The Santa Claus Question

I have a question to ask you all as you are getting ready for the big Christmas day. It has been my firm belief for many years that Santa Claus was not going to be a part of our Christmas. Now, my daughter has asked me if he was real and my reply was that some people think that he is real and I have told her about the tradition of St. Nick. My husband has even gone as far as telling her that he is not real. Well, she has decided that she is going to believe in him anyway.

So my question is, how do all of you or how have you dealt with the big Santa Claus dilemma. And please, mom and dad and brothers don't tell me that whatever radio station tracks Santa on Christmas Eve. You had me crying once and I don't want to go through that again.

I do need your advice so that I can make peace with my decision - I might give in and lie to my children. I am in the middle of the road on this one. Up until now we have done a birthday cake for Jesus and we will continue with that tradition.

Anyway, I hope that you have a Merry Christmas and that all the shopping is done, so you can enjoy the whole weekend.

JTB

My church does a ministry every December that is an interactive nativity. People come from all around to become part of a family going from Nazareth to Bethlehem to pay taxes. Along the way they see a map maker, Roman soldiers, other Jews, the Wise Men, the Shepherds and the Angel, beggars, thieves, the tax collector, the Bethlehem marketplace, the Innkeeper, and then Mary and Joseph. My husband and I are tour leaders. We become a Jewish family who take the group of people on the mile journey. It is amazing how many people that came through and how many lives that are touched by the ministry of our church. We get around 8,000 - 10,000 people to come through. This is the 10th year for our church to do this and it gets better every year.

It has really made this time special for me and it jump starts the specialness of the holiday. I wish that everyone could come and participate in this ministry. I hope that you will take time during the busyness of this Christmas season to remember what is really important and make it extra special.