Santa/Satan - Raising Kids in Truth, Not Lies

Good morning, everyone! Today, I want to talk about something that’s often swept under the rug because it seems harmless: telling our kids lies. Yes, you heard me right—lies. Specifically, the lies about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and other fun fictional characters that we so often weave into the fabric of childhood. While it may seem innocent or even kindhearted to keep these “magical” stories alive, I want to challenge us to think about something much more important: Is it okay to raise our children in lies?

Let’s talk about it. Because, if we’re honest with ourselves, we all know that raising our children in lies isn’t a harmless tradition—it’s a sin. I know, I know, that’s a strong word, but we need to be real here. God calls us to be people of truth, and when we teach our kids to believe things that aren’t true, we’re not just playing make-believe. We are, in effect, setting them up for confusion, distrust, and eventually trauma.

So let’s break this down and ask ourselves, “What kind of world are we preparing our children for?” Are we really preparing them for the harsh realities of life with a protective bubble of lies? Or are we giving them the tools to face the world with discernment, wisdom, and the truth of God’s Word?

The Harm of Lies: Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, and Other Myths

Let’s start with Santa Claus. That jolly man in a red suit who comes down the chimney, leaving presents under the tree. It seems harmless, right? Maybe even fun! But let’s be real: Santa Claus isn’t real. And here’s where we need to get serious—when we tell our children Santa is real, we are teaching them to believe in a lie. And no matter how sweet the intention, it’s a sin to deceive your children.

Think about it: If we say, “Santa is real,” and our kids eventually find out it’s all a lie, what else are they going to wonder about? If we can lie about this, what about bigger things—the things that matter most? When we deceive them in small things, we’ve planted seeds of doubt. Seeds that can grow into distrust and even bitterness later in life.

The Bible is clear about truth. Proverbs 12:22 says:

“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”

We are not preparing our children for the truth when we make up stories and call them “fun.” We’re preparing them to live in a fantasy world. And guess what? Life isn’t a fairy tale.

The "Protective Bubble" Myth: Why Lies Don't Protect

Now, I know what you’re thinking—“But I just want to protect my kids! It’s for their innocence!” But hear me clearly: Lying to your kids doesn’t protect them—it harms them.

Think about it like this: You don’t raise a seeing-eye dog by playing fetch. You raise them to serve and protect their owner. You don’t keep them in a bubble of ignorance. You teach them to recognize the real world so they can do their job and be of service. In the same way, we must raise our children with a sense of discernment and wisdom.

The world is full of harsh realities. There will be bullies, there will be injustice, there will be disappointment—and we have to prepare our kids for that. We don’t teach our children to handle the world by lying to them about it. We teach them by equipping them with the truth. That’s how they grow up strong in the faith and able to handle the challenges that life throws at them.

Lying to them about Santa or the Easter Bunny isn’t protecting their innocence. It’s preparing them to live in a world of deception. And when they grow up and realize they were lied to, they might start to wonder—what else in life is a lie? What else should they question? This is the psychological damage that these innocent “little white lies” can cause.

Teaching Truth: The Foundation of Discernment

In John 8:32, Jesus says:

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Truth is the foundation on which we should raise our children. And that doesn’t mean we need to strip away every ounce of fun or imagination from their lives. But what it does mean is that we have to be careful not to create a false reality for them. Instead of teaching our children to believe in make-believe stories, let’s teach them about the real story—the story of God’s love for them, the truth of Jesus Christ, and how they are a part of that story.

We don’t have to make Christmas about Santa’s sleigh or the Easter Bunny’s egg hunt. We can make it about Jesus—the greatest gift ever given. We can celebrate the real meaning of holidays and make them fun without compromising the truth. And as they grow up, our kids will thank us because they’ll have a solid foundation built on truth, not on lies.

The Impact of Lies: How Deceit Affects Our Children’s Faith

Imagine how confused your child could be if they grow up believing in Santa Claus and then find out it’s all a lie. Now think about how that affects their faith when they start to ask about God—about heaven, about salvation. If we’ve taught them that we can tell them lies about Christmas, what will stop them from thinking that the story of Jesus could also be a fairy tale?

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). If we want our children to grow up to have a real relationship with Him, we need to start by being honest with them. Truth is the cornerstone of their faith. Lies about Santa and other fairy tales don’t just blur the lines between reality and fantasy—they blur the lines between the truth of God and the deceptions of the world.

Raising Children for Adulthood: Preparing Them for the Real World

We don’t raise our children for childhood—we raise them for adulthood. And adulthood is a world full of challenges, temptations, and hard realities. We have to teach them the truth about who they are in Christ, what’s right, and what’s wrong—not just when they’re kids, but throughout their lives.

When we give them the truth, when we prepare them for the real world, we are protecting them from the lies the world will try to feed them later. We’re not doing them any favors by allowing them to grow up thinking that lies are acceptable. If we want them to stand firm in their faith, we need to start by teaching them the truth now.

Closing: Teaching Truth, Not Lies

As we go forward, let’s make a commitment to raise our kids in the truth. No more “white lies”—because every lie has consequences. No more pretending. Let’s show them the reality of God’s love and His Word. Let's equip them for adulthood by teaching them truth, teaching them discernment, and teaching them how to navigate life’s challenges with the light of Jesus Christ.

Let’s pray:

Father, help us to be people of truth. Help us to raise our children in Your Word and Your love, and protect them from the lies of this world. Give us wisdom to guide them through the realities of life, and may their hearts always be rooted in Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.