He Is a Harmful Myth
By James Copley

As a preschooler, I remember looking out the window on Christmas Eve, hoping to see Santa Claus. Magical thoughts filled my mind as I drifted to sleep. What gifts would I find the next morning?

Climbing out of bed early, I awakened Mom and Dad. My older brothers and sisters joined the fun. I giggled with all the excitement a 4-year-old could muster. Life was great—even if I didn't get exactly what I wanted.

I waited all year for this day, never thinking for a second it was a fairy tale. A few years later, the truth surfaced: Santa Claus was make-believe. Everyone else knew. I reacted with sadness and disbelief.

Despite that youthful disappointment, I never gave it much more thought. I grew up, got married, and had two sons of my own. Naturally, I repeated the same tales about Saint Nick. They reacted with the same excitement—and the same disappointment when they eventually learned the truth.

Although fascinated with Santa as a boy, I knew the truth about Christmas. My parents always took us to church, where I learned why we celebrate this holiday.

I don't remember when I first believed in Jesus, I just remember knowing that He was the Savior. Yet, when I grew up I stopped going to church.

It took many years, but I regained my faith. Repenting of my sins, I vowed to follow Christ wholeheartedly.

As the years passed, the Holy Spirit kept tugging at me, saying, "The truth is being hidden. Christmas is about the birth of the Savior, not Santa Claus."

I started wondering how such a myth had overtaken a Christian holiday. I had heard all the clichés: "Santa is the spirit of Christmas," or "He's the spirit of giving." I didn't buy it. Santa seemed more like the spirit of good sales at department stores. Others remarked, "Santa is the same as St. Nicholas."

This caught my attention, so I checked out St. Nicholas on the Internet. I read reports that he was a fourth-century bishop in the church of Myra (an ancient city along the Mediterranean coast of what is now Turkey).

So far, so good. But then the myths came. Some said he had a sidekick named Black Pete, who kept lists of naughty and nice children; if you were naughty you got a lump of coal or a switching. Other stories spoke of St. Nicholas performing miracles, like bringing three children back to life after they had been kidnapped, slain, and pickled.

The stories changed from country to country across Europe. Then, in the ninth century, Dec. 6 became "St. Nicholas Day," celebrated by giving gifts and candy. The Dutch tradition behind St. Nicholas, or Sinterklaas, is probably the most direct link to the modern American Santa Claus.

Then in the 1820s—according to the latest research—Major Henry Livingston Jr., wrote the legendary poem " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas." The plump and jolly old elf with the bright red suit had arrived.

To oppose this friendly gentleman is to earn scorn or labels such as "Scrooge." Discussion of certain issues upsets people; Santa Claus is definitely one of them.

I have read articles about people using Santa's image for good. Yet, I think it is worth sounding a solitary voice in a wilderness.

Whether intentional or not, by passively giving in to the Santa myth, parents are teaching their children to place Santa in a godlike position, a beloved figure who can grant all their requests.

In Deuteronomy 5:7, the Lord says, "You shall have no other gods before Me." But little children practically worship Santa. Kids pick up on things easily, though. By age 3 or 4 they are asking, "How does Santa get in our house if we don't have a chimney?" or "How can a big fat man fit down that small opening?"

Answering with a lie means when that child is old enough to grasp the truth, he or she may think, "Santa's a lie, so the stories about Jesus must be a lie, too." In addition, lying violates the command in Deuteronomy 5:20 against bearing a false witness.

Yes, children and their families adore the Santa tradition. But how many kids get excited about one of the greatest miracles in history—God becoming a man? One of the first spiritual lessons children should learn is that Christmas is a time to celebrate the Savior's birth.

Some may scoff, "The children will be fine. They can separate fantasy from reality." Can you guarantee a lie will not affect their spiritual growth, or that in the back of their minds they don't hold this against their parents?

In Matthew 18:6, Jesus said, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."

You may not think of Santa as causing them to stumble, but what else can you call persuading a child to believe in a myth? And focusing their attentions on what they can get instead of what they can give?

I know it is unpleasant facing this truth, but Santa is a fairy tale that perpetuates a commercialized holiday that bears little resemblance to the spirit of Christmas—nor the truth of Christ.

James Copley is a heating and air conditioning specialist from Catlettsburg, Kentucky. Before her untimely death in 2005, his wife, Cheryl, helped him prepare this article for publication.

