Santa Claus at Church

[Clark Addison]

Not anti-Santa, just don't like him at ward Christmas parties. Kids get enough presents and candy and crap that they certainly don't need to get candy or junky gifts from a not-very-well-done lame-o Santa at a ward party. I'm big on making ward activities have some type of useful purpose and not be just about entertaining ourselves as a ward. For example, we did a service project at our Ward Christmas breakfast this year.

I don't like ward activities that just duplicate a widely held secular tradition. For example, I'm also down on stupid crap like Trunk or Treat when it's sponsored by the ward. If a bunch of neighbors want to do stupid crap like that then no problem, but ward activities should have a higher purpose than just acting like a big social club.

Santa is fine for families. We certainly let our kids believe in Santa and don't ever intentionally burst their bubble.

I'll disagree with you somewhat BFM. I think some ward activities that are about service are some of the best, but I think it is perfectly appropriate and even necessary sometimes to have activities that are nothing more than having fun and getting people to know each other. I have been in some wards where half the people don't even know the name of the other half. Sure we are together three hours a week, but those are three fairly structured hours, and you don't get a lot of time to get to know people, especially those who are in Primary, or YM/YW.

This may be more important in a ward like mine, where none of the ward members are in your neighborhood, and few of them are in your high school. If your whole block is in your ward, then you probably have plenty of time to be social and get to know each other outside of ward activities. FOr me, in a typical week the only time I see other members of my ward is at church activities.

[Surfah]

I'll disagree with you somewhat BFM. I think some ward activities that are about service are some of the best, but I think it is perfectly appropriate and even necessary sometimes to have activities that are nothing more than having fun and getting people to know each other. I have been in some wards where half the people don't even know the name of the other half. Sure we are together three hours a week, but those are three fairly structured hours, and you don't get a lot of time to get to know people, especially those who are in Primary, or YM/YW.

This may be more important in a ward like mine, where none of the ward members are in your neighborhood, and few of them are in your high school. If your whole block is in your ward, then you probably have plenty of time to be social and get to know each other outside of ward activities. FOr me, in a typical week the only time I see other members of my ward is at church activities.

I think you nailed it. Outside of Utah where your block is your ward, having social activities is probably much more important.

[Gidget]

That said, we pretty openly tell our kids that Soup and i are Santa. We give them presents from santa and stuff, we just don't pretend like he's real. That hasn't seemed to decrease our kids' excitement for xmas. Let's face it, they just want presents no matter who they're from.

I am with you on this. Exactly. I don't mind at all if my kids enjoy the Santa story, but I don't feel the need at all to go to great, or really any, lengths to try to convince them it is real. And I don't see this as diminishing their Christmas at all.

[Surfah]

I am with you on this. Exactly. I don't mind at all if my kids enjoy the Santa story, but I don't feel the need at all to go to great, or really any, lengths to try to convince them it is real. And I don't see this as diminishing their Christmas at all.

This is my wife's only fault.

[Surfah]

This is my wife's only fault.

Besides not being very punctual.

[pellegrino]

I am with you on this. Exactly. I don't mind at all if my kids enjoy the Santa story, but I don't feel the need at all to go to great, or really any, lengths to try to convince them it is real. And I don't see this as diminishing their Christmas at all.

we don't do santa, but we do Befana instead. I'll admit to hoodwinking them on that one. It's great fun.