Jesus vs. Santa

*edited below*

Growing up my sisters and I believed in Santa Claus. We believed he came through the imaginary chimney of every apartment, house, duplex or fifth wheel we lived in. The smaller gifts under the tree were from our Mom but our main present said, "Love Santa" (in my mom's handwriting, just took me a few years to put that together).

I remember the day I found out Santa wasn't real. But even more, I remember the day my sister Erica found out he wasn't real.

Because I was the one who told her.

She was pestering me. Driving me nuts. The way younger sisters are supposed to I guess.

And I was a mean-spirited older sister. So, I told her. And she was crushed. Broke her heart. I actually felt bad for hurting her feelings. And I felt even worse when she sobbed to my mom about it and I got in trouble.

Growing up, Josh's family didn't do the whole Santa deal. Their emphasis was on Jesus. That Christmas was about Jesus. Growing up, we weren't part of a church, so I had no clue that was what Christmas was about.

When we got married we talked about what we'd have our children believe.

We didn't see eye-to-eye. He said our children wouldn't believe in Santa. I said they would. He told me that that's not what Christmas is about. I agreed but debated, "what harm is there in letting a child believe in something for a little while?"

He really had no answer.

It was a really good thing Jaylee wasn't born for seven years after that.

Before Jaylee was born, I was talking to my Aunt McKenna. She has a son a few years older than Jaylee and I remember talking to her about what her and my uncle were going to do for Landon at Christmas. Let him believe or not believe in Santa.

The response she gave me changed my heart toward allowing a child to believe in Santa Claus.

She told me they would not be talking about Santa at Christmas. She said that her and my uncle wanted Landon to trust them. How could they let him believe in Santa, whom he can see (on television, at Wal Mart, etc.) and also teach him about Jesus, whom he can't see, and then down the road, saaay when he's seven or eight, break the truth to him that Santa isn't real? First, he'd probably not understand being lied to and second, if they lied to him about Santa being real, who's to say that Jesus is real then?

Her point hit me. And I had to tell Josh he was right, it'd be best not to allow our children to believe in Santa.

I don't want to mislead Jaylee. I want her to trust me. And allowing her to believe in Santa, even for a few years, would be lying to her.

Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

*yes, I took Jaylee to get her pictures taken with Santa (not that it worked out). She was afraid. Asked who he was, so I told her he was a clown. A guy who dresses in silly clothes. She replies with, "oh." When she's older we'll discuss it further.*