I was often torn about this question. I did not teach my kids to ask for gifts from "Santa" but I did tell them of some of the stories behind the "myth" that has been handed down. As a Christian I feel the spirit of Christ all year long but I feel the colletive attention to the Christmas spirit does seem to effect non Chrisians as well as true followers of the cross. For me and my house, we will follow the Lord, but I will not condemn those who wish to invite Santa to my house, as long as they know it is "the spirit of the season" and not reason for the season. Blessings to all.

I was saved 20 years ago when my kids were very small. When Christmas rolled around that year, it occurred to me that if Santa was not defined as a fairy tale, not only would I eventually be found out as having lied to my children, I was more afraid they would someday see Jesus as a fairy tale. So I told them the story of Santa Clause and that alot of kids think he's real and they didn't need to tell them otherwise and we celebrated the birth of Christ and Santa became part of the celebration in a storybook kind of way.

I don't like it, it ruins Christmas for future Christians and makes you focus on the wrong thing. I've spent half of my adult life working hard to focus on Jesus instead of the whole Santa thing. I don't have children, but if I did I would just treat Santa Claus as a story, and tell the kids the spiritual story of Santa Claus when they ask. ... See Morewould play it down as much as possible. And the kid's gift would just be from Mom and Dad. Yes, it is fun, but it is awfully disappointing when you find out the truth. It doesn't set a good example for children who already have a problem with lying anyway.

You always come up with a great topic to poke folks with! Let's celebrate Jesus' birth!

We make a huge deal about the season being about the birth of Christ. Most of our December activities are centered around this. Live nativities, reading the scriptures, going to Christmas eve service, talking about it throughout the month, listening to Chrismas Hymns and more.

We do, also, play the game of Santa. I know the history of Santa and how he gave gifts out of his love of Christ and generous spirit. We play Santa with our children. We never lied to them and have always told them that it was a game of generosity and thinking of others. They know that we are the ones that give the gifts, but that it ruins to fun to talk about it much. It is fun to play pretend. We were also careful to tell them not to ruin the game for other families. Now that our kids are older, we enjoy anonymous gifting to other families as well.

JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON, for UNDERSTANDING adults, However, it was and is tradition (our family) to go to church Christmas Eve to celebrate Jesus' birthday. We, as children looked forward to Santa but when we were OLD enought to UNDERSTAND, our parents or siblings explained THE TRUE MEANING.
Children live in the pretend world of Santa, Tooth Fairies and Charlie Brown before they transform into the adult world.

4 stages of Santa Claus: You believe in Santa Claus, You don't believe in Santa Claus, You are Santa Claus, You look like Santa Claus. Steve, our children have never been damaged by enjoying the anticipation of Christmas morning and Santa Claus.
Our tradition continues and is fun for all.... See More
See ya at church Christmas Eve, excited children in tow. Me, a child at heart, I will always believe in Santa who was my loving, earthly father. Happy Birthday Jesus, my heavenly father.

A family tradition that unfortunately gets out of control... We do our best to explain the meaning of Christmas to our kids and still have fun with the Santa Claus tradition. We sing Happy Birthday to Jesus before the first gift is opened. We also attend church either a vigil service or Christmas day.

We can't let the ones who use Santa without knowing the true meaning of Christmas spoil it for all of us. So Many have have latched on to the tradition and don't even know why.

Jesus is always the reason for the season but we used Santa as a family tradition for our children when they were little but the main focus was always on the birth of Jesus and we would read about the birth of Jesus

No, christians should not lie to their children - regardless, if it is around christmas or any other season/holiday. Do you think it would be appropriate for christians to tell their children that the easter bunny rose from the dead? It is absolutely absurd that one would want screaming, spoiled children asking for more and more stuff from someone they will never meet.

