No Santa here. Why?

*disclaimer - this post is a simple explanation of how we celebrate the holiday season in our home since we are often asked "why" we don't celebrate the typical Christmas traditions.

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For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Praise be to God.

Life is always pushing and challenging me to stay on my righteous feet.  To stand up for what I believe, even when it would be easier to fall to the other side.  Being a parent has multiplied these battles!  Close friends know that I have never been trick-or-treating, never sat on Santa's lap, and never been on an Easter egg hunt.  Being a parent now I realize how difficult staying on God's path must have been for my parents.  I respect the sacrifices they may have made to ensure we grew as children in the Lord.  So in rearing my own children, I find myself the scrutiny of modern day traditions.  I find this holiday one of the toughest to describe why we do-what-we-do.

'Tis the holiday season and we have already been asked a dozen times if Ethan has had his picture with Santa Claus.  The answer will always be 'no'.  We respect the man that St. Nicholas was and all the good he did during his life, but to us, he was just a good man.  Santa Claus is not St. Nicholas.  The Christian holiday of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ.  And that, we do!  We will not tell our son the story of Santa Claus.  The credit for great gift buying goes to the giver who's hard earned dollar and thought went into providing a small pleasure for my son.  He will thank the giver and be grateful. Gifts will not appear on Christmas morning from a red-suited stranger.  

I apologize in advance if you ask my child about Santa and he says - he's not real.  Hopefully he doesn't spoil Santa for all his friends.  I don't think I did, but I'm pretty sure my sister told anyone and everyone that "Santa isn't real and Jesus is the reason for the season."  LOL!  The Santa Claus myth was obviously never part of our childhood. 

So you don't have to give us funny looks or think that we are absolutely crazy because we have no Santa pictures, decorations, etc.  This is what we believe and we have to stand firm for our child.

So Merry Christmas to all.  May your holiday season be blessed with joy and happiness!