Angie, mom to three very fun kids, is the founder of Real Life at Home. That is not a gift. The saint with the longest history as patron of children is St. Nicholas, whose feast is celebrated today. Nicholas gave gifts and aid in Jesus’ name, but he did die a long time ago. This is in no way a judgment on what other families do or how they handle Santa Claus. Explain that it’s actually because you trust them that you decided to tell the full story. This article has been viewed 62,454 times. When I was growing up my mom told me the truth the first time I asked. As an Amazon associate, I receive a percentage of qualifying purchases. As you said about your husband having his presents unwrapped by the tree and you presents were wrapped, I had the unwrapped presents growing up. question stops and we just do it. Saint John Bosco taught and built homes for young children and ended corporal punishment in his schools, which is surely something your child can appreciate. We still hang the included ornament each each and say a prayer for who ever reached out and everyone who needs someone to reach out. We don’t want them to get caught up in all the commercialism of the holiday. But, as much fun as St… Explain Saint Nicholas or another origin of your choice. What is a saint? I neglected to tell them not to tell other children this if they believe. Many European countries actually celebrate St. Nicholas Day during the first couple of weeks of December (the date depends on the country) in memory of his service and sacrifice. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. focus on Christ’s birth as the reason we celebrate Christmas, Buck Denver Asks: Why Do We Call It Christmas, Veggie Tales: Saint Nicholas, A Story of Joyful Giving. Your email address will not be published. This fourth-century bishop of Myra is one of the most popular saints of all time. In this post, we tell how our family has gone about explaining Santa to our kids. Believers in the Roman Catholic Church celebrate all the saints from the past and the present 2. When he was about 60 years old, Saint Patrick returned to Ireland to spread the Christian word. Its about making someone smile and feeling loved because you took the time to think of them. We do NOT judge you!! A saint takes his orders from the General, not from the army. Ready to ditch overwhelm & create the healthier home you desire? A saint is a servant of Christ. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. We also make it very clear to them that they are not to tell other kids. We are not religious and so this is how we celebrate the giving, kind, generous spirit of Christmas in our home. My dad dresses up like Santa for all his grandkids. My husband and I both grew up with Santa Claus visiting our houses on Christmas Eve. 4 years ago. Once your child chooses a patron saint, you can help her find a pocket coin to go in her pocket or purse, a card with information about the saint or other representation of the saint. You’ll find plenty of ideas for crafts, recipes, prayers, books, and more. wikiHow's. When we had our children, we did the unwrapped presents by the tree, too. Your email address will not be published. One of our major points of focus is teaching our children about the Church Triumphant – the holy men and women who have gone one before us to become saints. Nicholas was born to a Christian family in Patara in what is now Turkey. One of our major points of focus is teaching our children about the Church Triumphant – the holy men and women who have gone one before us to become saints. Saints are not freaks or exceptions. If the one we love were at our door knocking to come in, would we wonder how the door lock works, and how we could move our muscles to open it? Answer this question: are there other things that are alive? He can make the story personal, such as why a specific patron saint watches over him or why he prays from someone in purgatory. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. I enjoyed being the Santa (or Mrs. Claus) when my children were growing up. For me, it’s a little easier if I convince one of my Catholic friends to join in the fun and planning with me. Source (s): https://shrink.im/a0HhY. A saint is one who sees who the tramp is: Jesus. 1 decade ago. © 2006 - 2020 Real Life at Home / Tiny Owl LLC. Offer an opportunity for your child to show his or her own Santa qualities of generosity or giving. What does it profit a man if he conquers the whole world but does not conquer himself? I've spent the past decade+ creating a healthier home for my family. We couldn’t figure out how to tell our children about Santa that would not require us to make up things and create more stories to cover those things. Prayers help connect the communion of the saints with God. If your child is upset by the possibility that no real Santa means no more gifts, writing letters, sitting on his lap, etc., you can assure him or her that gift-giving will still happen, and they can still go visit the man dressed as Santa in the mall if they want. Tell the story of St. Nicholas, who was well known as a gift-giver, a protector of children, and a man of great faith who spent his whole life and life savings to help those less fortunate than himself. Your child can illustrate the book with pictures of the saints in his story. Tell them that in many European countries, it was traditional to give gifts on St. Nicholas's Feast Day (December 6th), as opposed to Christmas Day. As Pascal says, "Examples of noble deaths of Spartans and others hardly affect us...  but the example of the deaths of martyrs affects us, for they are our members...  we do not become rich through seeing a rich stranger, but through seeing a father or husband rich.". We were split on Santa because my family celebrated him growing up and my husband’s did not. We have quite a collection in our library, and I’m always looking to add more. You can also explain different ways of dealing with Santa by comparing the belief to religion, if that’s already something you’ve discussed with your child. We are (no doubt) a new person - materially. Using them does not change the price you pay.

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