My heart thumped in my chest as my siblings and I waited in our parents’ room.
“Is it time yet?” my brother asked, jumping up and down.
“Okay! You can come down now!”
We tripped over each other, racing down the stairs as the bulky camcorder held by our mom followed our every move. In front of the fireplace sat three gifts.
I squealed with delight when I saw that Santa did, in fact, get me what I asked for Christmas.
“Look!” My sister’s finger trembled with excitement as she pointed to the Christmas cookies left by the hearth.
I gasped as I recognized a big bite taken out of a cookie, the glass of milk completely drained.
“Wow! Looks like you were good this year.”
I wish I could bottle up the Christmas magic and wonder I grew up with and share it with my own kids. And honestly? My husband and I try our best. We do Santa in our house, complete with hot chocolate, cookies, stockings, and excited Christmas morning squeals.
But now, as a parent, my Instagram feed tells a different story. Christian content creators warn me that I’m lying to my kids, setting them up to lose faith in God, stealing glory from Jesus. “Wait until they find out you were lying about Santa,” they say. “They’ll think you’re lying about Jesus too!”
And honestly, it’s gotten in my head. I grew up LOVING Santa. I probably believed the longest out of all my friends. And I never once questioned whether Jesus was real when I finally figured out the truth about the man in the red suit. My parents’ faith was genuine and lived out authentically every single day. Santa was just a fun tradition.
But what if those influencers are right? my internal voice whispers. What if I’m doing something wrong? Can we celebrate WITH Santa seasonally while still CELEBRATING Jesus continually? Or am I just trying to justify something I shouldn’t be doing?
The Two Sides of the Santa Debate
Before we dig into what the Bible actually says, I need to be honest: both sides of this debate make sense to me. And that’s exactly why I (and many other parents) have been wrestling with it.
We do Santa in our house, but the concerns against it are legit. They’re not coming from legalistic party-poopers—they’re coming from parents who genuinely love Jesus and want to protect their kids. So, let’s look at what’s actually driving this debate.
Why Some Parents Skip Santa Entirely
The biggest concern I hear is about honesty. “You’re deliberately deceiving your children,” they say. And I get it. Proverbs 12:22 tells us that lying is an abomination to the Lord. If we’re supposed to model truth, how can we justify pretending Santa is real?
Then there’s the fear that scares me the most: “Wait until your kids find out you’ve been lying about Santa. They’ll think you’re lying about Jesus too.” The worry is that one discovery of make-believe will cause kids to question everything…including their faith.
There’s also the concern that Santa steals Jesus’s glory. When Christmas becomes about presents and “being good” for Santa instead of celebrating Christ’s birth, something’s gone wrong. Some parents worry this teaches transactional goodness—“be good or no presents”—which completely undermines grace. Add in the pagan origins argument, and it’s easy to see why families want to skip Santa entirely.
Here’s what I respect about this perspective: These parents aren’t being uptight or joyless. They’re genuinely trying to honor God and raise kids grounded in truth. At the heart of this conviction is protecting children and glorifying Jesus. I can’t fault that.
Why Some Christians Are Fine with Santa
On the flip side, there are families—like mine—who do Santa and feel at peace about it.
The main argument here is that pretend play isn’t the same as lying. We don’t accuse parents of “lying” when they play along with tea parties or dress-up. Age-appropriate imagination has value, and kids understand the difference between play and reality as they develop. Santa falls into the same category as the tooth fairy or reading fiction books. It’s imaginative fun, not deception.
And here’s the thing: Santa doesn’t have to compete with Jesus. It’s not either/or. Families should keep Christ central while also doing Santa. Plus, there’s the biblical freedom argument—Colossians 2:16-17 and Romans 14 tell us not to let anyone judge us about festivals and matters of personal conviction.
What I respect about this perspective: These parents also want to honor God. They should be intentional about keeping Jesus at the center while creating joy for their kids. They’re not neglecting spiritual formation. They’re just approaching it differently.
The Real Problem Both Sides Are Seeing
Here’s the thing both sides agree on, even if they don’t realize it: When Christmas becomes all about Santa, and Jesus is an afterthought, something’s gone wrong.
The no-Santa families see this and say, “That’s why we skip Santa entirely—it’s too easy for him to take over.”
The pro-Santa families see this and say, “That’s why we have to be intentional—Santa can’t be the center.”
Both are right. Santa CAN become a problem when he replaces Jesus.
