Why Santa Claus is Evil

Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration. Although if you know me, you know that holding extreme opinions is something that is not surprising. One story I’ll never hold down is the first Christmas that my sister-in-law joined our family I looked straight at her and asked, “you’re not going to tell your kids about Santa, are you?” I may have calmed down since then, but I do believe there’s a few important points to take away from the jolly fat man that we all sing about in December. Keep Christ in Christmas. He's the reason for the season. Do you ever hear people say phrases like that around this time of year? That's because many people believe that the celebration of Christmas, when God emptied himself into the form of a baby to save the world, has that specific meaning. I don't disagree, by the way. You can get into the nitty gritty of history and find out that Jesus was born closer to the Spring Equinox than he was in December, but at the end of the day you'll find that Christmas is a holiday for a reason: to celebrate the birth of Christ. While many people don't remember this, it doesn't give away their right to a joyful spirit. They are entitled to lights, presents, candy canes, songs, and anything else they do to enjoy the season. I believe all of those things while still being hesitant about Santa Claus. I believe that the decision to celebrate Santa (and the traditions that come with it), should be weighed more carefully.

Santa can be a distraction to the holidays. Every year, Christian families celebrate the birth of Jesus while simultaneously teaching their kids that an old man in a suit gave them their presents. Speaking of which, I've never understood why a parent would want to give away the credit for their well-wrapped gifts. Those are your presents - own it! Anyway, my issue lies in the teaching of two different things: 1) God exists and sent his son Jesus as a baby, which is a truth 2) Santa Claus came and gave you your gifts on a sleigh with flying reindeer, which is a lie. Both are invisible heroes, but one is false. To me, that is an inherent contradiction: you are telling your kids that an invisible God exists but that Santa, who you also never see, does not exist. That's a confusing thing to understand as an eight year old. It is not that the story of Santa is evil. He’s a fictional character, that just like anything else, is marketed and sold to make lots of money and bring people some happiness. It even has roots in a person - Saint Nicholas - who did lots of good for the world. Just like I wouldn't say a fictional character like Harry Potter is bad, neither is a silly one with a big red coat and a magical sleigh. But the elevation of Santa Claus is debatably wrong. What I believe is meant as a holiday treat should stay that way. The meaning of Christmas should be centered around Christ, and in my opinion, sharing about Santa as a true story distracts from the actual story.

So make your own decision. The only thing I implore you to do is consider it for a few more minutes than most people do. Take the time to actually decide what you think. Personally, I won’t tell my kids about Santa Claus. I know many families feel differently, and that’s perfectly fine. There’s a key word that’s important to remember with issues like this: nuance. Every person is different and will likely come to various conclusions. You must decide for yourself how to celebrate the holidays. Best wishes to whatever you conclude, and if you tell your kids about Santa, I hope they make the nice list.