Santa Claus: Why parents should not threaten their children with Santa

Many parents have done it. I myself have heard the line. When growing up, I was threatened with getting a bucket of coal for Christmas if I was "bad". This kind of threat is a common threat that children have to contend with. However, God Himself prohibits all punishments or threats towards children, especially the Santa-threat.

Using Santa Claus to threaten children with punishment is seen as child abuse in the Bible. It says in Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and understood in its original context, as any punishments, reprimands, or other controlling demeanor towards children. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. Parents who punished their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen in biblical times as holding your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up the Law in order to convict a group of Greek Christians who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his secular writing. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he sure loved children, and took in a few orphaned children in his time. Indeed, Greco-Roman fathers used the scourge of cords to punish their children, but NOT the Christians among them - the Early Christians were persecuted largely due to being "too soft" on their children.

The mere act of threating children with Santa is the moral crime of child abuse. The most common threat from Santa is that the child victim of the threats will get "coal for Christmas". Sometimes. Santa brings a whip to parents. The practice of Santa has a long history of child abuse by way of behavioral modification.

No child is "naughty", or at least not naughty enough not to deserve presents. Christmas is about giving without receiving, meaning giving without strings attached. Therefore, all children deserve Christmas presents. Children don't misbehave on purpose. They are trying to communicate a need, the best way that they can. Children are sinners, but in the struggling tense of the word "sinner".  Children are struggling sinners.

Santa is often depicted as holding a nice list and a naughty list. Children are always nice, period, even when they have their moments. Children don't deserve any punishment from Santa. No whip that cracks. No bucket of coal.

If you have my values, you focus on Christ in Christmas, and shun Santa Claus altogether. Santa is the direct replicate of the Norse god Odin. Christmas is about the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The reason for the season is not Santa Claus or any other legendary figure, but about Christ Himself and His birth. If your denominational beliefs allow for Santa, be sure to make sure Santa gives gifts out of unconditional love, meaning giving without receiving. 

The reason for the season is not behavioral modification, but true Christian love. True Christian love involves giving without receiving. Santa should not put children on a naughty list, but should give gifts unconditionally. Parents are not even to as much to utter a threat to "call Santa".

Most of the time, parents don't mean the threats that they mete out. My parents didn't mean the threats that they gave me concerning Santa. I was told that if I was bad all year, that I'd get a bucket of coal for Christmas. I had behavioral issues as a child, but my parents at least meant their Santa-threat in vain. But, I didn't realize that they were feigned threats.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!