Holidays

[overnight]

I am by far not a purist but in my home my wife and I have chosen not to teach my children there is a Santa. Also we do not do anything for Halloween. We also do not teach the Easter Bunny. Don't get me wrong we do put up a Christmas tree (mostly because I think they are pretty), we give our kids a little treat at easter, and we give them money for a lost tooth although we have not told them about the tooth fairy. Does this sound particularly weird? Do you practice similar customs? Mostly the reason we don't do santa and easter bunny is because we want our children to focus on what those holidays are really about so please don't slander these things we do but just give me an honest opinion and maybe what you do with your family (or plan to do someday).

 

[clonenomore]

....so please don't slander these things we do but just give me an honest opinion and maybe what you do with your family (or plan to do someday).

I would never put you down for this -- the way that you are raising your family is between you and God. I think that it is great that you have driven a stake and said, "Here's where we stand!"

As for my family, we celebrate all of these holidays. My 5 y/o son knows who Santa and the Easter Bunny are, and he receives gifts from these characters. Additionally, he knows who Jesus is as well. He knows that we celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus, and he knows that we celebrate the resurrection on Easter. This past Christmas, my son donated toys that he no longer plays with to a local ministry that makes sure that children of men and women in jail have a happy Christmas as well. I think that this is a tradition that we will continue.

 

[Celticflower]

I would NEVER tell you you were wrong for the way you are raising your kids in view of holidays.

In our house we do celebrate them all, with the fun side characters taking minor roles in the celebrations. The Advent wreath and nativity scene are more prominant than Santa at Christmas, and the Cross and Empty tomb are the focus of Easter, with the bunny hopping by to help celebrate the joy with chocolate crosses or lambs.

I think as long as the children know the REAL reason for a holiday like Christmas or Easter it is ok to incorporate some of the fun symbols as a sidebar.
As for Halloween - our church has begun an annual "Trunk or Treat" time to celebrate in a controlled, family oriented way. There are even Christian themed games and prizes for the kids. And yes, they still get WAY too much candy, but the dentist/member of the church makes sure they all get new toothbrushes and toothpaste too

Celtie

 

[anthropologistfrommarsmom]

Well, we celebrate all the Holidays. We actually tried the santa thing and it doesn't really work . My daughter is real skeptical and has kinda already figured it out and my son is autistic. So the point is kinda moot. I love Halloween! I personally believe its a non-threatening way for children to understand that evil and darkness exist in the world (I don't advocate little kids wearing "killer" costumes or anything like that . but they trick or treat and wear costumes. The tooth fairy is alittle silly but fun. kids love to celebrate anything!!!!

 

[HeatherJay]

We do all those things in our house. It's just fun for the kids, but, as others said, they also know the real reason for Christmas and Easter is Jesus. Halloween is so much fun! We love getting dressed up and giving out candy. Our church has "Hallelujah Night" the week of Halloween which is a big costume part with games, prizes, and lots of food and candy. It's just a fun time of fellowship and it offers kids the chance to get dressed up even if their parents don't want them to trick or treat. But, on Halloween night, our teens also stand outside on the sidewalk and give out candy to the trick or treaters walking by.

Christmas trees are beautiful and I collect glass Christmas tree ornaments, so I just don't know if it'd be the same without one.

My oldest is a little suspicious of the Easter Bunny, so I don't know how much longer that little story will last.

 

[overnight]

in some wyas I was asking more for what people thought about Hallwoeeen. I have often found myself scared of costumes and such at this time that I did not want to put my kids throught that. It is not that I think the "Holiday" in itself is evil we just don't do it. In retrospect though we do tell our daughter that Santa is more of the spirit of Chirstmas, that is the spirit of giving (and because we are poor and recieve gifts from "angel trees") we tell her those gifts are from Santa. We debated telling her where they came from but often we don't even know.

 

[Piano Player]

In my house we celebrated all the holidays, and taught that Santa was based on St. Nicholas, a real bishop in Asia Minor. In church, my kids used to do an annual play about St. Nicholas and the story of his ministry. Easter bunny was never a real part of Easter in our house, although the kids did get baskets and candy. Halloween was the kids favorite holiday based on pure kid greed for candy. Trick or treating was always done in the neighborhood, and it was fun to see the other kids all dressed up.

 

[Bradford]

There ought to b ean answer for "None of these"

 

[WesleyJohn]

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[jenelis]

Hi all. I'm new on the forum and new to the Church of the Nazarene. I have a six year old and wanted to comment on holidays.

I don't know what's best to teach-- but I have taught her that God is the basis for all holidays and I keep the nativity for Christmas and crosses high-visual items for those holidays. I let her dress up for Halloween-- but nothing scary-- and told her that we are celebrating all the people who have passed on-- all souls day and just keep it positive.