Why I Like Santa Claus? (And I Hope You would Too)

Every Christmas season, one cheerful character tends to steal the spotlight: Santa Claus. With his red suit, big belly, and sack full of presents, he often becomes the center of attention—overshadowing the true meaning of Christmas. Many Christians react to this by rejecting Santa altogether, worried that he distracts from Christ.

I understand that concern. But I also have a reason why I actually like Santa Claus—and it has very little to do with reindeer or chimneys. It has everything to do with the real man behind the myth.

The Real Santa: St. Nicholas of Myra

The modern Santa Claus is loosely inspired by St. Nicholas, a real bishop from the 4th century. Nicholas was well known for his generosity, especially toward the poor and vulnerable. His acts of kindness inspired the tradition of gift-giving that later shaped the Santa Claus legend.

But there’s an even more important part of his story—one that most people never hear.

When St. Nicholas Defended the Divinity of Jesus

Around AD 325, church leaders gathered at the Council of Nicaea to address a serious theological crisis. A priest named Arius had been teaching that Jesus Christ was not truly divine—that He was a created being, not equal with the Father.

This false teaching spread quickly and confused many believers. It threatened the heart of the Christian faith: the identity of Jesus.

The church fathers rejected Arius’s teaching and upheld the biblical truth that Jesus is “true God from true God… of the same essence as the Father.” (Nicene Creed)

And according to early tradition, when Nicholas encountered Arius publicly teaching error, he became so stirred with righteous anger for the truth of Christ that he struck Arius across the face. Whether every detail of that story is historically exact or passed down through tradition, it reflects what Nicholas was known for: boldly defending the deity of Christ.

Santa Claus Wasn’t Just a Gift Giver—He Was a Defender of Christ

This is why I like Santa Claus.

Not because of the commercialized character who gives toys once a year, but because of the courageous bishop behind the legend—a man who loved Christ deeply, served the poor generously, and defended biblical doctrine bravely.

Santa Claus didn’t start as a symbol of distraction from Christ. He started as a witness to Christ.

Why This Matters Today

We live in a time when truth is often treated as optional, flexible, or unimportant. Many are still misled by ideas that shrink Jesus into something less than Lord and God.

St. Nicholas reminds us that:

• Right doctrine matters.
• Who Jesus is matters.
• The truth is worth defending.

We don’t punch false teachers today—but we do stand firmly on Scripture, speak truth in love, and refuse to let culture reshape the identity of Christ.

Conclusion

So yes—I like Santa Claus.
Not the marketing mascot, but the real man who pointed people to Jesus through generosity, conviction, and courageous faith.

This Christmas, when you see Santa decorations everywhere, remember the deeper story:
A man who not only gave gifts to the needy but also stood fearlessly for the greatest truth of all—the full divinity of Jesus Christ, our Savior.