Do you believe that....?

It's really sad that people are forgetting exactly why we have Christmas...

I believe that the birth of our Lord Jesus should be celebrated each and every day.

Did you know that there really was a Santa Claus and that he really did deliver toys to children?

Santa Claus is a part of Christmas just as Frosty and Rudolph are. When my children became old enough to understand, this is what I told them. Santa, Frosty and Rudolph are all real make believe.

Santa Claus is not pagan. Santa Claus is derived from "Sinterklaas" which is what the Dutch called St. Nickolas, who was a bishop in the 4th century. His feast day is on December 18th. His role as a gift-giver stems from a legend that he gave gold to poor women who had no dowry. He is the patron saint of children because of a legend that he brought some murdered children to life.

When pagan festivals like Saturnalia (which had a gift-giving tradition) were Christianized, St. Nicholas was given a new role.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Nicholas

I don't really care too much. I celebrate family on Christmas, not Santa Claus. And I don't set aside that day for Jesus, either - I view the worship of him as an every day thing.

I understand what you're saying, but I believe Santa was made to be on Christ's birthday. Probably in some way to represent the gift giving like Jesus received gifts upon his birth? I haven't really checked into it, so just taking a guess.

We've been trying to get back to what Christmas is supposed to really be all about. And it's not big bucks spent and people getting lots of presents. It's about love, a baby born who changed the world and so much more.

When I was a child, there was no day of presents under the tree. There was no St. Nick leaving candy. There wasn't any money to DO that.

Not sure WHY there is such a fuss now. Santa shouldn't be more important.

Edit: Apostle Jack, are you kind of judging people about Santa Claus? Are you going as far as saying you know who is Christian and isn't... based on that?

"In looking for the historical roots of Santa Claus, one must go very deep in the past. One discovers that Santa Claus as we know him is a combination of many different legends and mythical creatures.

The basis for the Christian-era Santa Claus is Bishop Nicholas of Smyrna (Izmir), in what is now Turkey. Nicholas lived in the 4th century A.D. He was very rich, generous, and loving toward children. Often he gave joy to poor children by throwing gifts in through their windows.

The Orthodox Church later raised St. Nicholas, miracle worker, to a position of great esteem. It was in his honor that Russia's oldest church, for example, was built. For its part, the Roman Catholic Church honored Nicholas as one who helped children and the poor. St. Nicholas became the patron saint of children and seafarers. His name day is December 6th.

In the Protestant areas of central and northern Germany, St. Nicholas later became known as der Weinachtsmann. In England he came to be called Father Christmas. St. Nicholas made his way to the United States with Dutch immigrants, and began to be referred to as Santa Claus."

http://www.the-north-pole.com/history/

No. Just because Santa Claus is based on a real person does not mean Santa Claus is real. Both are fictional characters.

Apostle Jack I'm surprised you never heard of Saint Nicolas???

He is the origin of the legend of Santa Claus. as i remember it Saint Nicolas was a pastor around ad 300 he punched another pastor in the nose because they said that Jesus was not God. Because of the violent out burst his duties as a pastor were taken from him and he spent the rest of his life preventing young girls from being sold into slavery by paying their dowries so they could get married. He gave away everything he had and so the legend of saint Nicolas began when it was told in Germany he picked up the Claus when it was told in Spain...saint was translated Santa, so Saint Nicolas became Santa Claus just as Yeshua went from hebrew to greek to latin and became Jesus.

So no one is telling any lies when they say that the believer Saint Nicolas is still alive today because all of the saints are still alive today.

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Santa and Jesus should have a battle up in the clouds over the North Pole. That would be epic.

How about not participating in the pagan celebration at all. In this way you ensure your service to God is not tainted and acceptable.

They are both story characters. I think Santa is kicking but when it comes to who owns every December 25th.

N

O

In Christ,

Hope