My Take On Santa...

Let me start this post by saying....if you believe that there is a live and living person named Santa Claus who really and truly lives at The North Pole, makes toys, lives with elves and reindeer, flies all over the world in one night, delivers the gifts, eats the snacks that are left and travels back to The North Pole....read no further. Just move on to another post all together. Also remember that this is MY TAKE on Santa and MY Opinions....you don't have to agree with them, and I hope nobody is offended by this post. Here goes...........
Now for the good stuff....First, my children (all of them....Addi may be wavering) still believe in Santa. Second, I have NEVER told my children that there is indeed a real guy in a red suit who comes down our chimney and delivers toys; and I NEVER will. Third, Santa makes me uncomfortable; and he always has. Fourth, I don't set aside a time to take my children to visit Santa. If a time occurs, and they choose to sit on his lap....so be it; but there is not a scheduled visit each year.
Now for some background info.....as a little girl, I was terrified with a capital T of Santa Claus. Every year, that I can remember, my parents would take me to wait in a really long line to see Santa Claus. Every year, as we approached Mr. Claus, I would become increasingly nervous and oftentimes start to try to explain my way out of seeing Santa. My mom would continue to encourage me as we approached, and I got closer and closer to my turn. I remember as a very little girl.....being really nervous and telling my mom that I didn't want to see Santa. She told me the following in a very loving way...."That's not the REAL Santa, that's just one of Santa's helpers" to try and make me more at ease, but it didn't work. I would always end up in tears, crying and saying loudly "He's not the REAL Santa, He's just a helper" (I guess I thought I was consoling all of the other scared children....whether they were scared or not). I don't think I actually sat on Santa's lap until I was about 8, and although I didn't mind it; I was still not comfortable with the whole idea of Santa. I do remember thinking, when I finally started agreeing to sit on his lap, that I really didn't want to wait in that long line for a 30 second spot to quietly ask him to bring me a gift....honestly I would rather just be playing at home. As a child, I always thought it was a little creepy that this man dressed in a red suit (who had been watching me all year to see if I was naughty or nice) would sneak into my house on Christmas Eve and leave surprises. Now don't get me wrong, I loved seeing what he brought and getting the surprises; but I would have a real hard time going to sleep and often wake up in the night wondering if he was roaming around my house. On Christmas morning even if I woke up before anyone else, I would NEVER get out of my bed until an adult came to get me; because I was afraid I might walk in on Santa. I NEVER wanted to do that.....I mean what would I say? "What's up SC?" What if he disappeared? Would he know I was there and not leave the gifts? Would he be eating the cookies? I really didn't want to know what he was doing, and I really didn't like the thought of this "stranger" (although a perfectly nice man I had been assured) in my house. So you see as far back as I can remember.....Santa freaked me out.
On to my children....I remember contemplating the whole Santa thing when Addi was old enough to really enjoy Christmas. What should I tell her about Santa? I was absolutely NOT going to outright lie and tell her that he had been watching her all year to see if she was naughty or nice, that he really came into our house to leave her surprises, that he and his elves made all those toys, that he really rides in a sleigh pulled by reindeer.....I just wasn't going to do it. I didn't want to lead her down that path.....I wanted her to know that Christmas was about the birth of Christ not about a jolly man with rosy cheeks in a red suit smoking a pipe (smoking....that's a whole other story). HOWEVER I caved to the environment around me, and although I have NEVER EVER EVER told my children that any of the above mentioned things really happen....I have allowed them to believe in the spirit of Santa. Would that be considered lying by omission? Oh Lord....the guilt I feel. I do know that if any of them ever asks me, which as of yet none have, if Santa is real? I will answer with the copout reply of......"What do you think?" If they ever point blank ask me if he is a real person, I will in fact tell them that he is not a real person. Then I will tell them the story of Sinter Klaas or St. Nicholas which is where (I like to believe although some disagree)Santa Claus originated; because this St. Nicholas guy was a real gem. I am okay with telling them his story, because it's a story about giving to others; and I will tell them that I think Santa Claus represents the spirit of giving at Christmas time. In honor of Jesus' birthday.....we are fortunate to receive gifts, but I want them to know that they received the best gift of all when Christ was born. I want them to know that they receive a gift of His grace and mercy and love every single second of every single day. Honestly I have very mixed emotions about Santa....I wish I had never given into the whole Santa thing, and we had just kept it all about the Savior; and I don't like the idea of them thinking that they can ask Santa for anything they want and then be really disappointed when they don't receive it (although this has not happened yet). BUT.....I have to admit I love the look of excitement on their faces and the smiles and laughter when they see what "Santa" has brought them.