Comments for Christmas Eve and the Outing of Santa Claus at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 7 out of 7 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Sat, 25 May 2013 18:27:16 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/christmas-eve-and-the-outing-of-santa-claus.html#comment-3736 i grew up an unbeliveing-in-Santa Baptist. it was lonely & not right. i always knew something was missing. i couldn't go for that guy whose lap Joseph sat on-nope. he wasnt it. but surely, truth was somewhere. then i became a Catholic. my first Advent i walked into the rectory to deliver my cookies & saw him! i mean the real Santa! He was kneeling at the manger w/his hat off, worshipping the King. then everything was right. now a smaller kneeling Santa sits under our tree & we believe! - debby Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:30:30 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/christmas-eve-and-the-outing-of-santa-claus.html#comment-3735 I am looking for a comment which was posted within the last few days. Only five comments appear currently. When I checked, there were six or seven comments posted. How do I access the rest of the comments? - Ray Hunkins Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:24:09 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/christmas-eve-and-the-outing-of-santa-claus.html#comment-3729 We are now grandparents in our 80's. On Christmas eve at bedtime, when our five children (one now a priest) were litlle , I would read them the St. Luke's accont of the Nativity with Christmas hymns playing in the background. We did have fun with the expectation of Santa Claus bringing gifts but I always tried to make it into a tongue in cheek joke. Was I wrong in being concerned that the Truth of Christmas must not be allowed to be confused with the albeit very pleasant Santa Claus myth? - Edward Maillet Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:34:38 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/christmas-eve-and-the-outing-of-santa-claus.html#comment-3727 Most Santa-bashers worry about the betrayal kids will feel when they learn the "truth." When I learned the truth, there was no betrayal. I was mildly disappointed, but then that yielded to an amazement that my parents had given me all those gifts for all those years and taken no credit whatsoever. Kids aren't as dumb as atheists think they are. They know real truth is not Santa himself, but the selfless love he represents. Long live Santa. - Michael Hebert Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:20:15 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/christmas-eve-and-the-outing-of-santa-claus.html#comment-3726 Wow! Thank you for such a great article, especially on Christmas Eve. As a parent with three children 5 years old and younger, there is certainly a tinge of the guilt you mention at "celebrating" Santa Claus. But the context in which you show this tradition to be is itself magical. I've never personally seen the connection between belief in Santa and Catholic faith, but you've certainly opened my eyes to it. What a beautiful way to develop our Children's celebration of Christmas into faith! - Matt Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:14:33 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/christmas-eve-and-the-outing-of-santa-claus.html#comment-3725 From the time I was a little boy and sat on Santa's lap in Macy's Department Store in NYC, I never cared for the jolly ol' guy. Maybe it was his whiskey breath, tobacco stained suit and cant-wait-to-get-rid-of-all-these-bratty-kids attitude, but to this day he gives me the creeps. Plus, I never once got what I asked for -- Peace on Earth. - Joseph Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:13:53 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/christmas-eve-and-the-outing-of-santa-claus.html#comment-3724 I don't know what it is either. From my youth I have always experienced a palpable anticipation of something happening on this holy night. As I enjoy my sumptuous dinner of linguine with clams, followed by various delights from the sea, I am amazed how much the world seems to slow down. It seems like a brief insight into eternity much like those moments after receiving the Blessed Sacrament. Well I guess it is because I'm a Christian, but I wonder how many non-believers will wonder tonight. - Willie Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:56:24 +0100