To Santa, or not to Santa....?

Every year at Christmastime, we're bombarded with Santa Claus, elves, reindeer, and everything else North Pole-related. Kids are promised mountains of gifts from the jolly fellow, just as long as they keep themselves off of the naughty list. Santa appears at the mall, on television, and on every other Christmas card we receive. There's only just one problem...we don't "do" Santa Claus in this house. Now, don't get me wrong; we have nothing against jolly old St Nick, and his likeness can be found in more than one spot in our home each December. But, we don't teach our children that Santa is real. For many, we're simply being ridiculous, silly, or even mean. And, as usual, I'm pretty sure there are some who brush off our "weird" child-rearing as crazy religious. But, before you form your own opinion of our Santa-less Christmas, I'd like to explain our reasoning. (And, please note that these are our own personal reasons for our family. If you don't agree, or if you want to do Santa with your own kids--that's totally fine with us!)
The first reason that we don't teach our kids that Santa Claus is real is because he isn't real. Yes, there was a historical figure named St. Nicholas, of whom our present-day Santa Claus was originally modeled, but that's not what we're avoiding. When they're older, I'll have no problems at all teaching my boys about St. Nicholas. I do have a problem telling my children anything that is simply not true. (No Santa, no Easter Bunny, no tooth fairy...these kids have got it rough, eh?) When I was pregnant with Nathaniel, I worked in a daycare, and I saw parents and workers lie to young children regularly. The lies were usually "little, white lies" about insignificant things, and were often told simply to make the child do/not do something. This annoyed me to no end because I simply didn't understand the point. Why not explain the truth? Why not take the time to think of a promise that you really can fulfill? I swore to myself that I would never lie to my own kids. And, I haven't. (Okay, I did one single time....and I felt so terrible about it that I apologized and told him the next morning!) Honestly, it hasn't been hard at all. Sure, I guess sometimes it would be easier to lie, but telling the truth really isn't that hard. Even to little kids. I just don't think I could intentionally deceive my children about something without feeling guilty. Even a fun something like Santa. It has nothing to do with their potentially being crushed and sad when they learn the truth; but it has everything to do with my wanting to teach my children that we only tell the truth. And, the best way to teach is to model.

.....................................(^ image from here.)

The other reason that we don't do Santa with our boys is that we want to teach them the real meaning of Christmas. Yes, I am aware that you can teach a child about Santa AND Jesus. But I know that children of a very young age do not have the capacity to understand the difference between make-believe and reality (Example: the millions of kids who do believe in Santa). Jesus is reality; Santa is not. As children grow older, they begin to distinguish the difference, and they do that by listening to their parents. If I tell Nate that Jesus is real, he believes me. If I told him that Santa was real, he would believe that too. Still not a problem? Here is where my problem lies....eventually, children who do believe in Santa learn that he is not real. Why, at that point, should they believe that Jesus is real? If they have been misled about one, why should they think that they weren't about the other? Again, I'm not saying that it isn't possible for a child to believe in Santa, and then grow up to understand that Christ's birth is real. I am simply saying that the belief in Santa as a child could have the potential to introduce doubt about Jesus. I do not want to ever, ever be the reason that my children might doubt God.
Even at their young and tender ages, we are fostering their believe and trust in God--and, I pray, only in God. The one single thing that I want more than anything else for my boys is for them to have a very real and personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Savior. For now, Nathaniel knows that Christmas is Jesus' birthday. He knows that we celebrate to remember the baby who was born in a stable, and he knows that God sent his son so that "whoever believes in the Son has eternal life". He knows about Santa too. He knows that Santa is pretend, and he knows that Santa is a fun game that many people like to play. He has books about Santa, and we even have a few Santa Claus ornaments on our Christmas tree. He's been instructed not to spoil the Santa "game" for other children, and as far as I know, he hasn't. He does, however, know the truth about Santa AND about Jesus.
Someday, when my boys think about making the decision to give their lives to Christ, I don't want either of them to have any speculation or doubt about Jesus. From the beginning, they've been taught that Jesus (unlike Santa) is very real, and very important. That is why we don't do Santa in this house. We're not anti-Santa, but we are very much devoted to Jesus Christ. Santa's role in our Christmas is only a small one, much like a tree or a gingerbread house or gifts. The main focus of this season is not a make-believe Santa or gifts or cookies or carols; it is God's greatest gift to mankind: His Son. Merry Christmas!


(^ Nate enjoying both a reindeer AND Santa with any deprivation or hesitation!)

