Growing up, my parents always combined the religious and secular aspects of the Christmas and Easter holidays, and I enjoyed it that way.
I remember that on Christmas Eve, my father would ring bells in the back of our house as my mom sat with me in my bedroom saying, "Listen! I think that's Santa Claus."
I used to enjoy the Easter egg hunts and neighborhood parades where I got to shake hands with the "Easter Bunny."
But my parents also told me the real reasons for these holidays and what an important role they play in our faith. And I understood it, at least on a basic level. As a small child, if someone were to ask me what Christmas is about, I would say "It's Jesus' birthday." If I was questioned about Easter, I would say, "Jesus rose from the dead."
A Christian survey Web site once conducted a poll entitled
"Should Christians participate in the Easter Bunny?" According to the results, 46 percent of Christians believe that the Easter Bunny should not be included at all in Easter celebrations. One survey taker in this category replied, "The Easter Bunny did not die for my sins or the sins of the world; only Jesus Christ, His blood and His Holy power." Others believe that the Easter bunny originated from pagan tradition and holds no place in Christianity.
Another person against the Easter bunny tradition posed this argument: "If you tell your children that there is an Easter Bunny and a Santa Claus, then they find out that they are not real and you attempt to tell them about Jesus, and they can't see Him either, they won't believe He exists." (I see where this person is coming from. I remember that in my high school religion class, one girl was seriously misled and said: "I think God is a myth, just like Santa Claus.")
Thirty-nine percent of the people surveyed believe that it's okay to include the Easter Bunny in a Christian celebration of Easter. One commenter pointed out, "A parent is responsible to share with the child the reason for the holiday and the sacrifice Jesus made, but I see no reason for our kids not to enjoy coloring and hunting for eggs." Another survey participant believes that the secular Easter traditions could be used as a means to teach about Jesus' resurrection: "I think it's fine because it is a good time for the kids and you can even teach them about Christ rising using the eggs and jelly beans."
Some respondents were unsure about this issue. Many in this category state that it should be a personal decision as to whether or not a Christian parent teaches their children about the Easter Bunny (or Santa). "Each Christian has his or her own beliefs, they have to decide for themselves,"one person commented. Another person explained that talking about a magical bunny might conflict with Christian beliefs, but there is nothing wrong with talking to your children about the analogy between Easter eggs and renewal: "Jesus would want people to have fun on the holiday. I may not talk about a magical bunny, but there are reasons a parent can give for the eggs and new life."
Do you/ would you include Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny in your family's holiday celebrations? Do you think telling your children about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny is a harmless childhood tale, or do you foresee that it could later cause children to doubt their faith?
Comments (32)
Tell them what? How awesome and dependable they are? Of course!
I am certain I've seen this question on a featured revelife post before.
Anyway, my kids will know that Santa isn't real, but that it is a game we play, and that it's fine to talk as though Santa is real, because it's a game.
@SirNickDon@xanga - Pretty sure they featured it like... maybe a few months ago at least?
I like Santa and I like the Bunny.
Unless Christians understand the context for the easter bunny, that it is a pagan dilution of Eostre the hare goddess or seek an even more Christian understanding for giving eggs ie Mary Magdalene giving the emperor of Rome a colored egg as a miracle then Christians should really find another way to celebrate these holidays. Christmas is a joke, so are parts of Easter. Why anyone would want to keep those myths going is beyond me.
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Well, I don't see any reason for a two year old not to be completely devoted to Easter other than the "cute wabbit" or Christmas other than "mine! mine! gimme santas giftie!"
But the lessons of altruism of Jesus and his birth probably wouldn't be understood by someone a few years older (4-5)...
Besides, as long as they don't start worshiping the two when they get older (hahahaha), what difference does it make? I found out soon enough that neither of them existed...and I'm not even Christian.
We do it. I remember these as part of my holidays all growing up, and loved it. I also have never had any confusion about the real reason for the holidays.
@Faerie_In_Combat_Boots@xanga - Have you seen the Southpark where the true pope is really a rabbit and there's a whole secret society devoted to following the pope-rabbit? Its freaking awesome. I actually named one of my pet rabbits after a pope because of that...
I suppose some might find that highly offensive. Sorry folks but it's all she answers to now.
I will probably make Santa and the Easter bunny into a sort of game, but emphasize to the kids that it is make believe. If they still think it is real (as kids often do about their imagination) this way the reality wears off as they age instead of my continually lying to them and one day having to tell the truth.
