Early on in our conversion (which happened to coincide with the birth of our oldest) the question came up as to what we were going to teach our children about Santa Clause. The conclusion we came up with surprises me today because we hadn't quite come into "traditionalism" yet. So through much discussion we stumbled upon three things that lead us to the same conclusion. One about my childhood Holiday experiences, one about my wife's, and one we wanted to have in common.
I was raised to believe in the traditional secularized American Santa. Magical fat guy with a red jumpsuit that lifts children's spirit's high with wonder, and then sends it crashing into the jagged cliffs of despair come Christmas morning, because you didn't get the one thing that big jerk told you he would bring when you drug you parents to visit him at the Mall. What's worse is I wasn't discouraged or dissuaded from believing in Santa Clause until a significantly late age, which made for plenty of awkward moments at family gatherings and school. Like hell, was I going to do that to my children!
My wife (who at this point had been raised in a catholic family, but had never been confirmed) told me that as a child, she remembered her family celebrating St. Nicholas' Day by exchanging small gifts and stockings full of goodies and treats and trinkets on the 6th of December. And like hell, was she not going to let her children experience that!
After comparing childhood Christmas memories (and nightmares) We both agreed on one thing Christmas should be about Christ. More Saint and less Elf, more Christian and less secular, more worship and less worthless. We also decided that if we were going to teach our children about someone other than Christ at Christmas, that someone had better set an example that leads them to Christ, not to commercialism. Who better than St. Nicholas, a Catholic Bishop and Saint whose good works of charity, humility, and piousness made him a Champion of Jesus?
So do we teach our children about Santa? No, we teach them about St. Nicholas, Bishop and Saint.
Everybody loves Santa Claus. He embodies holiday cheer, happiness, fun, and gifts—warm happy aspects of the Christmas season. How do Santa Claus and St. Nicholas differ?
Santa Claus belongs to childhood;
St. Nicholas models for all of life.
Santa Claus, as we know him, developed to boost Christmas sales—the commercial Christmas message;
St. Nicholas told the story of Christ and peace, goodwill toward all—the hope-filled Christmas message.
Santa Claus encourages consumption;
St. Nicholas encourages compassion.
Santa Claus appears each year to be seen and heard for a short time;
St. Nicholas is part of the communion of saints, surrounding us always with prayer and example.
Santa Claus flies through the air—from the North Pole;
St. Nicholas walked the earth—caring for those in need.
Santa Claus, for some, replaces the Babe of Bethlehem;
St. Nicholas, for all, points to the Babe of Bethlehem.
Santa Claus isn't bad;
St. Nicholas is just better.—J. Rosenthal & C. Myers
How do we Celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas?
There are lot's of ways, some of them can be found here, our family loves tradition, so we do what the wife's family did, exchange stockings with treats and small gifts, and we also tell a story of St. Nicholas' generous example of giving in secret to those in need. Then encourage children to identify a kindly "Nicholas deed" to do for someone else. Have children fill their shoes with pieces of carrot or bits of hay for his white horse or donkey. Place shoes outside bedroom doors or on the hearth. See that a candy treat (a candy cane represents Bishop Nicholas' crozier) and simple gift appears by morning on December 6th.
And you can put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Have a wonderful Feast of St. Nicholas, and a blessed Advent Season!
Paul Kemp Jr.
Devoted Husband, Loving Father,Hockey Fanatic, Passionate Catholic.
References:
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/home/
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