Finding that Christmas joy...

After this post yesterday morning, I decided that I was going to spend the day not working on my to-do list, and simply enjoying the day with my boys! Before Nate's feet even hit the floor out of bed, he was asking when we could put together the gingerbread house kit that I'd gotten a few days earlier. So, I figured we might as well try our hand at gingerbread construction ASAP! Right after breakfast, we got started--and we didn't finish until nearly lunch time! The boys LOVED putting it together, and I enjoyed LOVED helping them! Levi even helped stick the gummies on the roof...until he got bored about halfway through, and headed off to the living room to entertain himself for a bit. Nate was fascinated by the entire process, and did most of it himself! I was the official frosting squirter, and we built our very own little dream gingerbread house! It was a wonderful morning, I found my Christmas cheer, and I was reminded just how darn much I love being their momma! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Monday, Monday...

Today is Monday, and it feels good to fall back into the easy routine that is our early week. You may remember my last post about our semi-rotten week, and my determination to have a fabulous weekend. While there were plenty of things that didn't quite go as planned, we still managed to have ourselves a pretty great time. I'm learning to roll with the punches a bit more, I suppose...
Anyway, we got up bright and early on Saturday morning for a fun day of Christmas tree picking (and subsequent decorating!). I made pancakes for breakfast, and it seemed that we were ready for a perfect day...


After breakfast, we bundled up and headed for the Christmas tree farm. Oh, but before we drove away, we had a quick mishap....the boys were locked inside the car. And, the car was running. In the garage. And, they were both strapped into their carseats (just out of reach of the locks!). Oy. Thankfully, with the help of a little prayer and a wire hanger, Eric was able to get a door open!

THEN, we were off to the Christmas tree farm....and we got lost. For whatever reason, the directions that I looked up took us approximately 45 minutes out of our way via backroads. Not so much fun with a grumpy baby in the backseat. (By this time, it was nearing lunch and naptime!) Mommy and Daddy were not in good moods, and two whining boys were not helping the matter.

FINALLY, we arrived at the farm. And, it was truly fantastic! We took a wagon ride to the fields, and then tromped through the snow until we found our perfect tree! Eric chopped it down (really!), and then we headed back to the barn. The staff was super friendly, and they got our tree all ready for us to take home. While they prepped the tree, the boys made friends with a little dog and cat who they found in the barn.


By the time we headed for home, all of our spirits had lifted. A little snack in the car, and we were back in the Christmas spirit! Levi even napped on the way home....which, of course, meant that when we arrived home, he didn't want to nap again. If you're a parent, you know full well that quick 30 minute car naps don't suffice for naptime, so there was a naptime battle while Eric uprighted the tree in our living room.

Eventually, both little guys gave in to napping, and the house was quiet. Well, except for the incessant dripping of the snow/ice melting off of the Christmas tree on to the living room floor! Ah, the holidays!

By the time nap ended, we were ready to give it another go at Christmas cheer! We pulled out the lights and ornaments, and set to work decorating the tree. Ornaments, old and new, came out of boxes, and we reminisced (in between "No, no, no!"s and pulling Levi out of the tree about 40,000 times!). Two of my very favorites....


Within a couple of hours, the tree was trimmed...and we had homemade pizza was on the table for dinner, courtesy of Eric and Nate! (Seriously, could I have picked a better guy?!)


Dinner went smoothly--everyone ate well, Christmas carols played in the background, and we admired the gorgeous tree. It seemed as though all of the day's difficulties had been worth it (and they absolutely were!), and my stress slipped away. Did we have a picture perfect day? Not quite! But, it was still a family day, and we enjoyed ourselves amidst the chaos. Our holiday season might not be perfect--but we're not perfect either! And, no matter what kind of day we create or experience, there is nothing I'd like better than to spent time with my dear family preparing to celebrate our Saviour's birthday! Merry Christmas!


(^ Two sides of the same tree. At the same time. Ah, parenthood.)

Christians and Halloween?

Today is Halloween--the holiday during which Christian families fall into one of two categories: the ones who celebrate/participate, and the ones who don't. Growing up in a Christian household, we never celebrated Halloween. Ever. I never dressed up in a Halloween costume, never decorated my house with cotton cobwebs, and I've never in my life gone trick-or-treating. For the most part, we ignored the holiday altogether. And, as a kid, I hated it. It seemed that all of my friends (even in a Christian school!) got to pick out costumes, parade through their neighborhoods, and arrive home with a pillowcase full of candy. I mean, really, what kid wouldn't want that? I always knew that I would definitely celebrate Halloween when I had my own kids!