I guess you don't have a Christmas tree, wreath, mistletoe, or hollyberries either since they are pagan. And what about your nativity? Do you have one in your home with three wise men? If so, you're lying to your children. No where in the Bible does it say there were only 3. Not to mention they finally got there when he was around 2ish. So, that nativity scene you've got there is all wrong. Do you give gifts to your family at Christams? Why? They didn't give gifts to each other. They gave gifts only to Jesus. Do you see where I'm going here?
Yes, we do Santa. Yes, we are Christian. Do my children get excited about Santa? Yes. Do they understand the real reason we celebrate Christmas? Yes. When we're out looking at lights, they don't care about ANYTHING but the manger. They are looking for Jesus. My children are Jesus freaks! Am I forever harmed b/c my parents lied to me about Santa? Laughable!!! Now, go take care of that nativity you've got and then let me know if you need water in that pagan Christmas tree. :)

To put anything or anyone above our Holy Lord Jesus Christ is blasphemy. And the consistent pushing of an imaginary figure as a fat old man in a red suit to be the hero of every family, blatantly lying to children and TEACHING THEM to lie is an abominable sin. Our Lord teaches us that anyone who leads his little children in the wrong ways will be held responsible. Of course, ignorant people who are not born-again, or are not members of the Holy Church Family, are secular and they do this, thinking nothing is wrong with it, but it is a wrongful thing; there are Christmas parades every year with little recognition of Jesus Christ's birthday, but the highlight of every parade is that fat old man who is some human in a red suit throwing candies to children, further making the blatant lie even bigger. My oldest son is now 51 years old; when he, and his brothers were children, I became very concerned about this santa thing...and I allowed it, BUT I DID make VERY CERTAIN that they DID KNOW that CHRISTMAS WAS THE ACKNOWLEDGED BIRTHDAY (for no one really knows) we hold as the celebration for Jesus' birthday. However, the older they became, the more it bothered me. So when my oldest son was about 7 I think I recall, or close to it, I asked him what he thought about santa, and he told me not much because anyone should know that a person that big could not come down a fireplace, and even if they did, he never had any soot on his clothes, besides that there were too many different santas all over the place for it to be just one, so the whole story didn't make good sense. Children are far brighter, OR USED TO BE, than we think, sometimes, BUT, it is wrong to teach children about a lie such as that. Give our Lord the honor and praise HE so rightly deserves. My sons were born-again at the ages of 4,5,6 years old while watching a Billy Graham Crusade, when their Father was in Okinawa in the Marine Corps. And they followed this up in our Church, being Baptized, making their public commitment. The whole Church was in tears. They were taught about Jesus and went to Church, but never 'coached' to be born-again. They asked if they could be saved when they were, and I said 'by all means' and we prayed together right then. Now the Lord Jesus Christ I know, took those little souls as His at that moment, and sealed them by the Holy Spirit. And today, they are still faithful, raising their children the very same. It is wrong to lead innocence in the way of satan. By the way, you are aware that the exact spelling of the word santa, is also the same letters used to spell satan? All this garbage about santa should STOP, but the corporate world will not allow it, for the dollar keeps them fat, as that old man is fat. We have secularized Christmas and created the whole thing by man except the fact that Jesus Christ was given to us as a gift to save our souls...that part is the only truth in the whole thing...everything else was made up by the imagination of man. But basing it on a lie is what is sinful. Christmas is wonderful if we kept it about Jesus, and stop all of this nonsensical buying. Give to charities, and help others would be the right way to do it.
Submitted in respect for the Truth, who is JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

NO!! A lie is a lie and that is Sin, small or big is Sin
the reason for the season is Christ.
If St. claus was the reason, it would had been clausmas, but it is not, is called Christmas because we celebrate the birth of Christ our Savior and Lord.
So I say to avery body Merry Christmas, God Bless you if this offends you Put a helmet on, I am a Christian and I don't like to compromise my relationship with the only true God, just because some one does not want to believe in Him.

You people tell your children there is an invisible man in the sky who can read their minds and punish them for not holding certain beliefs. That's child abuse. You have no more evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ than you do Santa Claus. If you did we'd never hear the end of it.

"The Christmas Hoax: Jesus is NOT the "Reason for the Season"
http://www.stellarhousepublishing.com/christmas.html

Three years ago, this article went a bit viral and garnered tens of thousands of views. Also included in this link are two videos, one of which is a lengthy winter-solstice interview with "Infidel Guy" - check it out!

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am a new believer saved by grace, having been made aware of my sins and now having to overcome idolatry, I am amazed on how the very church that Jesus raised embraces the golden cow. I found this wonderful track, it clears another stumbling block in my new faith. I am hoping that it will benefit others as well.

Merry Christmas

http://www.thebiblechurch.us/resources/christma+tract2.pdf