Comments on: Santa: The Great Debate http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:20:45 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: The Mom Crowd » Did You Catch “In the Motherhood”? http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate/comment-page-1#comment-76753 The Mom Crowd » Did You Catch “In the Motherhood”? Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:25:37 +0000 http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate#comment-76753 [...] just a normal mom.”  (Does this seem like familiar territory?  See The Mom Crowd’s discussion about Santa from last [...] [...] just a normal mom.”  (Does this seem like familiar territory?  See The Mom Crowd’s discussion about Santa from last [...]

]]> By: Patricia http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate/comment-page-1#comment-44750 Patricia Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:05:20 +0000 http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate#comment-44750 I enjoyed doing Christmas with a Santa Theme when my children were small (now 23, 19 & 18). My letters from Santa to them always mentioned things about how they were doing in school and thanking them for trying their best to be good that year. The most important part of "Santa's" letter was to remind them that it was an awesome time of the year because we were celebrating Jesus' birthday and how He and His father loved us so much. It's so amazing to see children's faces when they believe in Santa. Another thing no presents were exposed until my children went to sleep on Christmas Eve. This all went on until, one by one, they figured out who Santa was. Sinmce then we focus on the true meaning of Christmas. I dislike the materialistic view of Christmas. We try to take this time to help the less fortunate. I enjoyed doing Christmas with a Santa Theme when my children were small (now 23, 19 & 18). My letters from Santa to them always mentioned things about how they were doing in school and thanking them for trying their best to be good that year. The most important part of “Santa’s” letter was to remind them that it was an awesome time of the year because we were celebrating Jesus’ birthday and how He and His father loved us so much.

It’s so amazing to see children’s faces when they believe in Santa. Another thing no presents were exposed until my children went to sleep on Christmas Eve.

This all went on until, one by one, they figured out who Santa was. Sinmce then we focus on the true meaning of Christmas. I dislike the materialistic view of Christmas. We try to take this time to help the less fortunate.

]]> By: Dawn http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate/comment-page-1#comment-43884 Dawn Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:48:34 +0000 http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate#comment-43884 Amelia, are you ready to weigh in now? :) Thank you everyone, for your thoughtful and helpful responses! I have learned a lot and have gotten some new strategies. Amelia, are you ready to weigh in now? :)

Thank you everyone, for your thoughtful and helpful responses! I have learned a lot and have gotten some new strategies.

]]> By: Debbie P. http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate/comment-page-1#comment-43814 Debbie P. Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:06:50 +0000 http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate#comment-43814 Such a great topic, Dawn. I grew up in a non-santa home. He wasn't dissed, just ignored. I didn't miss him at all but I did miss having a stocking. My sisters and I even bought ourselves one and filled them ourselves. (: Personally, I'm not comfortable with him. Isn't a star, multitude of heavenly hosts, wisemen, birth of a Saviour magical enough, I ask myself? I am certainly not offended by those who choose to include Santa in their celebration. We do celebrate St. Nicholas on Dec. 6 since this was a tradition in my husband's family. Children put their shoes out and in the morning they are filled with candy and maybe a small present. At first I was opposed to it but since it is almost 3 weeks before christmas and we just include it in our Advent activities, AND peace in marriage is much more important that some candy in a shoe (: we go with it. As a family we are also trying to get the focus off the load of presents but still enjoy the season while focusing on Christ. While it is still evolving we have found a couple of strategies that have worked for us the last couple of years. We celebrate Advent in 2 different ways. In the mornings we do our "Jesse Tree". We read a short passage from their Children's bible and put a corresponding ornament on our special Jesse tree. My 4 year old loves this and reminds me when i forget. There is a lot of info. on the internet about it. We also celebrate Advent by doing a special activity with each other every day. I made a very simple calender with little pockets and then laminated it. I wrote up a list of activities(drink hot chocolate, read winter/christmas books, go for a moon-lit walk, watch a christmas movie, make a gingerbread house/candy/cookies, call cousin on birthday etc.) Every day we pull a piece of paper and do that activity. I hope that Christmas memories will be of time spent together having fun rather than having scored with a load of gifts. We do give gifts but TRY to limit to one biggish gift and 2 or 3 smaller ones. They get plenty from cousins and and grandparents etc. I do feel like we, as a family, are very weak at serving others at christmas. Last year we did "Christmas-in-a-shoebox" from Samaritans' Purse but the deadline slipped past us this year. ): Sorry for making this so long. I've enjoyed everyone's contributions! Such a great topic, Dawn. I grew up in a non-santa home. He wasn’t dissed, just ignored. I didn’t miss him at all but I did miss having a stocking. My sisters and I even bought ourselves one and filled them ourselves. (: Personally, I’m not comfortable with him. Isn’t a star, multitude of heavenly hosts, wisemen, birth of a Saviour magical enough, I ask myself? I am certainly not offended by those who choose to include Santa in their celebration.

We do celebrate St. Nicholas on Dec. 6 since this was a tradition in my husband’s family. Children put their shoes out and in the morning they are filled with candy and maybe a small present. At first I was opposed to it but since it is almost 3 weeks before christmas and we just include it in our Advent activities, AND peace in marriage is much more important that some candy in a shoe (: we go with it.

As a family we are also trying to get the focus off the load of presents but still enjoy the season while focusing on Christ. While it is still evolving we have found a couple of strategies that have worked for us the last couple of years.

We celebrate Advent in 2 different ways. In the mornings we do our “Jesse Tree”. We read a short passage from their Children’s bible and put a corresponding ornament on our special Jesse tree. My 4 year old loves this and reminds me when i forget. There is a lot of info. on the internet about it.

We also celebrate Advent by doing a special activity with each other every day. I made a very simple calender with little pockets and then laminated it. I wrote up a list of activities(drink hot chocolate, read winter/christmas books, go for a moon-lit walk, watch a christmas movie, make a gingerbread house/candy/cookies, call cousin on birthday etc.) Every day we pull a piece of paper and do that activity. I hope that Christmas memories will be of time spent together having fun rather than having scored with a load of gifts. We do give gifts but TRY to limit to one biggish gift and 2 or 3 smaller ones. They get plenty from cousins and and grandparents etc.

I do feel like we, as a family, are very weak at serving others at christmas. Last year we did “Christmas-in-a-shoebox” from Samaritans’ Purse but the deadline slipped past us this year. ):

Sorry for making this so long. I’ve enjoyed everyone’s contributions!

]]> By: Amy http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate/comment-page-1#comment-43530 Amy Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:51:28 +0000 http://www.themomcrowd.com/the-great-santa-debate#comment-43530 For us... Our kids need to know the story behind Christmas, why we really celebrate. We also wanted Santa to be a part, for the touch of magic. This is how both my husband and I were raised, and we feel it's a great way to celebrate with our children. The truth about Santa will be talked over when the time is right. And we feel it will be easy if we present the true person, the true story that the "Santa" we know of is based on. Is there a good book about the original St. Nick? For us…
Our kids need to know the story behind Christmas, why we really celebrate.
We also wanted Santa to be a part, for the touch of magic.

This is how both my husband and I were raised, and we feel it’s a great way to celebrate with our children. The truth about Santa will be talked over when the time is right. And we feel it will be easy if we present the true person, the true story that the “Santa” we know of is based on.

Is there a good book about the original St. Nick?

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