After avoiding the Santa Claus thing last year, tonight our — just shy by a week — near five year-old tonight asked who the red man on the sleigh in the sky was. She pressed me this time and I couldn’t spin it as I have in years past. Nope, this time she knew it was something and that I knew the answer. To put an end to the Marine like questioning, I told her I would tell her at bed time when Joshua wasn’t around as it was not appropriate for his little ears to hear it. She agreed and stopped her interrogation of her poor old daddy.

Come bed time, we said our prayers, kissed good night, and out I was from her bedroom. Out but not off the hook. It took a minute, but she called for me as I sat in my office. I walked in and asked what she needed. She then asked, “Remember that man in the sky?” “Yes sweetie, I remember,” I drudgingly replied. “Are you going to tell me who he is now?”

So I told Katelyn that he was a make believe person that doesn’t exist. His story did come from a real man, I assured her, but people didn’t feel comfortable talking about him due to the Jesus conotation and added to his story until it was just all fiction. I further explained that many people no longer celebrate Christmas for the true reason and do the Santa thing instead. I explained to her that Liz and I did not tell her and Joshua about Santa because it would be lying to them and the Bible tells us not to lie. While I know some Christian families do do the Santa thing, our family’s personal conviction is that is plain and simple deception and that is not right.

In fear that she may respond to someone asking her if she was ready for Santa, I laid a foundation for her in response to such a question. I told her that we simply say, “Oh, we celebrate Jesus’ birth and are excited about it.” This would be a great way to witness to someone who may not really know Jesus, is what I told her. She smiled and liked that.

So, what will she do with her new found knowledge that many kids don’t find out until twice her age? I don’t know. I hope she doesn’t abuse her power and go off putting out the fires with her water, but rather ignite fires for Jesus. I really think the later will be the end result.

(PS: Of course Joshua is going to find out from his sister’s responses and most likely slip of the lip, so his enlightenment may come sooner then his older sisters. )

Originally posted on The Dad’s Group

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