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Pine scented candles from the night before still fill the air. Upon waking, you glance out the window; it's cloudy, cool, and everything is covered in snow. Instead of your normal coffee, you opt for spiced apple cider to start out your day. The warm cinnamon fills your nose and serves as a most pleasant reminder: Christmas is on its way.
Whether you're a devout Christian or not, there can be little doubt that the greatest and most cultural-centric festival Western civilization has falls around the winter solstice. It's the season of peace, home and hearth, giving, and family, a time to take stock in what you have and reaffirm the closest relationships you have. It's that one time of year you break your strict diet and indulge in the best food and drink. Even without any ancient stories, it's hard to imagine a more magical time. It's a celebration of all the good things in life.
Is it any wonder that a mythology has formed around this wonderful thing called Christmas? Even before Christians borrowed the holiday from the Romans as Christianity spread through the empire, there was Dies Natalis Solis Invicti or 'birthday of the unconquered sun", a similarly great festival celebrating life. Elah-Gabal, Sol, Mithras, and Jehovah were all powerful religious gods that centered around the celebrated day. Fast forward a few thousand years and a new mythology has developed around the celebration: Santa Claus.
While the origins of Santa Claus are varied, from St. Nicholas, a Catholic bishop, to Odin, the Norse god, the modern interpretation is of a magical, jolly old white guy in a red suit that delivers gifts to children. Could there be harm in allowing children to believe in such a character?
In theory it's possible. Teaching your kids there's a magical fat person that has an unhealthy interest in children breaking in to your house once a year sounds like it would be a nightmare on paper, but the reality is that the mythos isn't about Santa Claus, it's about the innocence of childhood and the importance of giving. Children are going to believe in fantastical things no matter what you do. They're going to believe in Ben 10 and Transformers and Toy Story because they're developing one of the most important parts of their minds: the imagination.
Children have imagination on tap because it's so important for them to learn and adapt to the world they life in, but as they grow older imagination takes on new aspects and becomes of vital importance. Do you have a career in which creativity is a benefit? I can certainly think of times in my adult life when having an active and capable imagination has meant the difference between failure and success. If you kill a child's imagination, you could seriously be hindering their abilities as an adult.
If children are going to believe in the fantastic and magical whether you like it or not, what can a parent do? In my opinion, it's an opportunity to steer the child toward ethics and principles they can use their whole lives. This is where Santa Claus comes in. The mythology of Santa Claus, at its core, is about giving and family, two things which I would imagine any parent want to instill in their child. By utilizing this festival's mythology, a parent could teach important lessons to their child while also sharing the fun of the story.
Finally, I want you to picture yourself on Christmas Eve with your children gathered all around. There's a fire in the fire place, bellies are full of delicious foods, and thoughts of presents are dancing through everyone's heads. With all eyes on you, looks of hope and joy all around, you begin reading...
"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there..."
Can you imagine a more perfect family gathering, a more wonderful way to share life with your children? I think you'd be hard pressed to find a more wonderful way to share the joys of living with your kids.
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