Why I Broke Those Little Hearts

This week we had a mini crisis in our family.  I sat my 3 tiny humans down on the couch, held each of their faces that were warmly lit by the fireplace and told them that Santa Claus wasn't REAL.   I know, I know.  What's the harm in them believing in a fairy tale?  I mean a lot of our favorite Christmas movies involve Santa, they are so excited to see him at the mall, and there's nothing better than making him chocolate chip cookies and leaving carrots for the reindeer before they toddle off to bed on Christmas Eve.  

We don't make a huge deal about Santa at our house...I mean I didn't think we did.  The kids each get one present from him and the rest are from mom and dad, grandparents, and friends.  We don't make up elaborate stories of hearing Santa on the roof, the North Pole, or naughty and nice lists.  But the last few years the oldest of my crew had been asking more details about him and how he delivers all the presents and all of the usual curious questions.  And it began to bother me.  I mostly tried to side step her questions and re-direct back to the true meaning of Christmas and the story of Jesus' birth.  But, when I did try filling in the blanks about Santa I was lying.  LYING.  Which is the worst offense in our house. Our children are allowed to make plenty of mistakes...and they do...but what we absolutely will NOT tolerate in our home is LYING.  

We preach honesty and try our best to live it.  

She would inevitably ask me questions about Heaven in the same conversations about Santa Claus.  So telling the truth about one thing while lying (however innocent I tried to justify it) about the other.  One night she asked me if I was lying about Heaven.  There it was.  I desire more than anything as a parent to be trusted by my children.  For them to believe the truth I live out before them and believe what I teach them.  

Then this week I read Jen Hatmaker's blog post.  If you don't read her, you are missing out.  She wrote in her post about giving all of Christmas back to Jesus, not just a corner of it.  Fireworks went off in my heart.  The deal was sealed.  I was about to break some hearts.  But I want my kids rooted and grounded in TRUTH.  It may sound extreme.  It felt extreme at the time...like I was robbing them of Christmas magic and childhood wonder.

That is how lost I have gotten.  Robbing them?? Seriously?? Did I really think that??

I REPENT LORD! 

The true magic of Christmas is the wonder of a Creator who poured Himself out into a tiny baby, to live as a human, to suffer greatly while on this earth so He could redeem mankind out of His great LOVE for us!  

And I have taken the gift of a Savior and put it in a tiny box, and while asking my kids to make their Christmas lists and taking them to see Santa, have (out of fear they aren't remembering the real meaning of Christmas) said,
"now guys, why do we really celebrate Christmas?"  Relieved when they answer "Jesus' birthday" and that has been enough to settle my parental heart.  

Then I remember 

"I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to

 anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols." 

And I felt His passion and zealousness for me burn white hot.  

So we will not be sharing Christmas with Santa Claus anymore.  We won't be condemning anyone who celebrates with Santa.  When we see him, we will wave and say hello.  We will be putting our entire focus on JESUS. 

Sounds extreme??  I know, I know.  But HIS LOVE  is extreme.  And it deserves an EXTREME response.  The world is pretty EXTREME on removing anything and everything having to do with Jesus.  So we are being EXTREME too.

Happy Christmas Season!

L.