied.
ReplyDeletewe try to do the 3 gifts with our girls. Christmas is way too materialistic but it is fun. We have been trying to include the girls this year on the gift giving so they realize it is jsut as fun to give as to receive. we also are finding more way to show the love of Christ during the holiday season.
ReplyDeletewhen it comes time and they ask if he is real I will tell them the truth but i dont think it is wrong.