Speaking of joyful Christmas celebration for children, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes, "Let it continue thus with one exception: the children should not be taught to believe that Santa Claus has aught to do with this pastime." ^{The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 261;}

If we tell a child there is a real Santa Claus and later tell him there is no Santa Claus, aren't we actually training him to believe that deception is acceptable? In Proverbs we read, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." ^{Prov. 22:6;}

As a child, our daughter used to hang up a stocking on Christmas Eve knowing that it would be filled, not by any mythical figure but by her parents. Being aware from the beginning that Santa Claus was not really involved in this never made her unhappy. We told her that parents everywhere, reflecting God's tender love, gave gifts to their children and that sometimes they pretended it was Santa Claus who gave the gifts. Knowing that some children believed in Santa Claus, she never interfered with their beliefs.

To give happiness to our children is a right motive. And Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action." ^{Science and Health, p. 454;} But pretending that there's a Santa Claus interferes with our efforts. Why? Because being dishonest—even in seemingly small matters—and influencing children in some degree to believe that deception is acceptable doesn't promote happiness. Christian Science teaches that true happiness is spiritual and comes from God, the great Giver of all good.

The Santa Claus figure may well serve as a colorful decoration and useful symbol of festivity and joy. But young children need not be told that Santa is a real person who brings them gifts in order for them to be happy. To be enjoyable, gifts do not need to appear mysteriously.

Though there is no Santa Claus, there is a spirit of giving, of sharing and generosity, that young children as well as parents can express. Christmas should not be just a time when children receive things. When a family puts special emphasis on expressing the Christ, the spirit of Love, children will find practical ways for sharing their love with their relatives, friends, and neighbors. They can share in wrapping and decorating. They can make their own cards. Homemade gifts by children often convey more love than store-bought items.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." ^{Matt. 6:33;} As we turn to God and listen for His guidance, we find that we have good gifts to give to our children.

God by His very nature radiates truth and good. Because we are His image and likeness, we can naturally, by reflection, pour forth truth and good to all we come in contact with—and never more so than at Christmas. As parents seek to find ways to share the ideas that come to them from God, their thought will be lifted above mere human gift-giving to the giving of spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts satisfy both giver and receiver eternally. They can flow forth equally to all without regard to age, background, or race.

There is certainly nothing wrong with children having fun and excitement at Christmas. But our greatest gift to our children is to give them an understanding of the significance of Christmas. Because it showed God's love for all, the birth of Christ Jesus brought hope to mankind. Jesus, the highest human representative of the Christ, or Truth, proved by his life that sickness, hate, and sin could be overcome. He proved man's constant unity with his Maker. We can communicate to our children the knowledge of our inseparability from good. It is the understanding of God's omnipresent kindness and goodness that remains with a child and blesses his experience.

Our children will thank us for this firm basis of thinking and feeling. As whole families work together for good, God's perfect, spiritual kingdom, evidenced in "on earth peace, good will toward men," ^{Luke 2:14.} is brought nearer the hearts of mankind.

Let's replace the deceptive myth that there's a real Santa Claus with the true understanding of Christmas as the coming of the Christ, Truth, which enriches all our lives.