"Better not pout, better not cry": Why I oppose Santa Claus

Many parents believe in Santa Claus for their children, meaning most children in the United States grow up with Santa Claus in their lives. Nor all of us Christians believe in Santa Claus, however. I myself am opposed, on religious grounds, to imparting a belief in Santa Claus onto children. I see it as idolatry, meaning I would know the origins. I don't lecture most people, but will if Santa is used to abuse children.

How would Santa be used to abuse children? Look no further than the phrase "better not pout, better not cry". It says in Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: as this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they become discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to provocations to anger against children, meaning all offenses against children, as defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child. This was intended to include any punishment, including corporal punishment or even the threat of punishment. The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin; hupakouo) and refers to trust in parents, namely the vulnerable trust borne out of maternal warmth and sustenance. In my Christian culture, parents give gifts to children, not a gift giver as an intercessor. 

Santa Claus was intended as an intercessor to parents during Victorian times, who were too high and pious for their own children. Some versions of Santa Claus in Europe depict Santa handing parents a whip to beat the children with, even as a dated tradition in European countries that have banned spanking. Krampus, in the middle ages, was said to have went around the town whipping children who did bad things.

Punishment of children is not part of the Christian tradition at all, even if many claim it to be. Santa Claus is way too often used as a weapon to enforce "good behavior" on children, placing children in fear of punishment. Anything fear-based in parenting in terms of imposing fear of children is a provocation to anger. Parents should give gifts directly, and the terms should be unconditional Christian love, not good behavior. Christian love is when parents are struck with reverent terror and fear, leading to conviction to surrender to the every need of a child.

Santa Claus is a form of child oppression masked as child care. Santa Claus has a history of being used to oppress children by replacing parents with a man with a red suit. Who is this man incarnate of? None other than the Norse god Odin, or Woten as spelled under the Germanic spelling. If you are Roman Catholic, you can regard him as instead St. Nicholas, the giving saint, but I am not Roman Catholic, but instead non-denominational Anabaptist. The Greek root word denoting idolatry is ειδολολτρης (Latin: eidololatres) and refers to any worshipping of idols other than God Himself, who was once falsely regarded as an idol Himself before declaring in the First Commandment that "no false gods before me". See 1 Corithians 6:9-10 KJV:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

So, I just quit supporting Santa Claus, and won't teach my children to worship a pagan idol. If they beg for Santa Claus, THAT will be my one Christian reason, to avoid provocation to anger. I'll inform them of how I feel first, but then that's it. But, it would be for THEM, not me. So long, Santa Claus. I got a Nativity scene instead...