DISQUS

JulieG · 1 year ago

It has struck me many times over the last few weeks that I'm very, very glad I'm not Christian. Sure, Mom and Dad pretended there was a "Channukah bunny," but as far back as I can remember, it was always tongue-in-cheek. We always knew who got us our presents, and it was the people who loved us and knew what we wanted.

Alida · 1 year ago

That's the way my parents always explained it to us. We saw Santa in the mall, and the stockings were "magically" filled, but we always knew that Santa was about pretending, and from a fairly young age, we got into it, too. We'd put a small "extra" gift under the tree for my parents, disguising our handwriting as best we could to make it read from "Santa," and we understood the fun of being anonymous and having this big secret that we were all in on together. I think that from a very young age, I understood that Santa was a symbol of generosity and kindness, and Jesus was the very real, not make-believe part of Christmas.

Storyeller · 1 year ago

That's great, Alida. I hope to do that for my daughter. The Santa being pretend and the Jesus being real.

mark · 1 year ago

ahh...Santa and Jesus are both pretend.

Storyeller · 1 year ago

I think you should ask Santa for a history book in your stocking...Jesus, that radical socialist feminist sensualist Mind rocked this world two thousand and some years ago.

laird · 1 year ago

my kids have always known santa was pretend.

i wanted to spare them the disappointment of learning he wasn't real.

Summerm · 1 year ago

I was raised knowing Santa was pretend, but it never spoiled the fun of it all. :) My own kids know there's no real Santa, but pretending is lots of fun.

Den · 1 year ago

Santa is real and it is us. He lives as Jesus lives in our hearts.
BTW, I am a former Agnostic

Storyeller · 1 year ago

I love the way you word this, Den, "it is us". Thank you!

Leanne · 12 months ago

Beautiful....as always..