Santa, Are You for Real?

This is a great book about the real santa. I grew up not believing in Santa but my husband did. I did not want my children believing in only santa but Jesus also and this book satisfied me as far as beliving in santa and the true meaning of Christmas.

Is Santa real? Well, yes and no. Myra does a really nice job of explaining where the Santa legend came from, and how St. Nicholas loved God and people. Myra's story point kids to St. Nicholas' Lord, and shows them they do not need to sacrifice the magic and imagination in order to worship Him. Nicely illustrated too. I buy two or three of these every year for 4-6 year olds.

This is a must-read for Christian children at Christmas. A child hears kids on the street say Santa isn't real, and goes inside to ask his father. The dad tells him that St. Nicholas was a real person who, because he loved Jesus, gave gifts to the poor. The boy is inspired by the story and decides to share with others, like St. Nick did. The book ends with a cheerful picture of Santa: "As the family sat around and talked half the night, Todd thought he saw, in the snow and moonlight...a bright-eyed Saint Nicholas with his sack looking in, and wide across his face, a jolly old grin." Children will know that the real Santa is now in heaven, but people still rememeber him today because of his generous spirit. The book tells the "truth" about Santa, while also allowing for a child's imagination and sense of joy to remain intact over who Santa was.

We read this book every year with our two children. It helps them understand the truth about St. Nicholas and helps them reconcile the commercial Santa with the truth of Christmas. It puts Santa and gifts in their place underneath the birth Jesus.

We have a copy from 1977. This book teaches children at their level that Nicholas was a man, a kind man, a religious man. It tells the Christian message and the REAL story of St. Nick.