I have sworn I wouldn't go here, but I've been writing this in my head for a few weeks now and it keeps coming up over and over again. If you think I'm writing this post based on a conversation we personally had, you are greatly wrong. I have been bombarded this year with questions, concerns, and weird looks about how we do Christmas. The last straw was yesterday. I had a doctors appointment and when my doctor walked in, to her delight I'm sure, she was greeted by my 3 children. To break the ice she immediately started asking them questions.
'Have you sat on Santa's lap yet this year?"
"Have you written him your list?"
"Are you excited that he's coming?"
It took everything I had not to laugh out loud when my three children starred at her blankly and all looked at me like, "help mom, what do I do?"
(If you would like to read about why we don't do Santa and what we do at Christmas you can read a post I wrote a few years ago here: http://3kidsnohairandfullheart.blogspot.com/2012/11/christmas-without-santa.html?m=0 )
I tried to explain to her that my kids aren't socially inept they were just looking for my cue as to how to deal with the questions because we don't do Santa Claus. She was embarrassed and gushed with an unneeded apology and then said something that made my heart sink: "So, do you celebrate Christmas?"
Celebrate Christmas?!?!
Christmas is everything. It's the reason we have hope, it's the point of scripture! The last thing we should ever remove from our lives is the beauty of Christmas! I feel immense sadness for someone who wonders how to do Christmas, if you remove the fat jolly dude!
Let's just say, my doctor probably got more than she asked for as I explained that we don't do Santa SO THAT WE CAN MORE FULLY CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS!! I'm grateful for our interaction and I hope she's still thinking about it as much as I am. I'm also thankful that my children got to witness a sophisticated professional adult sound so lost.
This is when I decided to do this. For the record, I don't judge your facebook pictures of Santa visits, mailing lists, or all the creativity you put into that silly elf thing. Not at all. I'm mostly writing this for all the first time parents that are making decisions this time of year on what the holidays will look like in their home.
Can you bring Santa and Jesus into Christmas?
I must admit that for many many years I took the whole "to each their own" approach. I didn't grow up with Santa so it wasn't hard for me to make this call, but I did have many (almost all) of my friends who did. Good God fearing families that seemed to be able to incorporate both the commercial and spiritual side of Christmas. And, I respected that.
I don't know if I changed or the world changed, but somehow my opinions have started to change over time.
Commercialized Christmas teaches be good get good, be bad get bad, a naughty and nice list philosophy of life. This has been crazy reinforced when some genius decided to charge people an extra $39.99 for an elf that you sit in your house during the month of December who will report to Santa how you behave. This be good, be better, you might not get good things if you don't follow the rules mentality is the EXACT OPOSITE OF WHAT THE MANGER STANDS FOR!!!!
I had the priveledge of being at my dad's church last week where he reminded us that the manger is directly connected to the cross. It's true. Christ coming is wrapped up in the purpose of him dying. A death that he experienced for us WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS!!! This is the hope of Christmas! Christmas shouts, you don't have to keep trying anymore!! In fact, any amount of trying wont ever be good enough. God is perfect and demands perfection. There is no naughty and nice list. There's a "You're sins have been covered by the blood of the lamb list"! Praise the Lord!!
What would it look like if every time a parent was going to say, "Don't hit your sister. Little elfy poo might go tell Santa you haven't been good." they said, "This is what Christmas is all about. This is why Jesus was born. He came to die for you even when you hit your sister."
Even when you're disobedient.
Even when you screamed at me.
Even when you lied. He came for you!
Then I realize that maybe we have a problem pointing our children in that direction (myself included) because it's hard for us to believe.
Even when you gossip.
Even when you lose your patience with your kids.
Even when you give back in to the addiction.
Even when you had an abortion.
Even when you were bitter and unforgiving.
Even when........ESPECIALLY WHEN.......This is Christmas!
So, can you bring Santa and Jesus into Christmas?
I would like to suggest to you if you have embraced the western, Americanized, commercialized Santa, then no, trying to do both doesn't work! How can it? It's an opposite message.
I suppose with a lot of intentional effort you may be able to mix the two. To be honest, I haven't invested a lot of my precious brain power, which seems to be limited these days, on trying to figure out how to do it. I love the idea of incorporating the story of Kris Kringle. Mostly because it's important to note that while Christ came to save you just as you are, there's a genuine response to receiving that gift that should come. Our obedience should be a direct result of our gratitude. We don't have to work to be good enough, but goodness should flow out of us as we try to glorify God with our lives. Kris Kringle is a great example of someone who took that love that was filled in him and spread it around to those less fortunate.
You may be thinking, "Geez, back off lady! We're just having some fun around the holidays!" You may be right. I might take this a little to seriously. But I do know in this world we live in we have to cease every opportunity to be intentional with our children. And, thinking back to my childhood, I probably have more memories of things surrounding Christmas than anything else. So, it does matter!
Again, I don't judge the elf pictures! I'm not in your home, and I don't know what you say to your kids. But, however you celebrate Christmas, please, don't sacrifice the glory of the manger for the excitement over peppermint poop! And, if you're just getting started on your parenting journey, it is entirely possible to remove some of the commercialized Christmas things and still have a very fun-filled magical holiday season with your children. I promise!
