The Spirit of St. Nick

*Spoiler alert!*

Last weekend in our final day of Level I formation for Good Shepherd, a super-charged, emotional, and sensitive topic came up during break. No, it wasn't politics. It was Santa Claus.

During one of my Level III sessions the week before, the topic also came up, but not in a way I knew how to handle. As the children were studying the two creation stories in Genesis 1 and 2, some of them were really grasping to try and understand how God could have existed before there was anywhere to exist. The conversation was fascinating, but one child piped in that it was easy to understand because God is just like Santa Claus.

*Cue Awkward Pause*

I let the child's comment go without comment, because I don't want to tread on ground that is truly parent territory, but I have to say that I was troubled for the next week about this topic that has been a struggle for me as a parent and catechist for years.

What's the struggle? That expect our children to believe us when we tell them about God, but that we rarely question our culture's modern-day obsession (which began with a Coca-cola ad, by the way) with telling kids about a man with flying reindeer, who flies about the whole earth in one night to bring presents to the "good kids."

Is God Just Santa for Grownups?

Sometimes it happens that our kids can't tell the difference between the "stories" we tell them and the truth. For example, catechist at training this weekend was sharing how her son's college roommate belittles her son's faith because he thinks it's all made up to make us feel better. "God's just a grownup's Santa Claus," this young man told her son. "He's just something you believe in to make you be good and feel less depressed about the troubles of life." Now that this young man was grown up he doesn't believe in "invisible things" anymore: God included.

Another catechist from Bolivia shared that this is not a struggle in her culture because Santa isn't really a part of their Christmas traditions at all. It is baby Jesus who brings the presents (and the wise men, too--on January 6th).

So What's a Parent to Do?

Everyone of us encounters this culture in a different way, but after our discussion last weekend, a few of the catechists asked if I would write up our family's traditions in an article as food for thought as families are preparing for the start of Advent. So here goes...

We tell our kids the truth--the whole truth. When we talk about Santa, we talk about a Catholic bishop named Nicholas who lived over a thousand years ago in modern-day Turkey. After his parents died, Nicholas used his inherited fortune to help those in his town who were in great need. Inspired by the gifts that God showered over him, he never wanted recognition, so he gave his gifts anonymously.

His life was given to Christ, and his work to care for those in need was so inspiring that the Church recognized him as a canonized saint! Just like all saints, St. Nicholas continues to care for us and intercede for us and our needs. He inspires so many people to give without a desire to be thanked. Sometimes we'll even receive gifts like St. Nicholas gave in the stockings of those poor girls who were to be sold into slavery if their father could not pay off his debts. We can say that the spirit of Santa, of St. Nicholas, is still thriving today.

Our children set out their shoes on December 6th (St. Nicholas' feast day) and receive golden coins (made of chocolate!) and a silver dollar. On Christmas, they'll find presents addressed to them with no name (some of these are from us, some are from other people who did not want to be thanked). We say: "It must have been St. Nicholas. Remember, he didn't want you to thank him. He wants you to thank Jesus." Sometimes the girls will make gifts for each other or other people signed "From St. Nicholas."

When you think about this way, Santa (or St. Nicholas) IS like God. He is generous, loving, and cares for others without thinking of himself, just as we are all called imitate our Lord in our love for our neighbor!