 |
Further
Reading ...
|
|
Saving Money By Spending Wisely
Why is it that the older and richer people become, the more conservative they are with their money? Have you ever done or know someone who has made an investment that promised a 10% interest or profit per month? Everyone wants to make above...
A Maui Wedding
Maui Sun, sand and surf, this tropical island paradise is something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. The Hawaiian Islands have it all and the island of Maui has it in spades. Maui is the perfect place for a vacation, the...
Save Money on a Holiday
Going on a family vacation can be considerably more expensive than going with your partner only. Instead of buying two airline tickets and renting a double room in a hotel, you need maybe four or five tickets and at least two hotel rooms.
...
How to Make Sure Your Plants Survive the Move
If you have house plants, and you're moving to a new location, you have three options: donate 'em, dump 'em, or dare to take 'em with you. So, you may not care for your plants like a "Professional," but Charlie Nardozzi, senior horticulturist for...
|
|
|
Mommy...Daddy...is there really a Santa Claus?
|
 |
Written By:
Mark Bulleit
|
|
|
Is there really a Santa Claus? Any parent who hasn't been faced with this question most likely will at some point. But how do you answer this? No one wants to crush a child's dreams of Santa and holiday magic.
Some kids, like me, are crushed at school when they hear from a classmate that they found all their presents under their parents' bed, thus, proving there really is no Santa. Then, reasoning sets in, which is about the time they begin to wonder why they have been told this fairy tale all this time as it was the truth.
So, is there truly a Santa Claus? Well, if you are in this position you will probably be glad to hear that the only true answer to this question is...yes, absolutely.
The name "Santa Claus" came from the Dutch "Sinter Klass" pronunciation of St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas was a Christian priest, who later became a bishop. He was a wealthy person, and traveled the country helping others, giving gifts of money and other presents. St. Nicholas chose to remain hidden while giving these gifts, so the children were told to go to sleep quickly or he would not come!
One famous story is about a poor man who had no money to give to his three daughters on their wedding day. St. Nicholas dropped bags of gold into the stockings which the girls had left to dry by the fire. Ever since, children have hung up stockings on Christmas Eve hoping that they will be filled with gifts by Christmas morning.
According to the Catholics, a saint is one who lived such a holy life that, after dying and going to heaven, is still able to help people on earth.
In the 1500's people in England stopped worshipping St. Nicholas and favored another gift giving figure Father Christmas.
Now, no matter what your religious preference is or if you even believe in Saints, doesn't change that St. Nicholas represents a selfless act of giving. Rather it be material gifts, money where needed - continued below ...
|
|
|
continued ...
or the often most valuable gift of a little of your time, it's about the act of helping someone else for no other reason then just because they need it.
As St. Nicholas had figured out as a young man, we truly, as adults, begin to understand Santa Claus when we realize that the best gift of all is not on the receiving end, but being the one giving. And being rich doesn't always mean having a lot of money. Often, especially these days, taking the time to spend with someone, inviting them over for dinner or even putting food on their table, can make all the difference.
But how do we explain this to a child? Well, we do it in stages. They first have to learn how much receiving a gift meant to them to understand how much it means to others. And Santa Claus, well he is a perception of a truly magical holiday spirit presented to them in a way with which they can associate at this point in their lives.
So, how do we, as parents, answer this question in a way our young children will understand? You, as a parent, should decide when it's time to come clean. You can meter this by deciding when you feel they will understand that Santa Claus really does exist in all of us and he often means something different to each person they'll meet. A child grasping this is a big step towards learning what the holidays are truly all about.
© Mark Bulleit - All rights reserved.
http://www.GreetingsFromSanta.com
Mark Bulleit is the developer/co-founder of the popular GreetingsFromSanta.com offering personal letters from Santa. Light up your child's face like never before this holiday season at http://www.greetingsfromsanta.com mark@greetingsfromsanta.com
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| _Additional Resources ... |
|
How to Choose the Right Bank Account for Your Needs
Opening a new bank account is a major step in your life, and as such it should not be taken lightly. Depending upon the use that you have intended for the account, certain options might be very beneficial to you while others might not be...
A Dangerous Environment
The internet is a dangerous place for your children. Don't even begin to believe that your child is safe. There are more dangers than you can possibly imagine waiting to lure children to their doom. You had better be aware of what's...
Contact Lenses for Halloween FAQ - 7 Things you Need to Know About Costume Lenses
Planning to make your costume complete with a pair of Halloween contact lenses? Then there are a few things you should know before you order yourself a pair of scary special effect contacts.
1. Can I see when wearing costume lenses?
Yes: the...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
