Santa Claus is coming to town, likely doing shopping mall near you.

And Santa appears a lot this time of year, and in a lot of our listener emails too, in

fact 200 mentions of Santa are in the inbox to date, but it's been a few years since

we've last addressed him here on the Ask Pester John podcast and to do so today, Pester

John joins me over the phone, Pester John, of course there's a fourth century Greek

historical figure named St. Nicholas, that's not who we're talking about. All of those

200 references to Santa are speaking about the mythical white bearded red-suited reindeer

flying Santa, that one. And most recently from a podcast listener named Jill, dear Pester

John, I'm a state-home mother of three small children, five, four, and two. My husband

and I grew up as children, believing Santa Claus to be real. And while it was truly magical

for those nine years, when I found out that it wasn't true, I remember burying my head

and sobbing. I was not angry at my parents. I knew they wanted to surprise me and make

Christmas special. However, I was truly disappointed. Now as a mother, I feel torn between

scriptures like do not lie to one another, Colossians 3.9. And yet still desiring to create

something mythical and special and magical for my children around Christmas. But I fear

more emphasis is placed on the bearded man in a suit than Jesus our Savior. My question

is, what if my husband feels differently and actually wants to keep the Santa myth alive

for our children? What Pester John should I do?

Well, I see three different issues in what Jill is asking, at least if I hear her correctly.

And so let me say a word about each one of these. And I'm going to end on the very question

about dealing with her husband. But I think there are two other issues besides that one

that probably need to be addressed. Number one is that the primary crisis in her own

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