Warning: This blog is not intended for young readers.

“You’d better behave. Santa is watching.”

“Do you want to be on the naughty list?”

“Do you think Santa will bring you anything this year?”

Surely you’ve heard – and said – these things. Perhaps you’ve threatened or been threatened by the impending wrath of Santa. Threatening with the idea that Santa will take a child off the nice list is about as effective as counting to three when disciplining your children. If children receive gifts from Santa even after “being naughty,” which every child will be in some way, the threat of witheld gifts becomes about as effective as counting to three over and over again with no consequence. Except there’s at least a chance parents will impose consequences before or after counting to three. On the other hand, there’s no nice or naughty list.

Or Santa.

Several people in my family make fun of me because I didn’t handle the news, the truth, about Santa very well. My parents had taught me not to lie and I came (smack!) face-to-face with the concept that my parents had lied about something that seemed fairly significant to me. I know, I know. It’s not a big deal to most people.

Over the years, I got over it. Sort of. I’m not anti-Santa. In fact, Santa “visited” our girls when they were little. We didn’t pretend he was real and we didn’t motivate them to behave well in order to get the gifts they wanted. My husband struggled with our approach, because he loved the mysterious anticipation of Santa. We struggled to find the best way to incorporate the Christmas traditions we each loved as children.

Some would say I still have issues (don’t we all?), but allow me to be a bit more transparent.

Christmas is rooted in the birth of Jesus.

He’s God’s Son. He was born to live – and die – on this earth for the purpose of providing a way for you and me to have a relationship with God, sustaining us through this life and giving us eternal life. And guess what? He meets us just where we are. In order to have a relationship with Jesus, you don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to qualify for a “nice” list. He’ll take you whether you’re naughty or nice…and then work with you as you humble yourself to grow you into the person you were created by God to be.

Doesn’t sound much like Santa to me. Jesus isn’t someone you can trick into getting what you want. He’s not someone you only have a seasonal relationship with. He’s dependable. He’s loving. He’s truthful. And he’s real.

I’d rather have a real Christmas. That’s my issue.