Every year as Christmas rolls around, Santa kind of takes over.

Because let’s be honest—

Santa is loud, colorful, jolly, and everywhere.

And Jesus…

Jesus is quiet. Holy. Humble. Sacred.

It’s easy for Santa to take center stage if we’re not purposeful, and it’s also easy for parents to feel guilty when they realize they’ve talked more about elves than Emmanuel.

So how do we balance it without losing the true meaning of Christmas?

Here’s how we navigate it in our home—and how you can, too.

1. We Celebrate Both… but We Prioritize One

In our family, Jesus always gets top billing.

Santa is delightful, magical, fun—and we absolutely enjoy him.

But Christmas belongs to Jesus.

If you ask my daughter what Christmas is about, she won’t skip a beat:

“It’s Jesus’ birthday.”

Santa doesn’t even make the sentence.

And that’s exactly the foundation we want to build:

a child who can enjoy the gifts without confusing the Giver.

2. We Teach That Santa’s Magic Comes From Jesus

This is one of my favorite pieces of our homespun Christmas tradition:

We tell our children that Jesus gave Santa the magic of unbelievable kindness and generosity.

Because Jesus is so loving and so generous that on His birthday…

 He wants us to receive gifts.

 He wants us to give generously to others.

 He wants our homes filled with joy and wonder.

Santa simply joins in the celebration of the King. This story lets kids enjoy Santa with full hearts—without ever losing sight of the One who started it all.

3. We Connect Santa’s “Magic” to Jesus’ Teachings

Santa’s generosity? That’s Jesus’ heart.

Santa’s joy? Also Jesus.

Santa’s desire to give good gifts? Straight from the Giver of all good things.

Suddenly, Santa isn’t overshadowing Jesus…

He’s pointing back to Him.

And children understand the connection beautifully. They feel the difference between fun magic and holy miracle.

4. We Talk About Why We Give Gifts

We don’t give gifts just because Santa comes. We give gifts because Jesus started the tradition.

“Because God loved us so much, He gave…” (John 3:16)

That’s the heart of Christmas. Santa simply participates in the generosity that Jesus began.

So as a family, we:

 Give thoughtful gifts

 Practice secret acts of kindness

 Donate toys

 Choose someone to bless every December

This shifts our children from getting to giving.

5. We Keep Jesus the Centerpiece

If there’s ever a drift (and there will be)…

If Santa starts taking up too much space (and he can)…

We simply refocus and regroup.

Because the heart of Christmas is too precious to let it slide. We make sure that Jesus isn’t something we “add on” to December…

He’s the heartbeat of our home during the season.

Nativity before elf.

Scripture before stockings.

Worship before wrapping.

Little changes make a huge difference.

6. Kids Can Handle the Balance Beautifully

Children are far more capable of understanding the balance than we often realize.

Kids can hold:

 The magic of Santa

and

 The miracle of Jesus

—without confusion, when parents are intentional.

Santa keeps Christmas fun. Jesus keeps it meaningful.

Santa brings wonder. Jesus brings salvation.

We don’t have to choose one or the other…

We simply need to keep them in their rightful places.

In Our Home, There’s Room for Both

There is room for magic. There is room for miracles. There is room for imagination. There is room for worship.

You don’t have to throw Santa out the door to keep Jesus at the center.

Just keep pointing your children back to the One whose birthday we’re celebrating.

And let the joy of both traditions fill your home this season.