When I got older, I moved out of my parents' house, and I did participate in the festivities! Throughout college, I dressed up in my very first Halloween costumes, carved pumpkins with my roommates, and passed out candy to local trick-or-treaters. It was fun, although I always felt the teensiest little guilt complex about the whole thing.

After Eric and I got married, we celebrated Halloween to the extent that we bought about 20 bags of candy and passed it all out to the millions of trick-or-treaters who visited our neighborhood. Halloween was/is the day before our anniversary, so we never put much effort into it because we usually had better plans for the rest of the week. Eventually, we bought our current home, and since it sits at the end of a quiet, dead-end street (positioned on the side of a mountain), we haven't had much of an opportunity to worry about whether or not to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters because there are none. Still, I figured that our future children would be darling in their Halloween costumes!

Then, we had kids. Nathaniel's first Halloween rolled around when he was only three months old. I asked Eric if he wanted to dress up our baby, and surprisingly, he was the one who declined. Although he'd always celebrated as a kid, he said that he didn't like the "scariness" of Halloween, nor did he want our kid(s) visiting strangers' houses for candy. Since I still had that nagging guilt about celebrating myself, this was the single reason I needed to decide that I definitely did not want to celebrate Halloween with our kids. Halloween is bad! ....right?

This is our third Halloween since having kids, and we've never celebrated it in any way. Every year, strangers, friends, and family members ask what they boys are going to be for Halloween, and we gently share that we won't be celebrating. The most common response is a look of horror like we've revealed some gross child abuse, and a "Why not?!" Our answers vary a bit, depending on the asker--usually citing reasons of too much "scare" or too much sugar. They usually nod and move on, noting us as one of "those crazy Christian-types", I'm sure.

Despite the "Halloween guilt" that I felt when I celebrated, I still can't quite forget about Halloween now. We have not celebrated it, but every year I've imagined our boys in one of those super cute costumes. I mean, is there anything cuter than a baby turkey or a baby lion? And, the baby lobster?! C'mon, baby costumes=greatest invention ever!

Honestly, I've wanted to dress up my kids in Halloween costumes since...well, before they were ever born! And, as of yet, I have not because A) I have no particular place to take my costumed babies, and therefore, no reason to spend the time/money; and B) I've always believed that Halloween is wrong. (Right?)

This year, October began as usual, and I made a mental note that we needed to be careful where we took the boys inside particular stores. Why? Because I have a very observant three-year-old now who will want to know all about the Halloween displays and costumes and decorations....and Halloween is scary. There are lots of creepy, screamy, ghostly decorations, and my aforementioned three-year-old is already afraid of the dark and nervous around unfamiliar people/things. Exposing him to anything that might warrant nightmares later is the last thing that I want to do--and, for me, that means skipping the majority of the Halloween stuff. But, I realize that this is probably the last year that we can just ignore Halloween. Someday, they will notice the costumes and the candy, and they will want to participate with their friends. I remember that feeling well, and it isn't fun. I don't want my boys to ever feel "left out" because of their beliefs--unless, of course, they're being left out of something wrong. But, is Halloween really wrong? I have lots of Christian friends who celebrate!

The more I thought about Halloween, the more I wondered why not just celebrate? Why not skip the creepies, and do it up the way we want to? Cute costumes, carved pumpkins, and artificial dye/GMO-free candies! Why not skip the "bad" parts of Halloween, and simply celebrate the fun parts? Isn't that what lots of Christians do? Why then do I feel so guilty for considering it?!

Well, I thought about it for a long time. Several days worth of thought, prayer, online research, and scripture readings later, I've come to a conclusion. For now, we will not be celebrating Halloween. (Noticed the "for now", did ya?) When the boys are old enough to notice the holiday and desire to participate (most likely next year!), we will celebrate--although not necessarily in the traditional manner.

Here's what I mean...
Halloween, which began as a pagan celebration, has historical roots in the occult. Not cool.
"There shall not be found among you anyone...who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord."
Deuteronomy 18:10-13
Now, I know that Halloween isn't a day full of witchcraft for most people, and it's simply turned into an innocent cultural norm. (Andplusalso, Christmas trees and Easter eggs originated from pagan holidays/rituals too!) I understand that completely, but for us, it isn't the mere costumes or the act of trick-or-treating, but rather the reason behind the entire holiday. To whom does Halloween give glory? It is a holiday that celebrates darkness, death, and fear, and I just can't quite grasp using such a holiday to glorify the One who is light, defeated death, and takes away fear!
That, I realized, was exactly why I had never celebrated Halloween as a child--and why so many Christians still don't celebrate. And, that's okay.

