To be honest, I’m writing this post to get feedback – as I want to help us think through these issues. As I talk with children’s workers in churches, I hear from some who are adamantly opposed to anything related to Santa Claus in the church. Others are less stringent (like, for example, using a children’s musical that includes a reference to Santa), but they’re still cautious about bringing this focus into the church. A few don’t seem to have much issue at all with this overlap, including perhaps inviting Santa to deliver gifts to a church party.
Here are some of the reasons I hear for NOT including anything related to Santa Claus in the church. Let us know your thoughts.
- The focus of the Christmas story is obviously Jesus. Because that’s the case, why would there be any reason to include anything related to Santa Claus in the church?
- The American sense of Santa Claus visiting homes in the night is not true. Thus, to include anything related to him in the church is to promote falsehood.
- Any attention to Santa distracts from the gospel. The world needs to hear about God’s coming in Jesus – and nothing should distract from that teaching.
- Children aren’t always ready to separate the two stories. That is, they might assume that the Santa Claus story is just as real and just as important as the story of Jesus is.
- It’s hard to tell the Santa Claus story without the baggage that comes with it (like reindeer, stockings, candy canes, and elves). Often, the baggage is just as complicated as the Santa story, so it’s best just to avoid it completely.
- The American sense of Santa promotes commercialism and selfishness. Christmas has too often become about “what I get”—and children gravitate in that direction. Christianity should have no place for such teaching.
What approach does your church take? What approach do you take in your home?
There’s a great children’s book called “Santa, Are you for Real?” and it talks about St. Nicholas from the 1st century who was very generous and liked to give gifts I secret. Then through the years, different countries have called him different names. Pierre Noel, Father Christmas, Cinter Krause, etc… We read that book to our kids, but focused on Jesus as the true meaning of Christmas. Santa brough only the stockings — part of the story is that St. Nick dropped coins inside the window of a poor family who coukdn’t afford dowries for their 3 daughters. The coins landed inside the stockings hung up to dry. Anyway, I lean toward “not believing,” but the pretending part can be fun for the kids. It’s such a hard call. We basically taught our kids that we give because Jesus is the greatest gift.
Our oldest child made our home tradition easy. He was frieghtened by the image of Santa, so minimumizing him in our family tradition wasn’t difficult after that. We taught the truth of the Advent and spoke freely of the legend or tradition of Santa and its source in St. Nicholaus.
We’ve been in many church over the years and though Santa is never celebrated, he may have received a comment within a skit here and there; but nothing more than a passing remark.
It’s not an easy piece of ground to navigate. I learned to give much grace to folks who have differring opinions.
In our home our three children grew up thinking of Santa the same way they think of Mickey Mouse or Superman. He is a fictional character who exists to teach people about generosity. We also let them know he was based on a real saint. We were careful to teach them not to ruin the mystery for their friends who believed he was real.
When it came to presents, they each receive three presents, because Jesus received three presents from the wise men.
That practice should also extend to the church. I’ve heard of pastors proclaiming from the pulpit that Santa isn’t real and then dealing with some crying children and upset adults. It should go without saying that the church should focus on Jesus Christ, but it is OK to acknowledge that Santa is pretty cool, too.
In my younger years I wouldn’t have seen a thing wrong with having Santa included, but as I am maturing I can see where this could become a topic Churches should definitely contemplate. If we look at it from the vantage point of a child finding out the truth about Santa then carrying that over into questioning that if they couldn’t see Santa but was told he was real, then how can they believe the same about Jesus? Perhaps we are overthinking, but for that one child who equates the two, it could be the pivotal moment that shifts their faith in what they cannot see. What an unfortunate, unintended stumbling block that could be.
In our home we taught our boys that we were Santa. The toys came from us. They knew and enjoyed the stories of Santa Claus, but understood that they were only stories. Their favorite book at Christmas was Santa and the Christchild.