And this is where we need to be very careful: Not every family who does Santa does it well. Some families DO make Christmas all about Santa—the presents, the list, the “being good” for rewards. Some families DO let Jesus become an afterthought while Santa gets elevated. And when that happens, the no-Santa concerns are completely valid.
The question isn’t “Is Santa always fine?” The question is “Can Santa be fine when Jesus is kept central?” And I believe the answer is yes—but it requires intentionality.
You can’t just throw Santa into the mix and assume Jesus will stay the focus. You have to actively keep Christ at the center.
So Where Does That Leave Me?
Both perspectives make sense. Both come from genuine, sincere hearts seeking to honor God. And that’s exactly why I’ve been second-guessing myself.
Can we celebrate WITH Santa seasonally while still CELEBRATING Jesus continually? Or am I just trying to justify something I shouldn’t be doing?
To figure that out, I had to stop listening to Instagram and start digging into Scripture.
What Does the Bible Say About Santa?
What The Bible DOESN’T Say
Of course, there’s no direct “thou shalt not pretend a large man in a red suit comes down your chimney on December 25th” verse in the Bible. The Bible was written long before these traditions existed.
So, if the Bible doesn’t directly address Santa, how do we figure this out? Let’s start by asking ourselves these two questions that help us apply biblical principles to this debate.
QUESTION 1: Is Santa Lying to Your Kids?
This is the number one argument from the no-Santa side. “You’re deliberately lying to your children by pretending Santa is real.” The fear here is that lying destroys trust and models dishonesty.
Biblical Definition of Lying
Lying is the deceptive intent to harm or manipulate. If we go to Scripture we see the serpent deceiving Eve to lead her into sin (Genesis 3), Abraham lying about Sarah being his sister to save himself (Genesis 20), and Ananais and Sapphire lying about their gifts to appear more generous and spiritual (Acts 5). Note that all these examples involve malicious intent or self-protection through deception.
Lying is NOT defined as age-appropriate parenting that protects innocence. Cultural traditions involving imagination and play, along with metaphors, storytelling, and teaching through a narrative aren’t lying. In fact, Jesus used parables constantly (fictional stories to teach truth). These weren’t “lies”, they were teaching tools.
We don’t call parents liars when they play along with their toddler’s tea party and pretend the plastic food is real. We don’t say they’re lying when they read The Very Hungry Caterpillar even though caterpillars don’t eat cake (last I checked!). And parents aren’t lying when their 3-year-old insists their stuffed bear talks and they play along.
We understand the difference between imagination and deception. So what makes Santa different?
The real question is, are parents who do Santa being deceptive in a way that harms their children’s ability to trust them? Or is it age-appropriate fun that exists within a foundation of authentic faith?
Your Kids Won’t Question God Because of Santa…If Done Right
Like I mentioned before, I grew up doing Santa, and Christmas mornings are some of my favorite childhood memories. I think I was in 5th grade when I realized that Santa wasn’t real, but I pretended to believe anyway for a few more years. I was so scared that the Christmas magic would go away if I accepted that Santa wasn’t real. But as I got older, it still felt just as magical, even knowing my parents were behind all the hard “Santa” work.
And I never questioned whether Jesus was real or not. My crisis was around Christmas magic. Jesus’s existence never even crossed my mind. Why? Because my parents’ integrity wasn’t built on one cultural tradition. It was built on authentic faith lived out daily in every other area of our lives. Their honesty about God, their struggles, their prayers, their vulnerability—THAT built trust. Finding out that Santa wasn’t real didn’t destroy that foundation.
I’ve told my parents the greatest gift they ever gave us was the foundation of faith. All of my siblings are all strong believers now, even after some hang-ups over the years, and we owe it to the foundation my parents built.
But this isn’t how trust works. Kids who grow up with authentic, vulnerable, honest parents don’t lose faith in God when they realize Santa isn’t real.
The issue isn’t Santa—it’s parental integrity.
If your kids only see you “do faith” performatively, then yeah, they might question everything. But if they’ve watched you pray authentically, struggle honestly, and lean on Jesus daily? Santa won’t shake that.
The real questions parents should ask: Am I living authentic faith all year? Do my kids see me depend on Jesus in hard moments, admit when I’m wrong, talk about God honestly? If yes, Santa can’t destroy that foundation. If no, removing Santa won’t fix the real problem anyway.
Santa isn’t “lying” in the biblical sense. It’s age-appropriate imagination WITHIN a context of authentic faith. Kids don’t lose faith in God because of Santa. They lose faith when parents lack integrity in the things that actually matter.
