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Cici
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| Posted: Nov 27 2006 at 10:49am | IP Logged
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For those of you who do both? How do you handle it?
I sometimes feel as if I'm reading the St. Nicholas stories the magic of Santa Claus will be gone. BUT - I think its more important to know the real story - without destroying the make believe of the other.
I know there was a post here about age when children stop believing, so I'm sure both can be done...but how?
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Cleo
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| Posted: Nov 27 2006 at 10:58am | IP Logged
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My kids never had a problem with both... While my son now knows about Santa not being real (he's 9yo) my daughter is still a believer. We read the story of St Nicholas not long ago, and she recognised Santa Claus right away. With her 6yo logic, there was no problem there.
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mavmama
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Thank you for this post, Cici. My children (8,8,6,5,)were just asking the other day about this and what they came up with is that St. Nicholas comes twice! I am wondering how to handle this as well.
LIz
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: Nov 28 2006 at 11:49am | IP Logged
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We've never had any confusion about this either. When the dc are really little, they don't seem to "get it" all the way, so they continue to believe in SC even while they know about St. Nicholas. As they get a bit older, they catch on to the *truth*, but so enjoy playing along with the magic of SC that they would never spill the beans to the youngers!
When I was a child and my age-mates and I were beginning to ask everyone we knew whether they believed in Santa, a very wise mother on our street said, "Of course I believe in Santa Claus. Santa Claus is the spirit of giving at Christmas, so how could anyone NOT believe in him?" I have always loved that answer!
Peace,
Nancy
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Cici
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| Posted: Nov 28 2006 at 6:49pm | IP Logged
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See - my dd 4.5 is already a bit confused. In fact, last year (when she was just 3.5) when we read "The Night Before Christmas" she picked up on "I knew in a minute it must be St. Nick..." and I think in another place it references him as "Santa Claus".
"Ohhh!" she says, "I get it. St. Nicholas is Santa Claus!" Brief pause while she ponders this. "He comes twice?"
Uh... 
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SeaStar
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A friend of mine told me that while she lived in Germany she discovered the custom was for St. Nicholas to put treats in the shoes of good children, and sticks or stones in the shoes of naughty children as a warning to improve before the birthday of Baby Jesus. So we go for the "check-up" theory- the 6th is St. Nicholas checking in on us to see if we're really ready to celebrate Christmas- are we being good and loving and kind? Sometimes there is a treat along with a stick or two. That sounds very lame now that I've written it...but that's how we handle it.
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humanaevitae
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Our children receive gifts in their stockings on St. Nick's Day (6th) and then gifts from family on Xmas.
Our youngers think Santa comes at Xmas for most kids because they don't know the Catholic liturgical calendar! 
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St. Ann
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Because I married a German and live in Germany I adapted quickly to the german tradition re: St. Nikolaus. We celebrate St. Nikolaus on Dec. 6 thoroughly which is just a step in preparation for the Christkind - Christ child, who comes on Christmas. Mind you, the idea of a Weihnachtsman (Christmas man) is making rapid progress in our society, but he plays no part in our home. This Christmas man is more or less Santa Claus with a german name.
What do you wish from the Christ child?
Did the Christ child bring you something nice?
The Christ child is coming soon?
These are all typical questions for those expecting the arrival of the Christ child and not the Christmas man. It really appeals to me and my dh. Even the religion teacher of dd2 told the children that there is no such thing as a Weihnachtsman, only the Christkind comes on Christmas.
So my children believe that the Christ child gives them such nice things!
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Stephanie
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: St. Nicholas & Santa Claus (adults only)
