I pondered Santa Claus. You see, I avoid Santa in just about every way I can during the Christmas season: from passing over Santa wrapping paper and ornaments to clicking right past "Miracle on 34th Street" when it's on TV. Not that I think Santa is evil (I actually know people who ascribe to the whole "Santa" is really "Satan" just spelled differently theory, but that's quite a stretch, even for this girl), but I do think that overemphasizing the story of Santa Claus is at best a somewhat misguided distraction from celebrating Jesus (hello, it's CHRISTmas, not Santamas), and at worst, a dangerous counterfeit of the entire holiday! You see, Santa doesn't bother me when he remains in the background...like reading "T'was the Night before Christmas" as an appetizer but then reading Luke 2 as the main course. However, I get downright twitchy when I see the long line of kids at the mall waiting to get on Santa's lap to whisper in his ear the things they are longing for...it bothers me because a child should be taught to pray, to whisper into the ear of the Almighty the secrets and desires of the heart. I get frustrated when I see sleighs and reindeer and elves...and not a nativity scene in sight! I get downright emotional when I hear stories about the benevolent generousity of Santa...and not a word about the cruel suffering of the Saviour to give us the greatest gift conceivable: redemption and eternal life. I have heard some Christians say that Santa is harmless...well, I agree that he can be. If he serves as one example among many of giving generously to others (sort of like Robin Hood or a post-ghost Ebenezer Scrooge). If he is simply an anecdote. If he stays in the background.
2 comments:
Very well said, sister! We don't do "Santa" in our house. I'm sure my children would FREAK out if they thought some guy in a beard was going to come into the house on Christmas Eve. There's just not enough money to cover that kind of therapy!
We agree at our house too. I had to laugh about the part about "passing over the Santa wrapping paper", b/c I seriously search the whole roll to make sure he's not hidden in there somewhere! :) I just think he's a distraction from what we should really be celebrating. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
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