Being me and thoughts on Jesus and Santa

Just a warning, if you feel at all sensitive about religion or Santa, I wouldn't read this - even though now that you've read that you're all like "don't tell what to do!" - I warned you. There's also one F bomb.

With Christmas coming up, I told Bobby I don't want to do Santa. I didn't really grow up with Santa. In Venezuela, it was baby Jesus who brought you presents so when we came back we were well passed the time to believe in Santa. By 7 I knew he wasn't real. 

I posted on a mom group that I didn't want to do Santa and so far everyone has said something along the lines that Santa represents the spirit of Christmas. I'm not religious but when did Santa and Jesus become BFFs? I thought Jesus was the 'reason for the season'? So is it that Jesus is the reason and Santa is the spirit? I'm actually surprised that no one out there is speaking up about celebrating a secular Christmas. If that's how we do it there has to be someone else. Right? It takes me back to a conversation I had once with a friends mom after I had stopped coming to church who told me that once I had kids I would come back. Nope. Or there's the line that when I'm older I'll understand and come back. Or worse - and this makes me sad for the person saying it - when people say that I'll come back after some catastrophic life event. The first two are condescending and the third is real first testament and I feel bad if you belief in this mighty, punishing god.

Again, I'm not religious. I was raised kinda Catholic, took a deep dive into Catholicism in high school but by graduation I was out of it. I don't consider myself atheist. I don't consider myself agnostic. I hate the idea of labeling. Indoctrinating. Why can't I just be me. If anything I'd say spiritual. But I don't want that to be associated with Christianity. I believe in love. I believe is positivity - for mental and physical we'll being. This is a whole other conversation. I digress. 

So back to Christmas.

How do you celebrate secular Christmas and explain to your child that there's a whole other Christian Christmas out there? Do you include the fact that the festivities date back to before Christians. 

To me, Christmas is and always has been a joyous time. A time to see family and friends - some you may only see once a year. A time to toss everything in the air and be happy. To reflect on the year. A time to eat delicious food and decorate your house. A time to be fucking merry!

It's a time if the year where everyone has their own unique way of celebrating. 

So back to Santa. I don't like idea of encouraging kids to write a wish list. I feel like it opens the door to greed - I know this sounds dramatic - but you're asking them to look around and ask for what they want. You see children getting heaps of presents from Santa and not realizing that actually mom/dad worked an extra 60 hours to buy all those things. And they're just things! Consumerism is gross. I know I take part in it. But - the idea of it just makes me want purge! 

I don't like the idea of telling kids to be good for some strange fat man. Be good for yourself. And let's be honest - for me. I keep hearing all these things about Santa representing joy and happiness and imagination. Do these things really all hinge on the false existence of Santa? 

I believe we can and will have amazing Christmases as our family grows. They'll be full of joy, laughter and most importantly love. Things Santa can't bring you. Presents are an after thought - to me the reason for the season is love. That's what I believe in most - the power of love. Just like the love of two people create a baby - or I'm sorry I forgot it was an immaculate conception.  But really, love makes you feel happy, motivates you - it even boosts your immune system. And what is love? You can decide whatever you want it to be. Whether it be your version of god or this weird spiritual, universal, innate feeling we all have embedded within us somewhere. All is full of love. Love is all around you. If you don't love, your life will pass you by. 

Bonus points to those of you who know those quotes.

pictures from christmas over the years