• Shop
  • Contact
  • About Me
  • Category

Nicole Fergesen

December 12, 2016

Why We Don’t Do Santa

This post contains affiliate links, which means, if you click the link on my website I may make a small commission for advertising this product to you. It does not cost you more, but it helps to keep my site running. Thank you for your support!

Why We Don't Do Santa

 

This is going to sound like the biggest ba-humbug statement ever, but our family doesn’t do Santa. (I know, I can hear you gasping in horror from here). Now, please let me explain. I am not out to make my kids’ childhoods terrible or deprive them of something awesome. It is just something that we decided wasn’t something for us. Here are a few reasons why:

We want the credit.

My husband busts his butt to provide a nice home for our family and put food on the table (and I make a few pennies here and there, but nothing to support our family on). That magical moment when the kids are opening gifts and they are in AWE of the great gifts they got; oh how I live for that! And to hear them utter “thanks SANTA” instead of “thanks mom/dad”? No thanks. I spent hours planning, shopping, and wrapping. Why would I let my kids believe someone else gave them that gift? No sir! I am selfish, and I am completely ok with that!

It is confusing.

We are Christians, so we believe and teach our kids about Jesus and his birthday. That’s the meaning of the season, right? While I know there are ways to teach about Jesus and Santa cohesively and without taking away from the true meaning of the season, we just couldn’t figure out how to balance that. Our focus as parents was to point our kids to Jesus, and we felt that by introducing Santa would only take away from the true meaning of the season.

It is complicated.

Since our kids are all under the age of four, they aren’t quite to that age where they can think about the dynamics of the whole Santa thing. But, I’ve heard of the questions the kids come up with- and I can understand why it would be confusing! How can one man visit the millions of kids around the world? How does he enter homes with no fireplace? How do reindeer actually fly? How old is Santa? The story is flawed. And I know I would feel like I was lying to my kids or misleading them if I couldn’t answer sufficiently. I just can’t get beyond the fact that I would straight up lie to my kids. It just feels unnecessary.

 

We try very hard to make the Christmas season magical for our kids. So, even though we don’t introduce Santa, the season is filled with love and fun traditions. We cut down a tree at a local farm and decorate it as a family. We open special Christmas jammies. We go see Christmas lights. We open presents and stockings on Christmas morning, as well as other days throughout December with family/friends. We read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible on Christmas. Our kids watch Christmas movies, some of which have Santa in it. I am not anti-Santa, we just don’t “do” it. We are a few years into this parenting thing and our kids seem to have survived thus far!

What do you do as a family? Do you introduce Santa or not? Do you have any special traditions? Share and let me know if you agree!

Why We Don't Do Santa

Did you check out my other Christmas gift guides? Click the links below for some gift-buying inspiration!

Gift guide for men

Gift guide for women

Gift guide for children

 

Did you enjoy this post? Make sure to join the @nicolefergesen community on instagram! Follow me and shop me outfits here. Don’t miss out on updates and inspiration! You can also join my Facebook community and follow my current interests over on my Pinterest. Buy a copy of Marcus’ book here.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Posted In: Babies, Faith, Uncategorized · Tagged: advent, anti-santa, children, Christ, christmas, christmas day, christmas gift, christmas presents, christmas tradition, Christmastime, elf, family tradition, family traditions, holiday, holiday tradition, holidays, jesus, Jesus is the reason, Jesus is the reason for the season, kids, no Santa, presents, santa, traditions, tree

Comments

  1. Sarah says

    December 12, 2016 at 10:27 am

    Yes! All the things ive been thinking and saying!! You explained it perfectly! 🙂
    Rowen just started asking about santa (since he is everywhere right now) so i just explained the story of whete it started…who saint nicholas is…it seemed to satisfy him 🙂
    My mom explained it to me as a game other families play…and told me it wouldnt be nice to ruin it for them. (After i went to my neighbors after figuring it out and announced to them “santa isnt real, its your parents” haha little 5 year old me was bold i guess. 😉

    Reply
    • Nicole Warner says

      December 12, 2016 at 10:30 am

      That’s a great idea! Scarlett has been asking too and I have been telling her it’s a story. I like your mom’s idea of saying it’s a game so we don’t ruin it for others! Great suggestions!

