Why Our Kids Know Santa Isn't Real

Madelyn had a dentist appointment this week for a regular cleaning and to see if we needed to do anything with her front tooth that is turning black.  She knocked it hard in a bounce house a few weeks ago and now has a dark tooth bruise.   While the dental hygienist was cleaning her teeth she asked Madelyn if she was ready for Santa to come visit her.  Without pause Madelyn answered "Santa's not real."  The woman, without answer, looked at me then back at Madelyn, then said to me "I don't even know what to say. I've never had a child tell me Santa's not real. What does she tell other kids?!!!!"


If you click on the picture, you can see her goofy tooth.

I am struck again this year at the difference in the community I grew up in and the community I now live.  As a child, I never believed in this fictitious character, Santa, and frankly didn't really know anyone who actually believed Santa.
Our kids get asked at least 5 times a day if they are ready for Santa, or if they have been good girls, or if they have told Santa what they want for Christmas.  The dental hygienist is not the first person to give Jason and I that look of "What have you done to your children?"

So why do we tell our children the truth about the Santa?
1.  Ultimately Christmas is about the Christ-child, Jesus.  Teaching anything that takes away from the JOY of his birth and ultimate gift of eternal life is not helping our children grow to love God and know him as their Savior.    Deuteronomy 5:8-10  "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to him or worship him, for I, the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and forth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands."     God doesn't want to share the celebration of the birth of His son, the God child, with Santa.

2. We want our kids to know we can be trusted to tell them the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  It is comical to me as I listen to the extent parents go through and the web of lies they tell their children in the name of keeping "the magic of Christmas" alive through the belief in Santa.   Our children are still at the age they are discerning reality and fantasy and it's our job to help them be discerning.   How do they know what is fiction or nonfiction. They trust their parents.  If we lie to our kids about the realness of Santa, why should they believe anything we say about our Holy God?  Jason and I are not willing to risk creating any doubt in the minds of our children as they discern and grow in their faith in a God who knows them and  loves them beyond the Christmas season. 

3.  We all would deserve a lump of coal if Santa were real.  Santa's omniscient knowledge..or so the song goes.. of who has been naughty or nice should be scary to kids.   I don't know any kid that is always good...and even the naughty ones seem to get presents anyway.   The Bible states that in Romans 3:23 "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."  I am thankful that even though I have fallen short of earning my gift, God has a plan.   Ephesians 2:8-9 "For its by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast."  We want our girls to understand they aren't good enough to earn God's gift.  We (they) are going to fail, make mistakes, sin, and will need God's grace to cover us (them).  We can not earn this gift through our works.  God knows if we've been naughty or nice.  That's why he sent his son as a babe on that Christmas day.  That's why angels proclaimed "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Sorry to any children who hear the news from Madelyn or Callie...but if you give them a second to explain...they have an even better story for Christmas! One that we as parents are excited they are so willing to share.