for those that celebrate christmas.

do you believe in santa or not

[Crazy Hitch]

I didn't answer my own question!

yes I believe, in fact every christmas eve use and online tracker to see where he is.

pretty cool tradition if you ask me

i've still never got a single gift from him, which makes my belief quite strong if I still believe in him

I believe in the spirit of Santa, but not the physical being.

[eskielover]

This gets into a religious expression of my beliefs which go far beyond even the classic birth of Christ which is what Christmas is all about. Only my beliefs are more Biblical & complex than what the church has chosen to celebrate.

[Artchic528]

Of course Santa is real. As everyone ages, their perception of Santa changes. He starts out being believed as a flesh and blood elf who merrily enters our homes and gives us presents, but as we grow older and wiser, we realize he's more so a seasonal expression of hope. He represents the kindness and generosity in us all, the very spirit, and the one true meaning of Christmas, in a nutshell.

His history is long and complex, and starts off very much a Catholic one, as Saint Nicholas, famous for gift giving and the very reason we give each other gifts on such occasions as Christmas. He dressed in long red robes, a red hat and had a long white beard. So, in fact, Santa as we know him today is very much a symbol of the Christian Faith.

Then, his ever evolving image became more so the jolly elf we know today thanks to editorials like the famous "Is there a Santa Claus?" letter by little Virgina O'Hanlen answered in the New York Post, the famous poem "The night before Christmas" by Clement Clark Moore, and the iconic image of the modern Santa we all know and love drinking an ice cold bottle of Coca-Cola.

To call Santa anything but a symbol of Christianity, of hope, of generosity and the Christmas Spirit is something only a true Scrooge would do (then again, thanks to "A Christmas Carol", we all know even his heart can be warmed with a little spiritual guidance ).

Honestly, I don't know...

I never believed in Santa because my mom used. to tell me that Christmas isn't about Santa and that he wasn't real and that Santa was just made up by some corporation to get people to forget "the true meaning of Christmas".

But this year I asked Santa to get rid of my schizophrenia and I think he did....
So...............

[winter loneliness]

I believed in Santa until I was in maybe 2 grade.

[Quarter life]

I believe in The 'Spirit' of Christmas...and for many Santa Claus is a part of that. A Time to reflect with good Friends and/or Family, adding our own festive traditions, and being grateful, joyous & forgiving.

However ...I am more than a little uncomfortable in the claim that he knows where I live.

Originally Posted by Artchic528

Of course Santa is real. As everyone ages, their perception of Santa changes. He starts out being believed as a flesh and blood elf who merrily enters our homes and gives us presents, but as we grow older and wiser, we realize he's more so a seasonal expression of hope. He represents the kindness and generosity in us all, the very spirit, and the one true meaning of Christmas, in a nutshell.

His history is long and complex, and starts off very much a Catholic one, as Saint Nicholas, famous for gift giving and the very reason we give each other gifts on such occasions as Christmas. He dressed in long red robes, a red hat and had a long white beard. So, in fact, Santa as we know him today is very much a symbol of the Christian Faith.

Then, his ever evolving image became more so the jolly elf we know today thanks to editorials like the famous "Is there a Santa Claus?" letter by little Virgina O'Hanlen answered in the New York Post, the famous poem "The night before Christmas" by Clement Clark Moore, and the iconic image of the modern Santa we all know and love drinking an ice cold bottle of Coca-Cola.

To call Santa anything but a symbol of Christianity, of hope, of generosity and the Christmas Spirit is something only a true Scrooge would do (then again, thanks to "A Christmas Carol", we all know even his heart can be warmed with a little spiritual guidance ).

he did give bob cratchett the day off work

and that was even before he met the ghosts

I think underneath it all he's just a big softy. lol.

as for perceptions changing, I will always believe in santa as the human elf person

because, well.. that's what I believe

[Nammu]

I believe in a spirit of winter solstice, it's a magical time and many have tried to capitalize on that magic by superimposing their beliefs on it but it's the original magic that prevails.

[Loial]

I believed in Santa when I was little. We always used to put out some whisky and a biscuit for Santa and a carrot for the reindeers.

One year we left a particularly knobbly carrot and I saw it a few days later in the veg box. That was enough to make me realise it wasn’t true.

However, I didn’t let on for another two years because I still wanted Santa presents.

[Artchic528]

Originally Posted by shattered sanity

he did give bob cratchett the day off work

and that was even before he met the ghosts

I think underneath it all he's just a big softy. lol.

as for perceptions changing, I will always believe in santa as the human elf person

because, well.. that's what I believe

I believe it was only half a day, but your right.

Originally Posted by Artchic528

I believe it was only half a day, but your right.

actually I think you could be right

I think eventually he convinced screwdge to give him the entire day off because he said their would be no one to trade with