Just the other week when I was working with my wonderful little group of K-2nd graders at our church's kids outreach, one of my girls asked me if Santa Claus was real. Now while it may be all wonderful and good to write Virginia back and tell her, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished," such an answer simply would not do in this situation.
Personally, as much as I love Christmas (and I love Christmas, I still don't sleep well on Christmas Eve...) I don't believe in Santa Claus. I have no problem with Saint Nicholas (I mean, how could I, he actually existed), but the creepy Santa who slips down your chimney? Now I have a problem with that!
However, it was certainly not my place to tell this little girl that Santa Claus did not exist. If her parent want her to believe in Santa, that's their prerogative. Nevertheless, I knew I could not tell her that Santa Claus did exist because that would be a lie. Talk about a tough situation. Luckily my choice of words was made easier by the second part of her question.
As I was pondering quickly how to respond, I heard her say, "Cause I think he does and I told my friend that Jesus was Santa." Well that cleared my problem up really quickly. The answer became simple. "No, Virginia*, Jesus is not Santa Claus!"
*Name changed to protect the innocent :P
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