      Reply
  2. Kelsey Beam says

    December 12, 2016 at 10:58 am

    I 100% agree and have always felt this way! I never believed in Santa and it did not take one bit of the excitement away from Christmas! And it made me very thankful for our parents and the gifts they bought us. Great post!

    Reply
    • Nicole Warner says

      December 12, 2016 at 11:03 am

      Thank you! So glad you agree!

      Reply
  3. Lily May says

    December 12, 2016 at 1:23 pm

    Very well said and explained my dear! Love this post!

    Reply
  4. Natalie says

    December 12, 2016 at 8:12 pm

    Such a great post, Nicole! I love your reasons.

    Reply
  5. Naomi Libby says

    December 14, 2016 at 8:34 pm

    We do the same thing for the same reasons! She knows about Santa from Christmas movies, but isn’t confused yet about whether he’s real or not. Although, I will confess, sometimes I’ve thought it would be nice to be able to use the whole “be good or Santa won’t bring you toys” line to entice good behavior ?

    Reply
    • Nicole Warner says

      December 14, 2016 at 10:06 pm

      I have thought about that too! Nothing like a little threat to truly behave ?

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hey There!

About Me
I am Nicole Fergesen, mama to four, new Iowan and part time New Hampshire girl. I believe in Jesus, live on coffee, and love functional fashion. I also dabble in home design and relentlessly find beauty in everything. Wife to Dustin, widow of Marcus, blending a family and finding grace in the journey.

I WANT IN

nicolefergesen

You woke up today. You, yes YOU, have a purpose. You woke up today. 
You, yes YOU, have a purpose. There’s a reason you’re here. There is a reason you have breath in your lungs and your heart continues to beat. No matter what you encounter today, know that God has a plan and you are a part of it. And when it feels hard, fight harder. Continue to discover that purpose and feel empowered in your life. Everything you need to succeed is already inside you, designed perfectly and given by God.

Keep breathing. Keep achieving that purpose. The world needs exactly who you were created to be. Believe it! 
http://liketk.it/39DMt #liketkit @liketoknow.it #keepgoing #yougotthis #keepbreathing #keepmovingforward #inspire #motivateme #godsplan #purpose #findyourpurpose #godisgood #lifejourney @elegantees
Work on the weekend surprise room makeover for E2 Work on the weekend surprise room makeover for E2 has begun! When we first got married Elliott and Eloise shared a room, but when we moved into our new house we gave Elliott her own space temporarily. Now that we are about four months out from baby, it is time to start on the nursery and get the two E’s back together! So to make the transition fun and exciting, we are surprising them for Elliott’s birthday with a whole room makeover 🤫🎉 we’re sharing the before (oh the paint 😫) and our plans in my stories if you want to follow along! Let’s see if we can pull it all off this weekend... 

#girlbedroom #sharedbedroom #surprise #bedroommakeover #homerenovation #beforeandafter #blendedfamily #homesweethome #renovation
We heard the heartbeat again today 😍 there’s We heard the heartbeat again today 😍 there’s nothing more miraculous and humbling than the creation of life. It’s such a precious gift from God! I can’t believe we are almost halfway there... and we haven’t thought about a single thing to buy for the baby 😅 we need to get on that since we don’t have anything anymore! AND we find out the gender in two weeks 🎉 
I’m bad about sharing updates on my actual feed so I’m trying to get better about that 🤣 We are working on a secret super fast weekend bedroom makeover for the E2 room, so make sure you keep watch on my stories! And our bigger renovation projects start in about two weeks 😱 All the things!! 
http://liketk.it/3915D photo by @bekahlee33 #liketkit @liketoknow.it #bonusbaby #heartbeat #partyofseven #bigfamily #blendedfamily #bump #midwestliving #iowalife #baby #genderreveal #happylife #godisgood #homerenovation #renovation #home
Life's so unpredictable And things might not be go Life's so unpredictable
And things might not be goin' my way
But it's gonna be a good day
Though things are goin' sideways
I got a smile on my face
And nothing's gonna bring me down
'Cause I know
Whatever happens, He knows
He'll never leave me alone 
I'll be okay
And it's gonna be a good day

Good Day by @strivetobe 

Our new school commute party song! Let’s have an amazing day everyone! 