Souls are dying without Christ and this is the subject. the real issue is The American Church is far from a biblical church when these topics are the subject. I think the answer is quite evident. The mission of the church is making and maturing disciples. Acts 2:42 gives four pillars every church must have to be a church. Let’s park the ministry right there and these subject will go away.
Acts 2:42
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
I Timothy 3:15
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Thank you
Santa is small potatoes compared to Halloween or the lies and junk being force fed to our children thru the media etc
I agree with the “NOT including” list. Though my parents are Christians, I didn’t know what the Christmas story was until I got saved as an adult. Unfortunately, my wife was a staunch supporter of the Santa story, even though she grew up in the church. And, my son can be very selfish at times.
In the end, I think the church should be ‘open-minded” (but careful) for those children who are unchurched or from immature Christian families. However, this should be the exception – not the rule. Christian parents should handle the Santa story for what it is – a product of the worldview perspective.
I spent the first ten years of my childhood in the United Kingdom, in southern England and later East Anglia. I never heard of Santa Claus until I came to the United States. In the England of my early childhood we had Father Christmas (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Christmas).
Unlike Santa Claus Father Christmas did not ride a sleigh and drive a team of reindeer. He sometimes rode a white horse and was accompanied by a small white dog with black spots like St. Nicholas in the Lowlands. He sometimes was on foot, trudging the snowy English lanes, carrying his bag of gifts on his back.
I remember the mission church that my family attended had an annual Christmas party for the children in the community, at which oranges and small gifts—picture books, board games, and that sort of thing–were given to each child. I do not recall that anyone dressed as Father Christmas was in attendance at these parties.
The two occasions that I do recall someone dressing as Father Christmas in a long, red, hooded robe trimmed with white fur was at a large department store and at a village hall. On first occasions Father Christmas was handing out small gifts to children who visited the store with their parents and on the second occasion village he was handing them out to the village children at an annual village Christmas party.
The festivities included Christmas crackers, a Punch and Judy show, and a visit from Father Christmas. I received a Little Grey Rabbit Book.
On Christmas morning my older brother and I always found a stocking stuffed with oranges, nuts, pencil cases and other small gifts, chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil, pink sugar mice, and other sweet treats at the foot of our beds. But we were under no illusion that Father Christmas had left the stocking. The stocking was one of my mother’s old nylons.
Personally I prefer the English Father Christmas over the American Santa Clause, personifying as he does the spirit of Christmas, not only of merriment and good cheer but also of kindness and self-sacrifice. As in C. S. Lewis’ Narnia Chronicles he is a servant of the one true King. He is a reminder that Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the Twelve Days of Christmas are a time to celebrate the greatest gift of all—the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour—by acts of selfless love for others. In our me-centered society we need figures like Father Christmas and the saintly Wenceslaus who brave the cold and snow of winter to serve others.
My young adult daughter and I were just talking about this last night! As a homeschooling family we learned about Saint Nicholas and Christmas traditions from many countries as a part of our social studies. Our family does enjoy “playing Santa” as part of our family tradition, but our emphasis is always on our giving reflecting the love and giving of Jesus Christ, Our Savior. As a pastor, my husband has generally allowed the congregation to deal with the issue of Santa in a way that they are most comfortable as long as it does not detract from the message of the Greatest Gift.
By the way, I have a wonderful friend, Larry Jefferson, who was the first African-American “Santa” at the Mall of America. He uses playing Santa as an opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ with people young and old!
My thought on the Santa Claus and the church issue is this question: What benefit would it be for the church to add Santa Clause to the mix of church activities? Is this going to help a child feel like it is Christmas in church because of Santa’s presence? Who are we trying to edify here? Are we appeasing the child or the adult, in other words, who is asking to bring in Santa (child or adult)?
