There is truth to be told about Santa and truth to be told about the true meaning of Christmas. For our children, that truth should come from us.

Bottom line you are not accountable to folks outside of your home. You are accountable to your family and your faith.

Can you believe in the whimsy of Santa and the truth of Christmas?  Here are three reasons to tell them the truth about Santa.

Maintain their innocence while respecting the integrity of Christmas

Tell your child what they can understand at their age. When my children were little they were taught the true meaning of Christmas. They also knew about Santa. We taught them that Santa was a man dressed in a suit – a costume.

He represented giving and cheer. As Christians, we never let Santa take a front seat to the “Christ” in Christmas. Yet the kids left cookies and milk out on Christmas Eve before they went to bed.

They knew full well daddy took a bite and left the unfinished cookies on the plate for them to find when they ran down the stairs Christmas morning.

Allow them to know mommy and daddy love them enough to buy them gifts

Tell your kids they are receiving gifts not because they earned them, but because you love them. If your children are old enough to understand, allow them to see that mom and dad work every day so they can have nice things.

Their gifts did not fall from the chimney, but God gave mom and dad the ability to get up every morning and earn an income.

Don’t perpetrate a fraud and set them up for disappointment

Will you give Santa the power to know who’s naughty or nice and then use it as leverage to control your child’s behavior? – “You better be nice if you want Santa to come visit.”

As a parent, you decide if you will create this world where Santa lives at the North Pole and works all year long making toys for good boys and girls.

While there might be excitement in the childlike imagery of Santa, there might also be disappointment in learning the truth of Santa. Create a story that works for your household and doesn’t create disappointment in the end.

Doc McStuffin or Spiderman children are drawn to the whimsical fun of characters. So they are naturally drawn to Santa. Try letting your child tell you what Santa means to them. Hear their heart. Then instruct where needed.

My children are now well adjusted happy adults. They didn’t miss out because they knew the truth about Santa. It was right for my family to tell our children Santa was a man in a big red suit.

Some people agreed with our decision. Others thought it wrong because we allowed them to leave cookies and milk out on Christmas Eve, even though they knew daddy would eat them.

Bottom line, you are not accountable to folks outside of your home. You are accountable to your family and your faith. This article is not meant to tell you what to do but to give you a different perspective.

BMWK Family what do you tell your children about Santa?