Don't lie to your children about Santa Claus

On 6th December it seems fitting to bring up the subject of whether we should lie to our children about Santa Claus. 

Many Christian parents think that it's perfectly acceptable to tell things to our children that are not true and pretend they are and somehow hope that they will believe us when we speak to them about God and His Church.

My wife and I have three young children and we made a decision very early on to speak the truth about Santa Claus.   This doesn't "ruin the magic of Christmas" - it brings them joy and wonder.

We do not lie to our children.  We tell them the truth about Santa Claus.

Let's stop telling the lie that Santa Claus isn't real.

We tell our children that Santa Claus is real, that he loves Jesus and lives with Him in heaven and that we can ask him to pray for and with us all year round.  

Saint Nicholas, pray for us!

Merry Christmas

I'd like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas as we celebrate with joy the birth of our Saviour. 

Of course we recall that some of our friends don't celebrate Christmas and so we have to be culturally sensitive.

An Advent Challenge

What can I do to prepare myself to receive Christ this Christmas?

Advent often seems to disappear into a few weeks of alcoholic excesses with office "Christmas" parties weeks before the season begins and so what can I do differently this year?

Over the next 25 days I shall make a resolution to chose at least one person a day who needs encouraging and reach out to them. It could be a stranger, colleague, friend - but a new person each day. 

By Christmas, this should be firmly ingrained as a habit. What greater gift can I give to Him who gives Himself to us?

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all. It's amazing being able to celebrate Christmas with not only my wife but my newborn son giving the nativity story extra poignance. 

As we celebrate the incarnation it's worth meditating with Pope Francis' words at Midnight Mass:

"On this night let us share the joy of the Gospel: God loves us, he so loves us that he gave us his Son to be our brother, to be light in our darkness. To us the Lord repeats: “Do not be afraid!” (Lk 2:10). And I too repeat: Do not be afraid! Our Father is patient, he loves us, he gives us Jesus to guide us on the way which leads to the promised land. Jesus is the light who brightens the darkness. He is our peace. Amen."