Shop similar outfit here: http://liketk.it/38W1F Photo by @bekahlee33  #smile #happy #goodlife #positivevibes #positivelife #itsagoodday #ighappy #getit #liketkit @liketoknow.it #carparty #godsgotthis #heisable #motivateme #midwestliving #iowalife
Life is crazy, hard, chaotic, and messy. And there Life is crazy, hard, chaotic, and messy. And there’s no one in the world I’d rather do it with. Love you @dfergesen. 

Photo by @bekahlee33 #beautyinthechaos #embracethejourney #blended #lifeisgood #loveyou #secondchance #midwestliving #transplant #beautyforashes
When you see dad for the first time (since that mo When you see dad for the first time (since that morning) 🥰 #kidpile #handsfullheartfull
We are dedicated to raising good humans in our hou We are dedicated to raising good humans in our house. That means lots of time devoted to explaining what it means to have good character and how to be intentional with our choices and thoughts. @crafting_character was so kind of gift us the Grateful Gobbler, one of many award winning character developing systems for children. I was pleasantly surprised at the kids’ excitement and attention to the stuffed animal, book, and activity prompts. We are a few days into our activity but I can see a difference in their perception already, changing their mindset to gratefulness for even the smallest things. That makes me so proud as a mom! It’s also been a good reminder for me to slow down and look for all the blessings in our lives. Sometimes things get so fast and hard we forget how good we really have it! I encourage you to check out all the character traits at @crafting_character and begin the process of instilling solid character in your children. Check out some of our behind the scenes in my stories 😆

#craftingcharacterseries #raisinggoodhumans #characterbuilding #raisingarrows #fun #values #character #kidswithcharacter #grateful #gratefulhearts
Always and forever, Valentine. I couldn’t be mor Always and forever, Valentine. I couldn’t be more thankful for you, my best friend, amazing husband, and fantastic father. Love you more and more every day ❤️ 
@dfergesen
Valentine’s Day is almost here! It’s a wonderf Valentine’s Day is almost here! It’s a wonderful day to celebrate ❤️love❤️, but also a bitter reminder for those who are single. I want to encourage you to remember those who are widowed and mourning their partner, or those who are single and grieving the lack of a relationship. I wrote some ways you can make those single people feel seen and special on a day they’re probably feeling lonely and sad (check it out through the link in my profile). I challenge you to choose one or two single people in your life to bless on this holiday and fill their day with love too ❤️ http://liketk.it/389TG #liketkit @liketoknow.it #valentinesday #valentine #valentines #youngwidow #singlesday #youareloved #youarenotalone @neveralonewidows #neveralone #loveyou #grieving #griefjourney #celebratelove
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Remembering Day - How to Celebrate the Anniversary of the Death of a Loved One - Love What Matters
Five Season Room
Our Love Story: The Preamble
A Letter to my Children
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • About Me
  • Category

Join the List

CONNECT

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

nicolefergesen

You woke up today. You, yes YOU, have a purpose. You woke up today. 
You, yes YOU, have a purpose. There’s a reason you’re here. There is a reason you have breath in your lungs and your heart continues to beat. No matter what you encounter today, know that God has a plan and you are a part of it. And when it feels hard, fight harder. Continue to discover that purpose and feel empowered in your life. Everything you need to succeed is already inside you, designed perfectly and given by God.

