What is the best way to explain Santa to a very young child in a Christian home when we are surrounded by Santa references in school, retail, etc.?
Answer:
As Christians, we would do well to keep our Children away from believing myths, which often distract from the truth. It would be good to start by giving them some historical background about where the myth came from (plenty of information is available online). Perhaps, you can also try to cut down on references to Santa Claus within the home(decorations, conversations, TV, etc.) and regularly spend time talking to your children to see what they understand about Santa Claus, and clarify truth from fiction.
There is no need to become “Santa-phobic”, however – our children will be able to filter out myth from reality when it is presented to them as long as we as parents are diligent in guiding, loving and teaching them God’s truth.
Most importantly, we should teach our children about Jesus Christ – what He was born to accomplish on this earth, and the reason why Christians celebrate His birth, during Christmastime and also throughout the year. Some good resources to do this include, ‘The Big Picture Story Bible’ by David R. Helm and Gail Schoonmaker; and ‘The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name’ by Sally Lloyd-Jones.
Leave a Comment