He Is a Beautiful Symbol
By Jack W. Hayford

Two back-to-back items that occurred a number of years ago speak to this delightfully controversial topic of Santa Claus. Before I retired as senior pastor of The Church On The Way in Southern California, the Los Angeles Times interviewed me about our approach to celebrating Christmas joyously as a congregation. And later, I was informed by a couple from our congregation that one of my granddaughters had told their daughter there isn't a Santa Claus. They laughed as they told me about it. The mood, spirit, and intent of both events heartened me. Why?

First, even though I knew the news article would probably expose me—and my church—to the misunderstanding or criticism of people who want to misunderstand and criticize, I was encouraged knowing that many will take heart over the possibility that a Christian can be both holy and happy—faithful to Christ and free to celebrate without compromising some of the enjoyable traditions of their culture. Enjoying Santa Claus is an example.

Second, even though a small percentage of the Christian community takes issue with Santa, I find it hard to be threatened by him. I also find it impossible to believe either God the Father or Christ the Son is likely to be eclipsed by the silhouette of his sleigh rising in the Christmas sky. The reason is that, beyond all crass commercializing and pagan violations of the true spirit of Christmas, when understood historically and interpreted fairly, Santa is a great symbol of the Holy Spirit the Father wants to rain over the world. However besmirched his image by those who may commandeer and apply his name to any less-than-worthy pursuits or perversions of true Christmasing, Santa Claus will survive unscathed if honestly assessed on the grounds of his true derivation.

One year my mother, who has since gone home to be with the Lord, bought me a simple but beautifully carved sign that reads, "WE BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS." My wife, Anna, and I hung it for all to see who enter our home during the Christmas season. In displaying this statement, I knew full well there was a risk. But, while I haven't received anything but expressions of delight from happy souls who understand what is true and what I do mean, it seems inevitable that someone won't understand and won't like it. So let me explain why I believe in Santa Claus, and what I believe about him.

I believe Santa Claus was a real person, and one who testified to and demonstrated the love of God poured out to us in the Person of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. A study of Nicholas of Myra (or Bari), who was a "saint" by reason of his faith in Christ, and was titled "Saint Nicholas" by reason of the traditional church's recognition of his love and good works, reveals a true believer and a genuine servant to mankind. All myth and legend evolving from this man, which is flavored with good and godly ideas of love, giving, caring, and helping, are well grounded in fact—facts I believe in.

I believe in Santa Claus as a righteous mood, attitude, or disposition. I believe in whatever generosity of spirit he symbolizes to us, and I like the idea that the contemporary role of Santa has traditionally incorporated a call to personal accountability for good or bad deeds done or undone. To "believe" in this way is not an endorsement of money-grubbing commercialism or orgiastic parties where an employee dressed as Santa leads in the lecherous misappropriation of the spirit of Christmastime celebration. Whatever is done with Santa's reputation by the ignorant ought not weaken our remembrance, acceptance, and celebration of what he truly represents.

I believe in Santa Claus because, when rightly adopted into a family's Christmas traditions, he enhances children's fun without threatening their faith. Whatever instance to the contrary may be cited, where some adult may have concocted a Santa that injured a child's thoughts or emotions, there is an acceptable way to include him in the family and not diminish either ultimate truthfulness or youthful imagination. When adults who know the Savior live like it, no child they influence is likely to confuse the Santa we pretend about with the Living Christ we worship, serve, and place our eternal faith in.

My granddaughter confirms this. She was raised in an atmosphere that neither avoided Santa nor made a religion of him. Though her parents joyfully played Santa, this didn't demolish anything of a healthy respect for the real or the holy.

Yes, I believe in Santa Claus. But I haven't been trapped into paganism or even slightly lost focus on Jesus—the Babe-become-King and the Center of the Season. And I have a suspicion that if Jesus were asked how He felt about Santa Claus—whether the man in the red suit is a threat to the intent of Christ's holy kingdom—Jesus might say: "Wherever a heart of love inspires further loving and giving, the true Father of Christmas is being experienced." Or, surprised by our being concerned at all, He might say with a measure of puzzlement over our debate, "Santa who?"

Jack W. Hayford is president of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and founder and chancellor of The King's College and Seminary. He is most widely known as founding pastor of The Church On The Way in Van Nuys, California, where he served as senior pastor from 1969-1999. He has authored 52 books and written more than 400 musical works, including the world-renowned "Majesty." Visit www.jackhayford.org to learn more about The King's College. This article is reprinted by permission of Jack Hayford Ministries, ©2006 Jack W. Hayford.

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