But, I feel like I want to teach my boys a little differently; rather than feeling left out by our Christianity, I want them to think about how we can use Halloween to glorify God and to bless our neighbors. As Christians, we are called to glorify God in ALL that we do ("So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31). Just because the concept of using this particular holiday to glorify God is foreign to me, that doesn't mean that it's impossible. We can use our lives to glorify our Creator any day--even October 31st! Am I talking about passing out carrot sticks and religious tracts to trick-or-treaters? No way! I'm talking about showing our neighbors the awesome love of our Lord and Savior through whatever ways we can think of! Passing out full-sized candy bars with a "Jesus loves you!" sticker, hosting a bonfire (with s'mores!) during trick-or-treat, taking your elderly neighbors a special homemade Halloween treat, helping a needy family out with costumes?? The possibilities are endless!

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16
As Christians, we are different from non-believers, but that doesn't mean that we aren't to associate with them. In fact, we are called to do just the opposite; we are called to be salt and light to the world.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:13-16
Am I being salt and light by keeping holed up in my living room with the porch lights off? How does completely ignoring a major holiday in our culture glorify God? Just because we're not doing something that doesn't glorify God does not necessarily mean that we are glorifying Him.

How can we glorify God on Halloween? Well, there's no singular right answer. We can glorify God on Halloween just like we do any other day of the year, but we should also keep in mind that Halloween actually offers more opportunities than many other days. A friend shared this article a few days ago, and I found it absolutely fascinating.
3 Ways to be Missional This Halloween.
For me, I've never thought of Halloween as an extra opportunity to share Christ's love with anyone, but that's exactly what it is. This article was eye-opening to me, and I realized that God really can use anything for His glory--including a holiday originally intended for the exact opposite!

Just this morning, I heard this quote, "Halloween is the only day of the entire year that the world comes to our doorsteps in search of something. What are we going to give them?" Think about that, Christians.

Through all of this, I realized that our main reasons for not celebrating Halloween with the boys thus far has been fear. Halloween involves some scary stuff, and I want to shield my babies from it for as long as possible. I don't even want to walk past the holiday aisles in the stores, let alone go trick-or-treating with the neighborhood goblins and monsters. What I afraid of? To be honest, it's my son's fear that I'm afraid of. And, what does the Bible have to say about that? Do not fear. Simple enough? Isaiah 41:10 is one of my favorite verses, but there are plenty of others to reassure us--just type "Bible verses about fear" into your favorite search engine! I found this article to be helpful on the matter of dealing with scary Halloween and kids: 3 Tips for Discipling Your Kids Through Halloween.

So, whether you're dressing up your littles this evening, or staying home to watch [non-scary!] movies, I hope that you have a most blessed day! Your own personal convictions are between you and the Holy Spirit, and I am not saying that Christian families definitely should OR should not participate in Halloween activities. I do encourage you to examine the subject of Halloween with an open mind, a spirit of serving The Lord, and a desire to glorify Him in all that you do today and every day.

This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it!
Psalm 118:24

Happy Halloween!

Happy Birthday, USA!

We've kept ourselves busy the past few days with lots of fun activities. We took the boys to watch fireworks, which turned into quite an adventure as we were drenched by a brief rainstorm beforehand. Despite the rain, we stuck it out (in the car!), and stayed until the show began. And, oh it was worth it! Nate adored the fireworks that he'd been eagerly anticipating for days. And, Levi? Well, let's just say that he seemed to enjoy the first three fireworks. After that, he had better things to do....


On the 4th, we spent most of our day at a cookout with Eric's family. We all had a super time eating, swimming, and laughing together. Nate, unsure of the "deep" water at first, quickly warmed up and was happy to ride on his "boat" raft for much of the afternoon, splashing anyone within reach! Levi, on the other hand, is fearless! He LOVED the water, and tried more than once to dive right in from our arms! I love how my boys can both be complete opposites, but both so perfect for our family.


Since then, we've gotten together with a great group of young people from our church for dinner, visited a farmer's market, and even gotten some work done around the house. And, the weekend isn't even close to being over yet! Who knows what else we'll be getting into soon! (Berry picking, perhaps??) Hope you're having a lovely (and productive!) weekend!