Santa or Satan?

      From a very early age our children are taught about the man in red who comes to visit them every year at Christmas to give presents to them provided that they have been good children through the year. They grow up thinking that Santa is the reason behind the season, and increasingly the real reason for the celebration is hidden from them. In the secular society in which we now live it is no surprise that Nativity plays, if a school dares to mount them, often feature pantomime characters or characters from the latest craze.
      All of this serves to marginalise the story of the Nativity to the point where children fail to understand what it's really about. Sadly, they grow up thinking that Christmas is all about Santa, and that Christians seem to constantly attempt to hijack Christmas!

So here's a thought ...

      Have you ever thought about the fact that Santa is derived from the same letters as Satan? Is it really not true that the whole concept of Santa, despite the rosy cheeks, flowing beard and twinkly eyes that fit so well with the red and white outfit, is designed to hide our children from the truth?
      Have you noticed that so many children are afraid when they meet up with a Santa for the first few times?