Has anyone noticed the God-traits that are given to Santa? Santa knows everything, like if you are bad or good (omniscience), Santa is everywhere (omnipresent) Santa has the power to deliver gifts and get around the world in 24 hours (omnipotent). My husband did a sermon called “Jesus vs. Santa” one year, and mentioned these comparisons. It was a sermon the congregation has not forgotten……and made some mad. We at least had all of the kids in another part of the church so he wouldn’t get chewed out for letting the cat out of the bag in front of the kids.
We raised our son without Santa and he didn’t miss out on anything. I think I read him that book, Santa, Are You For Real?There were no Santa decorations, except one ornament that was a gift. I think asking children to write lists for Santa promotes greed frankly.I have never heard Santa mentioned at our church, which is fine.
I have a Bible study with unchurched neighbor children. Saturday we had our third annual birthday party for Jesus. The first year one little boy said “How can we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus if he isn’t here?’ Fortunately his theology has developed since then!
Men’s traditions have no place in the life of a believer. Theres not much evidence about the St. Nicholas, there are also cultish links to this holiday along with paganism. I did grow up and raise my kids celebrating Christmas with a focus on Christs birth being the reason.
However, this past Christmas I halted this, and began to seek the Lord about it all.
We are not to pay homage to men’s traditions, commercialism, elves and make believe characters that counter The Truth. No matter how we attempt to turn it around for good. We are not to call evil good.
I grieve in my spirit as our focus should be on Gods feast celebrations if any. We know Jesus wasnt born at Christmas time and perhaps theres a reason his birth is not specificed.
Now I think it’s wrong to teach about Santa. reindeer and he knows if your naughty or nice. I truly believe now this dishonors God and is used by Satan. So many people get into debt, is gets stressful for many, many are depressed because their family members have passed at such a time, ect.
Let’s speak and teach truth to our kids and others. We dont celebrate St. Paul or any of the disciples or prophets generosities do we? I could go on but in all honesty I believe this is offensive to God and its pagan roots are clear with the decoration of trees.
We need Gods full word in our Country especially now. If you look at all of the Western Society celebrations they are all steeped in mythology and well it just plain out is in opposition to Gods word & ways.
I just threw out thousands of $ worth of Christmas stuff, wouldn’t even donate it or sell the stuff. Again while we are to love, we are to hate what God hates and he does not change.
I was recently shocked and disillusioned to learn that a Bible-believing Spirit-filled church I visited and was considering fellowship with is having visits and photos with him included as part of the Holiday celebration. A more serious concern that I have would be the defilement of the church and the turning aside to fables as Santa is one of the biggest fables of all time. And, I certainly hope no Christian leaders would be deceived to the point of allowing Sant in the sanctuary or, God forbid, on the pulpit as it would ultimately be one of the worst examples of offering strange fire one could conceive of but not surprising for the times in which we live. Perhaps a better and wiser alternative would be to host a celebration in the fellowship hall with people dressed as the wise men and farm animals whereby gifts could be distributed in the Spirit of Christ to the children and less fortunate, say gifts of food, clothing, Bible books for kids, educational gifts, stuffed animals, etc. Good heavens, don’t discerning believers need to draw the line, and these are very sweet, loving and conscience believers which is REALLY troubling.
I mean is it such a big deal. Any intelligent person can separate Santa from the meaning of Christmas.
It’s 2024 now, Santa stuff is getting mixed more and more into church Christmas services… and I haven’t seen in the comments yet the most important question, that a true believer and the pastoral staff should ask themself is:
What would JESUS do, feel in his spirit or say, when he walks onto the church premises and into the sanctuary during the Christmas church services?
Remember the story in the Scriptures, where Jesus turned the money-changing tables over in righteous anger ?
We need to consider The church premises, lobby, rooms and sanctuary as Holy Ground.
Wake up people! Don’t be part of a church that creates excuses to justify their uses of secular, non-biblical traditions, fables etc. as tools to attract more people to their church during Christmas, Because they’re competing with the mega church down the street and they need to increase their revenue, thru thirhing/ giving.
The opinion of The Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit Who is what’s important here.
Not your opinion or those of others!