Santa Claus and Easter Bunny

Good point on the word "pascha". "Easter" it ain't!

Ed

 

Just don't be messing around with Groundhog Day with Punxsutawney Phil and me, or The Great Pumpkin with Linus! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Ed

 

Child discipline is one...
Education is another... I about had a fit the first day my oldest son went to kindergarten... I went with him, and the principal was giving her speech, and thanked the parents for giving them our kids!

Sorry.. I let her know, they are my kids.. on loan from God.

 

Here comes the cops... :laugh: :laugh:

 

Nah. they are too busy chasin someone in a bunny suit...

Oh wait...

That's OJ!!!

 

"Language Cop, here! You rang??"

 

:laugh: :laugh:

Ed

 

I was one of four children that didn't believe in Santa. Even as a child, I didn't believe that a tubby guy could fly around the ENTIRE earth in one night.

The other thing was that no matter how good I was, almost nothing was under the tree because we were dirt dirt DIRT poor growing up. "If there is indeed a Santa who rewards kids for being good, why do I get so little every Christmas morning?"

Yes, there are trees and stockings and candy canes and all kinds of other goofy things that distract us from Christ. However, my suffestion is that for those who celebrate Christmas that they certainly have a Nativity Scene or two in the house so when the kids start asking (as I did) "Mommy, who is that little baby? Why are there animals there?" there is a chance to teach your children.

 

Tim is right. We, as parents, should have the right to raise our children as we see fit.

My children always had Easter baskets. They also colored Easter eggs, so they knew the eggs in their baskets did not come from a rabbit. The basket also contained school pencils, erasers, etc. It was fun.

I still fix hubby an Easter basket full of his favorite goodies and he certainly knows the real reason for Easter!

For Christmas, we have two small nativity scenes inside and a very large lighted one in our front yard. On the other side, we have a lighted Santa and decorated tree. We all know the difference.



It is harmless to let your children be children and have fun...as long as they know the difference between pretend and real.

There is no doubt in our neighbor's minds that we are Christians and are celebrating Jesus' birth. We give gifts to each other...we also give special gifts to Jesus.

 

Exactly, as well as many other words and customs (wedding rings for example).

HankD

 

No snow? Christmas just ain't Christmas with no snow...

Two of my favorite secular season songs are “I'm dreaming of a white Christmas” and when I'm on the road I think of “I'll be home for Christmas”...

 

We had snow for Christmas, but this picture was taken about a week before.

You're right! It ain't Christmas without snow. I lived in Florida for three years and never did get used to seeing Santa peeping out from behind a lush, green, palm tree. LOL

 

Most responses have presumed pressure was coming from mere friends and acquaintances. Yet both of your posts have specifically mentioned relatives.
Yes, you have the right to raise your children as you see fit. But there is a certain antagonism towards family members that could be read here.
You also put it pretty strongly that your way is teaching your kids true respect and reverence and not to believe lies.
Can you see that you are seeming to accuse your family members of some things that are probably pretty extreme from what they really want to do?

I'm curious if your husband sees this as strongly as you do. Doubtful he does, if it is his side of the family.

I am grateful for a large family with many happy times. Having some pretend fun is not believing a lie. Nobody was a better Easter egg finder than my father-in-law. And he wore a great pair of ears while he was doing it. :thumbs: He never got confused about what was real or pretend either.

 

Amen Jesus should come first that is what it is about. If we let them take it away they will. They have there santa and we have are Lord Jesus Christ. I told my wife that we need to let are kids know what Christmas is all about. The world is doing a good job to change it and we need to stand for what that day means. We need to tell the world what it means and we will not stand for anyone to change it. I will speak my voice on this. I remeber when I was young people would go around saying Marry Christmas. Now they say happy hoiday and other things they ignorantly say just to change it. It is called Christmas and nothing else to me. So if you want to greet me on that day greet me with a Merry Christmas or else I will ignore you.

 

To chase this bunny trail...

Sam Gipp makes some good points on the Easter issue:

 

Gipp continued:

 

In regards to the OP:"

There is NO excuse for a Christian to LIE to their children about santa or the ester bunny. BUT, that is exactly what the majority of Christians do each year, without batting an eye, and without the slightest remorse of cringing of conscience.

 

IMO, the only way one can say that Acts 12:4 refers to "Easter" is if one holds to "advanced revelation" (not necessarily anyone here at the BB).
Here are passages leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ with the chief priests with a very similar problem, the reason why and the solution:

Matthew 26:17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?​

Mark 14:1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people (notice the italicised word day​

In the Bible, Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread can be synonymous:

Ezekiel 45:21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.​

Luke 22:1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.​

In addition to that the word in Acts 12:4 is "pascha" and is translated "Passover" in every other place in the New Testament of the KJV​

In the Greek of the the LXX (Ancient Greek translation of the OT) the Greek word "pascha" is used for the Hebrew word "pesach" (Passover) and may very well be a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew "pesach".​

While it is within the realm of possibility that the Acts 12:4 word "pascha" should be translated as "easter" it is improbable especially with the mention of the "days of unleavened bread" in the preceeding verse.​

Then one has the problem, if it indeed should be "easter", whose "easter" is it?​

Those who insist on "easter" are divided.​

Does it mean the Pagan "easter" (Celebration of the goddess Ishtar) or the Christian "Easter".​

"Passover" seems to me to make the most sense. ​

HankD​