Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Although Santa Claus was originally viewed as the Christian figure of Saint Nicholas, a patron saint of children, Santa Claus is arguable wholly secular in today’s world. Some Christians object to him because he is secular rather than Christian; some non-Christians object to him because of his Christian roots. He is a powerful cultural symbol which is nearly impossible to ignore, but does this mean that he should simply be accepted without question? The Santa Claus myth is based on the idea of children getting gifts. There’s nothing wrong with getting gifts, but Santa Claus seems to make it the focus of the entire holiday. Children are encouraged to behave according to parental expectation in order to receive ever more presents. In order to make their Christmas wish lists, kids pay close attention to what advertisers tell them they need and should want, effectively encouraging unbridled consumerism and economic activity. Some might think that because Santa Claus is such an old tradition, this alone is suffi