Why our kids will never believe in Santa

    I'm guessing you're already judging me. Hear me out. The reason probably isn't what you think it is. Yes, I do want Jesus to be at the center of our Christmas. Yes, I want to eliminate the focus on consumption and stuff. These are important to me, but even more important is making sure that my kids feel loved. ALL of my kids. Including those who come from other homes.
    You see, the plan is that Potato will be our only bio baby. God willing, the rest will be fostered/adopted through the state foster care system. We cannot WAIT to bring these littles into our home, but the likelihood of the rest of our children coming to us as infants is slim. And if we get a phone call one November to foster a sweet little 5 year old, how in the world do you think I would explain Santa? I can just hear the conversation now...
Potato: Santa comes every year and brings me lots of toys because I'm good!
Kiddo: I was always good. Why didn't Santa come and bring me any toys? I guess I should have done better....
     Yeah, that won't work. I don't want to lie to my kids, I want to empower them. I want them to know that Jesus' birth is a celebration. I want them to know that HE is the gift, and that His gift is there for them all the time- even if they spill their milk sometimes, or they made their sibling cry that one time (or two or three :). I can not imagine breaking a child's heart with the knowledge that this mythical being passed him/her by, even when the child did everything he/she could to be great. It breaks my heart to think of children living in abuse this Christmas. Can you imagine? Someone is beating them, telling them it's their fault, they shouldn't have done x or said y. Then, Santa doesn't come, and just reinforces the whole message. It honestly makes me sick to my stomach.
     So no, I don't hate Santa. And I definitely won't judge you if your kids believe. I grew up believing, and except for the few weeks after I found out he wasn't real, I wasn't any worse for the wear. But the families that I work with often don't have the means to celebrate Christmas in the consumer-driven, over-the-top manner that modern America does. I never want to play a part in perpetuating feelings of inadequacy in their little hearts. Potato and all of the future littles that will walk through these decked halls will know that the real gift of Christmas is always available to them, and that no matter how "good" they are, they will never be whole without Christ in their hearts.