Boy, do I wish someone had said that to me when my FIRST child was born. Navigating the tricky waters of Faith and Advertising during the month of December is an no little ol' boat ride.
Especially since we began homeschooling. Homeschoolers are a mixed bag when it comes to St. Nick. Some go all out, others tow a tighter line. Here are a few thoughts I have distilled and have tried to communicate consistently to my children to help make sense of what they see on TV and what they hear in Church or around our Jesse tree.
- Is there a Santa? Yes, There is a Santa Claus. His name is St. Nicholas. He lived in Greece around 300 AD
- Does he live at the North Pole? Now he is a Saint in Heaven with Jesus. Much farther North than even the North Pole!
- St. Nicholas loved Jesus so much that he made many miracles happen.
- Those miracles are still happening today.
- Does Santa come down the chimney? Santa probably doesn't come down the chimney. Some people don't understand miracles, so they write stories to explain how they think a miracle could happen. Just like a reindeer with a red glowing nose. I love that movie, don't you? It is one way people try to explain Christmas Miracles.
- How can those presents show up? It's a miracle, isn't it?
- Do you believe in Santa? Yes, I believe.
- How can Santa get presents all around the world in one night? It's a miracle, isn't it?
They ask some pretty tricky questions don't they? In the beginning I tried answer with the explanations given in stories like "Twas the Night Before Christmas" but that got more confusing to me over the last several years.
St. Nicholas is real, he does make Christmas Miracles come true. I know that too! Much better to focus on him. We love the video "Nicholas, the boy who became Santa". A beautiful tale of St. Nicholas' life, and very compelling to remember Jesus this season.
Teaching our children to believe in Miracles is extremely important because of course, one happens every day at Mass! But knowing the difference between the Real Power of God and say the not so real power of Superman is equally important.
Merry Christmas, may your children experience a few miracles this season too!
