The Secret of Saint Nicholas deals with an issue that many parents, not just Christians, find very difficult – what to do about Santa?

“Many children are devastated when they find out that Santa is not real,” says author, Mary Anne Kamols. “Many parents dread their children believing they have lied to them all these years. Father Christmas is not a lie, he was a real person and it is the spirit and love of Bishop Nicholas of Myra that lives on through parents doing something very special for their children.”

Through a story that blends the history of Saint Nicholas with a tale of village people and Christmas customs, it passes on the secret that it really is parents who deliver the presents at Christmas time in memory of God’s gift to us of Christ.

Beautifully illustrated by David Russ, the book is clearly intended for a primary age child. The length and complexity of the text would quickly lose the concentration of younger children even with their parents reading.

The strength of the book is that it uses the story of Bishop Nicholas to point back to Jesus: “Each Christmas they all remembered Bishop Nicholas, the love he had for them and how he wanted to give them presents to remind them of the special gift of Jesus.”

Although I acknowledge the book is primarily aimed at the secular market, I have concerns about the over-emphasis on Bishop Nicholas’ actions in the story, which detract from God’s power. For example, when Bishop Nicholas is caught in a boat on the sea during a storm he prays and the storm calms. It is not stated that it was God who calmed the waves, perhaps leaving the impression for some that Nicholas had special powers.

Especially considering the length of the text, more could easily have been said about the life, mission and resurrection of Jesus that motivated Bishop Nicholas.

Nevertheless this book, used wisely, will offer any Christian parent the opportunity to discuss with their children the vexed issues which surround our culture’s deification of Santa Claus. A good starting point.