That is the question. Each holiday season reopens the endless Santa debate between Christians every where. And you know what, it does get old. You see, growing up, I never remember believing in Old Father Christmas. One of my earliest memories is me at two or three years old with my Grandmother asking me if I had had pleasant dreams, and if I had dreamed about Santa Claus. I answered yes, even though I knew darn well I hadn’t, and that I thought she was slightly batty for asking, but feeling, in my charitable toddler psyche, that lying to protect her grandmotherly innocence was in everyone’s best interest, and of course, likely to secure me more toys. I was a cynical child. (It should be noted that my mother always said I was born an adult, in fact, we both speculate that this odd trait might be part of the reason why I now have such a difficult time relating to my own children, but I digress).

Despite my strange perspective on the topic as a small child, I never questioned whether or not we would do “the Santa thing” at our house or not. It was simply done. In fact, one could say I’m almost obsessive. Jonas fusses during church and gets a fast reminder that, “Santa doesn’t bring toys to kids who cause grief in church.” And when they want to sit on Santa’s lap eighteen times in one week, I don’t say no. In fact, on Christmas Eve, I’m the family spaz sitting in front of the NORAD Santa tracker, screaming “Look! Look! Santa’s in Egypt! All the kids in Egypt are getting their presents! Do you think the reindeer like the camels?” All the while I’m sure my in-laws are whispering suggestions to my husband about various anti psychotics he may want to slip into my eggnog, preferably before I kill us all with my Santa-hysteria.

So now, I am being bombarded on every end from people worrying that a child’s belief in Santa will somehow disrupt his Christian sensibilities and turn him into a confused little heathen child who has no concept of Christ, gratitude or the true spirit of Christmas. I ask you, if a parent strives to instill a knowledge of religion into their child’s life, don’t you think the child would catch on to those daily reminders of prayer, religious conversation, and weekly Sabbath observation? Is there any reason why a child couldn’t pick up on the Baby Jesus issue if his Christmas included both a nativity and a stocking? I don’t think so. If anything, I think Santa can serve as a powerful tool to help teach our children about the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is all about a gift, given in love, to help mankind. During the holiday season, we traditionally give gifts out of our love for special people in our lives, whether or not we remember that what we are doing is actually in similitude of what God the Father gave to us in His Son, is up to us. If this joyful Santa character helps to teach our children about giving of themselves, then Santa is simply reenforcing qualities that most Christians strive to possess.

I think one of the big questions that Santa brings up is that of greed. Will we cause our children to become greedy if Santa is in the picture? I don’t think so. I think parents teach greed much more so than Santa does. I have to shake my head when I hear of the child who gets an ipod, computer, concert tickets and a new wardrobe all in one fell swoop. You spoil your own child, and Santa should not take the heat. Many Americans live in a culture of excess and entitlement, and we not only have the natural desire to give our children everything that we can, which is a good desire, but we feel pressure to give them everything the media and keeping up with the Joneses mentality declares that they most rightfully deserve. This theory is garbage. It breeds a lack of gratitude and a society of selfishness, and it is something that is perpetuated every single day, even by factors of society that cannot afford it, because the pressure is so strong. Santa is not causing this problem at Christmas time. We are causing it.

I think Christmas is an excellent time to have dreams come true and see wishes granted, but beyond that, it’s a time to remember. It’s a time to remember those we love, and those who we ought to be thankful for. We serve each other on a daily basis in so many capacities; Christmas should be a time to love one another, and to feel the love of the Savior in our lives. We have need as a society to remove of focus from that which is of so little worth and to redirect it to that which is of infinite worth. May we all give many gifts this season, from ourselves or under the selfless guise of Old Saint Nick, and my all those gifts reflect love and bring joy.