Keep breathing. Keep achieving that purpose. The world needs exactly who you were created to be. Believe it! 
http://liketk.it/39DMt #liketkit @liketoknow.it #keepgoing #yougotthis #keepbreathing #keepmovingforward #inspire #motivateme #godsplan #purpose #findyourpurpose #godisgood #lifejourney @elegantees
Work on the weekend surprise room makeover for E2 Work on the weekend surprise room makeover for E2 has begun! When we first got married Elliott and Eloise shared a room, but when we moved into our new house we gave Elliott her own space temporarily. Now that we are about four months out from baby, it is time to start on the nursery and get the two E’s back together! So to make the transition fun and exciting, we are surprising them for Elliott’s birthday with a whole room makeover 🤫🎉 we’re sharing the before (oh the paint 😫) and our plans in my stories if you want to follow along! Let’s see if we can pull it all off this weekend... 

#girlbedroom #sharedbedroom #surprise #bedroommakeover #homerenovation #beforeandafter #blendedfamily #homesweethome #renovation
We heard the heartbeat again today 😍 there’s We heard the heartbeat again today 😍 there’s nothing more miraculous and humbling than the creation of life. It’s such a precious gift from God! I can’t believe we are almost halfway there... and we haven’t thought about a single thing to buy for the baby 😅 we need to get on that since we don’t have anything anymore! AND we find out the gender in two weeks 🎉 
I’m bad about sharing updates on my actual feed so I’m trying to get better about that 🤣 We are working on a secret super fast weekend bedroom makeover for the E2 room, so make sure you keep watch on my stories! And our bigger renovation projects start in about two weeks 😱 All the things!! 
http://liketk.it/3915D photo by @bekahlee33 #liketkit @liketoknow.it #bonusbaby #heartbeat #partyofseven #bigfamily #blendedfamily #bump #midwestliving #iowalife #baby #genderreveal #happylife #godisgood #homerenovation #renovation #home
Life's so unpredictable And things might not be go Life's so unpredictable
And things might not be goin' my way
But it's gonna be a good day
Though things are goin' sideways
I got a smile on my face
And nothing's gonna bring me down
'Cause I know
Whatever happens, He knows
He'll never leave me alone 
I'll be okay
And it's gonna be a good day

Good Day by @strivetobe 

Our new school commute party song! Let’s have an amazing day everyone! 

Shop similar outfit here: http://liketk.it/38W1F Photo by @bekahlee33  #smile #happy #goodlife #positivevibes #positivelife #itsagoodday #ighappy #getit #liketkit @liketoknow.it #carparty #godsgotthis #heisable #motivateme #midwestliving #iowalife
Life is crazy, hard, chaotic, and messy. And there Life is crazy, hard, chaotic, and messy. And there’s no one in the world I’d rather do it with. Love you @dfergesen. 

Photo by @bekahlee33 #beautyinthechaos #embracethejourney #blended #lifeisgood #loveyou #secondchance #midwestliving #transplant #beautyforashes
When you see dad for the first time (since that mo When you see dad for the first time (since that morning) 🥰 #kidpile #handsfullheartfull
We are dedicated to raising good humans in our hou We are dedicated to raising good humans in our house. That means lots of time devoted to explaining what it means to have good character and how to be intentional with our choices and thoughts. @crafting_character was so kind of gift us the Grateful Gobbler, one of many award winning character developing systems for children. I was pleasantly surprised at the kids’ excitement and attention to the stuffed animal, book, and activity prompts. We are a few days into our activity but I can see a difference in their perception already, changing their mindset to gratefulness for even the smallest things. That makes me so proud as a mom! It’s also been a good reminder for me to slow down and look for all the blessings in our lives. Sometimes things get so fast and hard we forget how good we really have it! I encourage you to check out all the character traits at @crafting_character and begin the process of instilling solid character in your children. Check out some of our behind the scenes in my stories 😆

#craftingcharacterseries #raisinggoodhumans #characterbuilding #raisingarrows #fun #values #character #kidswithcharacter #grateful #gratefulhearts
Always and forever, Valentine. I couldn’t be mor Always and forever, Valentine. I couldn’t be more thankful for you, my best friend, amazing husband, and fantastic father. Love you more and more every day ❤️ 
@dfergesen
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 Nicole Fergesen · Theme by 17th Avenue