@subSacred@xanga - No, my dad doesn't let me watch Southpark...but that sounds uber hilarious. Hahaha, I think it's funny that anyone would even do that. I'd totally name my bunny Urban if I could...[which is to say, if I had a bunny.]
Worship a rotting corpse on a stick or a cute, furry bunny that dispenses chocolate eggs out of its ass?
Sure. Make sure they know the real reason for the season, though.
i guess i never really believed in Santa and we don't have a tradition of an Easter bunny over here in Ukraine. i think my mom did tell me about Santa (or Grandfather Frost, as he's called over here), but i was always making my own conclusions, so i figured that i don't care for Santa. my family was better than any Santa.
re: should we tell our kids that Santa exists? i would say "probably no" but only because i don't see the sense in it... at least till i have my own kids like i said, i could care less for Santa when i was a kid since my family was awesome. i hope my kids will enjoy the same.
BUT... one thing - if you do tell your kids about Santa and Bunny, be prepared to explain to them that they are not real. be prepared whether you're telling them or not - they will hear about that from their friends, if not from you. if you make it clear from the beginning that it's a game that you're playing, then i see no problem with bunnies or santas.
I will. I see no harm in it. If they know the real reason for the holidays.
The only issue I'm concerned about is if my child goes around telling kids at school that Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny aren't real. That would definitely cause problems.
On the other hand, my parents told me about Santa Claus when I was a child, and I certainly wasn't scarred for life when I found out he wasn't real. And I still believe in God. Easter was different though, because I knew all my life what Easter was about (Easter egg hunt!). We went to church on Easter Sunday so I knew that it was about God and not the Easter Bunny. My parents never told stories of the Easter Bunny--when I saw the bunny at the mall, I saw a bunny at the mall. There was no worshipping or fantasizing of the sort.
I haven't decided how I would do it, but right now I don't plan on telling my kids (when I have them) about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny.
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I felt the same way as that person in the survey. I kept waiting for someone to tell me Jesus wasn't real. It took me years and a lot of experience to realize they weren't going to tell me that.
Normal
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Thatis
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report, let me share something new report to you. National Flip Flop Day
doesn't technically exist; although a chain of fruit smoothie stores insist it
should.Well, to be truthful, National
Flip Flop Day is a marketing gimmick that the Tropical Smoothie Café made up as
a promo, but the good news is that even if you are waiting on your next pay
day, you can get a smoothie for free if you wear flip flop style sandals into
their stores, no low cost loans needed.The summer solstice approaches (except in the southern hemisphere –
G'Day Australia!) and a lot of people are looking to get in the spirit, maybe
even with a small cash loan and celebrating National
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I never understood why ANYONE should tell their kids about Santa. It seems so ridiculous to me. You're looking your children in the eyes and telling them a bold-faced LIE. You can rationalize it all you want by saying "but it's all in fun," but the bottom line is that you're telling them a story that you know for a fact is completely untrue; and that, by definition, is a lie. And then you're going to try to teach them honesty? Terrific, toss hypocrisy on to the list of problems. And all for what? So that they can believe that someone other than their loving parents bought them their presents? So that they can end up getting hurt when they realize it's all a lie? It just doesn't make any sense any sense to me.
yes. :)
and before you ask, yes to halloween, too.What? Are you saying Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny aren't real?!
I love every second or the make believe parts of being a kid. Of course I am going to tell my children. But St. Nicholas was a real person - he did give poor children gifts on Christmas. I will also due what my parents did and say, "Jesus only got 3 presents that's all your getting as well."
My wife and I became Christians on the same day. We had 3 children. We told them the truth about all of it. We simply told them that they would get 'surprise' gifts Christmas morning, but they were from us, their parents. They took it well.
When I have kids, I have no intention of telling them that Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny are real. My parents always just told me that they were just stories and I was fine with that. Most of my friends still remember when they found out that Santa wasn't real; it was extremely heart-wrenching at the time.
I guess I just agree with my dad. When I asked him why he never taught me that Santa was real, he just said, "That would be a lie. Why would I lie to my daughter about something as trivial as that?" I think it's silly to lie about Santa just because it is a time-honored tradtion.
Here's the thing. If you don't tell them about Santa or the Easter Bunny. Some kid at school or at another place where they interact with kids will tell them. And I really wouldn't want to be the parent of the kid that tells the whole class that Santa and the Easter Bunny aren't real. I saw that on In The Motherhood....it wasn't pretty...