Guest Author - Paula Petrie

I once read a Christmas article in which the author stated that she “killed off” Santa, because she wasn’t willing to give someone else credit for the one present that she could afford to buy her child.

In our house, some years through the help of thoughtful year-long planning and yard-saleing, that was never the case. In fact, the opposite was most often true.

In spite of all the presents, I have worked to instill in my kids, a deeper meaning to Christmas over commercialism. Attaching the spirit of caring and sharing with others to Santa Claus. And because of my ability to “weave a good yarn,” when my eldest son’s friends were declaring Santa to be a ridicules fantasy, my son was seeking my support to help turn his friends back into believers. Sadly, these schoolyard discussions reached a point where I had to sit my son down and explain...

I told him how many adults have trouble with their faith in God, and believing in miracles. Many adults also seem to have trouble remembering that anything is possible if you give it the proper attention. We need to trust in faith. Kids need to understand that the world is full of magical possibilities.

Faith and miracles are very difficult things to teach without a good example.
And parents should want kids to know the majesty our world can hold. Not what material things we can make manifest, but the “well,” that is available for those who believe, to draw force from. A spiritual strength that is alive, and full of a splendor. A faith that can move mountains. A power force just waiting to be tapped; far more awesome than many adults can still accept. It's like... believing in Santa Claus.

Believing in the 'spirit' of sharing and caring, I described to my younger children, as the all-knowing and extremely agile Saint Nick. The elfish vision that propels a child’s ability to feel with pure, hopeful, innocence. The spirit that embraces our children with an understanding that love is all. The power of caring.

This depth of faith should be expanded and protected, in all children, always. Never, ever, ripped away as an end to childish things, mocked as foolish, or “killed-off.” But used to help a child’s spirit and faith grow rich with goodness and meaning, as he matures.

Protect his heart. A child having faith in the world and in himself is a most important thing. It feels like Christmas.

*Last year my son wrote a story for school on St. Nicholas. My son ended by stating, "If an ordinary man can become Santa Claus, what am I capable of becoming if I try?"