Many parents have asked me lately how to mesh the idea of Santa with the birth of Jesus as the reason for Christmas.  While I feel like there is no exact right answer, I do have some suggestions that may help you as parents make an informed decision for your family.
 
Question:  Am I being dishonest with my children by telling them to believe in Santa?
 
Answer:  Santa is based on a real person — St. Nicholas who was a bishop of the Mediterranean city of Myra around 300 A.D.  He freely gave his money to those in need, and eventually he forsook his wealth to answer the call to ministry.  As a follower of Jesus, he was persecuted by the Romans and imprisoned for many years.  After his release, he continued to serve the church for 30 years more and died in 343, beloved by his entire city.  Now, our culture has taken the idea of Santa and made it much more commercial than we would prefer, but the idea of someone who gives anonymously is not a bad idea.
 
Eventually your children will find out Santa is not real, but if you’ve kept the focus on Jesus, that won’t matter so much.  With my own kids, we celebrate Jesus’ birthday with Advent activities and my favorite — birthday pancakes on Christmas morning (complete with candles)!  We talk about why we celebrate Christmas all the time, and we try to put the focus on others’ needs rather than our own wants.  It’s not always easy, but I can tell you that when my kids found out Santa was not real, it was not a big deal at all.  We still love Christmas, and we still celebrate Jesus!  They didn’t feel like we had lied to them at all.  I think kids instinctively understand that it is part of childhood to have make-believe characters as part of their life.  It’s fun and harmless as long as you keep it in check.   The problem can occur when you mix the idea of Santa with the reality of God.  God is real and is all knowing and all powerful.  Santa just has some magical ways.
 
Question:  If I choose to tell my kids Santa is not real, how do we deal with the other families who still believe?
 
Answer:  Explain why you have gone along with the idea (if you have) and help them understand that others may still believe in a Santa.  Kids are very concrete in their thinking and sometimes can become legalistic quickly if not taught otherwise.  So, while you might teach them Santa is not real, others will still believe, and it is important not to step on those beliefs.  You might also explain why many people want to believe in Santa, especially those who do not know Jesus.  God created us to have a relationship with Him, and when we don’t have that, something inside of us makes us look for a God-like, powerful, loving and all-knowing being.
 
The bottom line is, if you are concerned about this topic, you are probably already a great parent doing all you can to give your children a solid foundation in Christ.  I don’t think you can go wrong if you are loving them, talking to them about God, explaining why we celebrate Christmas and including them in the gift-giving not just the gift-getting.  Santa or no Santa, you are already on the right path.