Operation Saint Nicholas

Rose doesn't believe in Santa Claus. She is 10, so I'm not surprised.  When I asked why, though, she said someone told her Santa was invented by the Devil to take attention away from Jesus.

Whoa. Now, I am not one to use a blog to publicize my religious beliefs. I also try to be open-minded about beliefs contradicting mine. This presents a struggle because I don't agree with what Rose was told.  So if you agree with it you might want to stop reading.

I guess that reasoning was better than, "Well, Santa, just didn't like you" when asked by 7-year-old why Santa has never visited her. Yet it seems worse than just saying: "Santa isn't real, honey." Why bring Jesus and the Devil into it at all? I am freaked out by people who throw out religion in that way. Seems cowardly.

Plus, when Roes repeated it I could tell by the tone of her voice she didn't really believe it. She was just parroting something to protect herself from the real reason why Santa never visited. Rose is smart. She knows why.

I don't have the heart to tell her the total truth, either. I don't think she's ready for it. Or maybe I'm not ready. Instead, I told her Santa Claus came from the story of Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas was sainted by the church because he treated children kindly, I said.  (Then I chuckled to myself because they way I explained the saint made him sound like a pedophile, but I digress.)

"Well, I believe in Saint Nicholas, just not Santa," she said. Of course I know she just wants to be liked and seems inclined to agree with anything to achieve that goal. So I am determined to change her agreement to belief. Here begins Operation Saint Nicholas. Not to fill her life with more lies but to bring a little much needed magic and wonder to it. She'll decide on her own what she believes and doesn't.

After all, what better to boost a child's self esteem than gifts from a kindred spirit regardless of the stickers she's earned or the number of friends she has.

My plans are a little hazy, so feel free to add new suggestions:
Step 1: Have her watch Miracle on 34th Street, the old version - Check.
Step 2: Ask a male coworker/friend to send a card to Rose from Saint Nicholas
Step 3: Leave a few other small gifts from the Saint between now and Christmas with the same handwriting on the tags as the card
Step 4: Allow Rose to open Christmas gifts from Mom and Dad Christmas Eve once we're home from the Schulte's celebration again with the same handwriting from steps 2 and 3.
Step 5: Place Saint Nicholas gifts under the tree for discovery Christmas morning in the same handwriting as steps 2 and 3.

Think it'll work?