I talk to many young people who are preparing for the arrival of their first child and listen with great interest as they explain why they are not going to teach him or her about Santa Claus. They explain, oftentimes with a hint of defensiveness, that they are just going to teach their child about Jesus.
Now I understand that each parent has to define the role Santa will play in their child’s life and I frequently see that role redefined once the child is born, but I got to wondering: Is it possible there’s no place for Santa Claus in Christmas? Is there something wrong with Santa?
I thought back to the phrase that was so popular several years ago, “What Would Jesus Do? (WWJD)” and wondered if perhaps Santa Claus is simply a fictional character who turns this sentiment into actions.
After all, didn’t Jesus tell His disciples to bring the children to Him after these same disciples had just rebuked the children for trying to approach Jesus? This very visual story of Jesus laying His hands on the children must be important because it appears in three of the Gospels (Matthew 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-14, and Luke 18:15-16). And doesn’t Santa represent someone doing, not only what Jesus would do, but what He did do as he lifts the children onto his lap and listens as they tell him of their hopes and dreams?
And doesn’t Santa bring gifts to children who haven’t done anything to deserve those gifts? Isn’t this a little like what Jesus did for us? After all, He gave us the greatest gift ever. He gave us forgiveness and salvation. He gave us eternal life with our heavenly Father and while we never earned this most precious gift (Romans 6:23), it is ours just the same with no strings attached and with no risk of ever losing it. Doesn’t Santa do the same thing, albeit on a much smaller scale? He delivers gifts to the children without conditions and he never takes the gifts back.
And while Santa makes his list, separating the naughty boys and girls from the nice ones, in my experience, I have never seen a child actually excluded from receiving undeserved gifts at Christmas just because he was naughty. In the same way, Jesus does not exclude us from His free gift because we are sinners. He does, however, teach us by His example, the importance of obedience (Romans 5:19). And Santa, in his way–letting the children know that he is always watching–encourages children to be obedient.
So maybe the question shouldn’t be, “What’s wrong with Santa Claus?” Perhaps the question should be, “What’s right with Santa Claus?” Can’t we use what Santa represents as an example of the way we should live our lives in a Christ-like fashion? And don’t get me wrong; without Jesus, I believe Santa Claus could easily be used as an example of the greed and commercialism that Christmas has become in the secular world. But as God loving adults who know “the reason for the season,” I think we can use Santa to teach about Jesus. And if it makes it easier for the little ones to grasp, then if you ask me, I say, “Yes, Virginia, there is a place for Santa Claus in Christmas.”
Thom Fishow
December 12, 2010