The “they’ll question God” fear reveals a deeper issue: are we building faith on cultural traditions or on genuine relationships with Jesus?
QUESTION 2: Does Santa Steal Glory From Jesus?
Most of my Instagram has been Christian influencers insisting that doing Santa steals glory from Jesus. And I get it. We don’t do the Easter Bunny for this very reason. In our house, Easter is the pinnacle of our faith. Celebrating the miracle of the resurrection and our salvation is so much bigger and more important than the Easter Bunny leaving gifts. We do an Easter egg hunt as a fun spring activity, but don’t acknowledge the Easter Bunny at all.
So, I can see the legitimate fear here. If you believe Santa steals glory from Jesus’s miraculous birth and don’t want to mess with trying to keep Jesus central, trust your discernment. The problem is the fear-mongering I’ve seen on social media scaring Christians into thinking Santa is sinful or unbiblical.
But here’s the real question: What are you CELEBRATING? It’s not about the origins of Christmas but the intent. What matters is what we’re making CENTRAL.
We Celebrate WITH Santa Seasonally, but CELEBRATE Jesus Continually
Our family celebrates WITH Santa during December. We CELEBRATE Jesus Himself year-round.
Celebrating WITH something is enjoying a cultural tradition for a season. It’s temporary, fun, and shouldn’t be worship. It shouldn’t define our lives. And it’s an add-on, not the foundation.
But CELEBRATING something is worship, devotion, and making something central to our lives. It’s a year-round celebration of what Jesus has done for us. It shapes our decisions and priorities and defines who we are, not just what we do in December. It’s the foundation that everything else is built on.
Our family celebrates WITH Santa for a few weeks in December. We write him letters and leave cookies out for him. Santa brings one gift, and the kids know Mommy and Daddy got the rest. They know we give gifts at Christmastime because Jesus received gifts at His birth. My daughter thinks that Santa is Jesus’s helper and that the Christmas tree is Jesus’s birthday cake!
We CELEBRATE Jesus all year long. We pray together, go to church regularly (when the kids aren’t sick!), and talk about God’s character and His word. We try our best to live out our faith authentically in front of them and model dependence on God when we don’t have the answers.
The difference is Santa gets a little bit of December. Jesus gets our whole lives.
Santa isn’t stealing anything at all because he was never competing for the same thing. One is seasonal fun, the other is the foundation of our entire lives.
The Real Problem Isn’t Santa—It’s Lukewarm Faith
The problem isn’t Santa. The real problem is when families only talk about Jesus at Christmas while living for Santa the rest of the year. If we make Santa the main event and throw on Jesus as an afterthought on December 25th, that’s a problem. If we focus entirely on getting presents instead of generosity and worship, we’ve slipped down the slope. Replacing a meaningful celebration of Christ’s birth with pure consumerism dilutes the meaning of Christmas. And the problem here too is when we use “Christian language” in December but don’t live it out daily.
This is a heart problem, not a Santa problem. We can have it without Santa, or avoid it with Santa—depending on whether Jesus is central year-round.
We can hang stockings AND read the nativity story. Let kids believe in Santa AND focus on Jesus’s birth. Enjoy Christmas morning AND attend Christmas Eve service. Talk about Santa’s generosity AND God’s ultimate gift. Write letters to Santa AND write prayers to Jesus.
The question isn’t “Santa or Jesus?”. The question is “Are you making Jesus central all year, or only when it’s convenient?”
If Jesus is already the foundation of your home—if your kids see you pray when stressed, worship when life is hard, live out authentic faith daily—then Santa is just a fun tradition, not a threat. But if Jesus only shows up at Christmas, then yeah, Santa’s going to feel like competition.
The problem isn’t the tradition—it’s the absence of real discipleship.
Pro-Santa families: Is Jesus central year-round, or just in December? No-Santa families: Is removing Santa enough, or do your kids see authentic faith daily?
So, no. Santa doesn’t steal glory from Jesus, unless we’ve already failed to make Jesus central in the first place. The issue isn’t the tradition. It’s whether we’re actually discipling our kids year-round.
A Quick Note: Pagan Origins of Christmas
Quick note on the pagan origins argument: Yes, Christmas traditions have pagan roots—Odin, winter solstice, all of it. But so do Christmas trees, wreaths, and December 25th itself. The question isn’t “where did it come from?” but “what are we celebrating NOW?”
We’ve redeemed Christmas to celebrate Christ’s birth. Santa is just another cultural layer. If you’re celebrating Jesus’s birth and Santa is seasonal fun, the pagan origins don’t matter. (For more on this, check out my Halloween post where I dive deep into the pagan origins question.)
