With three little people in the house, I am finding myself answering many questions about Santa. Does he like sausages? What is his favourite colour? What is his house like? Thankfully, the Santa who came to our Tots Christmas Party answered these questions very well when he was interviewed by my little boy! But the questions that come just before bed are a little more meaty:
Three year-old: “Does Santa know God?”
Six year-old pipes up, “Yes of course he does, they are both magic!”
30-something year-old panics inside at this warped theology and rambles into an explanation of the difference between something being magical and someone being supernatural.
Not really a satisfactory answer, but at least it reminded me of the need to be clear about who God is and to keep going over basic truths with them.
Whatever your views on Father Christmas, he is definitely a hot topic this week wherever I have been. My wise husband directed me to a really good website with loads of video clips ideal for starting discussions on topics like this one. http://www.yesheis.com/en/discover?search=christmas
Check out http://www.yesheis.com/en/v/anti-santy-ranty to hear a really punchy poem about how the world has replaced the infinite, awesome and relational reality of our Father God with the judgemental, distant and impossible-to-know persona of Santa. When the comparisons are drawn, Santa has a lot to answer for!