is the idea and the image of santa clause some sort of pagan image preventing us from recgonizing Christ?

Question

seriously i think we need to dicuss this people....

Answer 1

Santa Claus (not clause) is fun. It's not religious; it's secular at least at this point in time.

It was invented by Christians. It's a bastardization of the name "St. Nicholas."

It only gets in the way of our "recognizing Christ" if we let it. So let's have fun with Santa and remember to recognize Jesus too.

Answer 2

You ask this question as if the human mind is only capable of holding one image at a time. Granted the focus should be on the birthday of the King, but can't a person be also allowed to have a little fun by believing in Santa as well? God knows our hearts better than we do. It is from the heart that one recognizes Christ. He knows if we put Him first or not. Why be so dull and get so bogged down with technicalities? I personally feel that God would want us to find ways to have fun and celebrate, at Christmas and every holiday. Maybe you should relax a little and enjoy life more. It can be done without insult to one's respect for God.

Answer 3

Yes, it is the image of the devil, who pagans used to adore and they were p[erfectly aware as well that they were purely eveil, they didn't want to do anything except bring hate, blood, sadness and estate agents upon our world. Pooh, glad we got rid of those bastards eh?
Ok, just a joke because everyone always speaks of pagans as if they were evil. They were plain people with a different faith really.



Here's a real answer if you wnt:
Santa Claus is actually Sint Nicolaas, a saint in Europe. He comes every 5 december and brings presents to all children who had been good. In the Netherlands, Belgium and I believe even parts of France still celebrate this. In fact, I celebrated it just now(my sister wasn't home 5 december that's why we did it today). Nowadays he is Sinterklaas(sounds a bit like santa claus doesn't it?). Sinterklaas traditions are as they have been for centuries, long before santa claus came along:
* Children putting their shoes in front of the fireplace, in the morning they will be filled with presents and candy(don't you do something like that with stockings?)
* Children sitting on Sinterklaas' lap
* singing songs for Sinterklaas
* getting lots of presents on 5 december
I live in the Netherlands, you can clearly see a mix here between Christmas and Sinterklaas.

Answer 4

Santa Claus was originally SinterKlaas, Dutch, he was a Bishop who gave presents to children on Dec 5th. Not 25th.
His robes were green then too.
As the date was fairly near Christmas, consumerism and the American market adapted him, his cloak was changed to red to match Coca Cola colours for advertising purposes.
The Dutch still celebrate SinterKlaas day as well as Christmas, so they have the 2 Santas there. Dec 5th Santa dresses more like a Bishop than the Santa we know in the red robe, and he has an assistant calle Zwart Pieter, a young balck kid who helps him deliver presents.
It's less commercial, more of a family thing, and the presents are generally only made to children, not to adults.

Answer 5

It wasn't meant to be....Santa Clause is Dutch for St. Nicholas. And St. Nicholas used to give toys to poor children, money and food to the poor etc. Well to remember him as a tradition some people began dressing up as him(As a bishop) and giving candy and toys to The children. My family still kind of does this...on December 6th his feast day we recieve presents. On Christmas we give presents to Jesus...We don't recieve Presents on Christmas. Some of my friends say I am missing out but I think they are the ones who are missing out and missing the point.

But as most good wholesome tradtions society has taken it and made it ...wrong. Santa Clause is fine as long as people don't forget that Christmas is not about recieving presents and candy and having Santa Clause but that it is when the world recieved their only hope, Jesus Christ.

Answer 6

no... it was a cartoon drawn in the early 1900s that became an american tradition... as long as you're talking about modern day santa in the US.

I'm a devout christian and i don't think that santa takes Christmas away from Christ. He's just a tool to help make Christmas a more enjoyable holiday.

Answer 7

The next time someone tells you that Santa is some sort of pagan image I suggest you ask them what pagan person he is supposedly an image of.

Answer 8

Yes (pagan origins) and No (independent from Christ).

I love having Santa Claus (note spelling) as an icon for the holiday that falls on December 25th, and don't bother myself with the false claims that Jesus was born on that day.

Answer 9

Santa Claus came into being as a promotional thing by a company. the way i understand it and i could be wrong is that he is based on some myths of varying countries.
as i am not Christian it really is moot for me. but i figured i'd let you know, well as much as i know anyway. same thing for Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. both were created to raise worship of the all-mighty buck ie MONEY!! they were created as promotional gigs to get people in stores and buying.

Answer 10

the image of Santa came from an advertisement from a guy named Nast i believe. I other countries they had a Saint Nick.Things mix all together in this country.