Romans 14 and the Santa Debate
Paul addresses this exact dynamic in Romans 14—not Santa specifically, but how Christians should handle disputable matters. The early church was debating whether eating meat sacrificed to idols was sinful. Sound familiar? Some thought it was wrong; others thought it was fine. Same tension we’re seeing with Santa.
Paul gives us a framework for navigating these disagreements, and it applies perfectly here.
Principle 1: Be Fully Convinced in Your Own Mind
Romans 14:5 says, “Each person should be fully convinced in his own mind.” We’re responsible for our own discernment before God, not social media’s opinion.
Application to Santa: Pray about it for YOUR family. Seek God’s wisdom for YOUR kids. If you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to skip Santa, follow that. If you don’t sense conviction and can do Santa in good faith, that’s also valid. Both choices can honor God when done with conviction.
The problem is when we let other people’s convictions dictate ours, or when we don’t seek God’s wisdom at all and just follow the culture (or the Christian backlash to it).
Principle 2: Don’t Judge Each Other
This is the big one. Romans 14:3 says it plainly: “Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats.”
Paul is crystal clear: STOP JUDGING EACH OTHER.
This is for BOTH sides:
To pro-Santa families: Don’t mock “legalistic” no-Santa families. Don’t roll your eyes at their convictions. Respect their discernment for their family.
To no-Santa families: Don’t accuse Santa families of lying to their kids and destroying their faith. Don’t post fear-based content about how Santa will spiritually ruin children. Respect their discernment for their family.
Both can be right. Both can honor God.
This is where Christians are failing right now. The judgment is LOUD on both sides. “Wait until your kids find out you lied—they’ll think Jesus is fake too!” versus “Those no-Santa families are so legalistic and joyless.”
This is exactly what Paul told us NOT to do.
Principle 3: Whatever Is Not From Faith Is Sin
Romans 14:23 says if you can’t do something in good faith before God, then for YOU, it’s sin—even if the thing itself is morally neutral.
Here’s the critical distinction: Is our Santa guilt from the Holy Spirit or from fear of what other Christians think?
Holy spirit conviction is a settled sense that God is personally leading YOU to abstain. It’s peace about not doing Santa, even if others judge us. Not anxious or fearful, just clear.
Religious anxiety is worrying about “what if they’re right?” It’s fear of judgment from other Christians. There’s no actual peace about abstaining, just guilt about participating. This can be driven by social media pressure, not personal conviction.
Trust Your Discernment
I’ve prayed about Santa. I don’t feel the Holy Spirit telling me not to participate. What I feel is anxiety from other Christians’ warnings and posts. That’s not the same thing as conviction.
Can I do Santa while trusting God and seeking to honor Him? Yes—I celebrate WITH Santa seasonally while CELEBRATING Jesus continually. So I’m acting from faith, not fear. And that’s what matters.
BUT if someone else genuinely senses the Holy Spirit saying “No, not for your family,” then for THEM, doing Santa would be sin—because it wouldn’t be from faith. And that’s also okay.
Both can be acting in faith. Both can be honoring God. The sin isn’t Santa (or not-Santa)—the sin is acting against our own conscience.
Final Thoughts
Let’s stop arguing about Santa and start asking the harder question: Is Jesus actually LORD in our homes all 365 days—or just when it’s convenient?
Because that’s what our kids will remember. Not whether we did Santa, but whether our faith was real. Whether we lived what we believed, and whether Jesus was actually central or just decoration.
Santa isn’t the threat to our kids’ faith. Inauthentic, performative Christianity is the threat. Fear-based religion that focuses on rules instead of relationship. Parents who only talk about Jesus when it’s convenient. That’s what destroys faith—not Santa.
Pray about your family’s decision. Seek the Holy Spirit’s wisdom for YOUR family. Like in Romans 14, be fully convinced in your own mind. And do it (or don’t do it) unto the Lord.
And PLEASE, stop judging each other.
Both can honor God. Both are valid.
Romans 14 is clear: this is a disputable matter. Both sides can honor God and come from sincere faith.
Let’s focus on Jesus this Christmas season. Not on policing each other’s Christmas traditions. The gospel is too important to let Santa become a dividing line.
Where do you land on this? I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts—whether you do Santa, skip Santa, or are somewhere in between. The comment section is anonymous, so feel free to share honestly. Let’s practice the kind of grace-filled dialogue Romans 14 calls us to.
