Here's a little pre-Advent conversation starter for you. Any and all feedback would be most appreciated.Not too long ago, a friend of mine told her young son the truth about Santa Claus.
From the reaction of some of her family members, you would’ve thought she had decided to stop feeding him. Some exclaimed, “You’re stealing his childhood!” It became a real controversy.
Now, I have to say that I have nothing against St. Nick. I grew up leaving him milk and cookies, too.
But I have to wonder what’s going on when people are more concerned about their children believing in Santa than they are about their children believing in Jesus. Are we as passionate about the Baby in the manger as we are about the plump elf in the red suit? If not, what has gone wrong?
Please don’t take this as another anti-Santa tirade. It’s not. I just hope that, as parents, we think about what happens when our kids grow up and learn the truth about Mr. Claus. Will they then question the truth of the other Christmas story we’ve told them too--the one with the angels and shepherds the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay?
If you ask my friend’s son what Christmas is all about, he will tell you with no hesitation, “It’s Jesus’ birthday.”
Is there any other answer you’d rather hear?
3 comments:
"Santa" is a very nice story, but Jesus is the truth. (I won't put down what D.S. said.)
V.S.
The jolly ol' elf, flying reindeer, grandma's getting runned over - does it take away from the
Christ of Christmas? It can if the real Christmas account is left out or given equal standing among the all the fictional "stories". However children can and do realize fact over fantasy as parents reinforce the Christ coming to us.
I had the same concern of mixing the true meaning of Christmas and fantasy with my own son - so I decided to do a reality check with him and asked him about the "world" he lives in with all his imgination and play acting - in answer to my questions he flatly came out to say "Dad, that's not real - I am using my imgination"
Through out the years this very imaginative child (now young man)restates his faith as we light his baptism candle - acknowledging this Christ of Christmas came to him and made him His own at his baptism. Wow! What a Christmas present!
Our Christmas day tradition is get up, go to church, come home, read the Christmas account (Luke & Matthew), pray - thanking the Lord for coming to us, open presents.
By the way the cookies and half a class of milk the night before are pretty tasty.
One of my favorite Santa stories: one year I was asked to play Santa for a local adult daycare center(maybe it has to do with my "Santa" profile) anyway - I decided to drop by my house and see my three year old daughter. She was surprised to see Santa make an early stop just to hello to the "good little girl". She climbed upon Santa's lap staring in amazement as her mom took some pictures, never saying a word. Soon Santa left and she informed her mom "Santa has eyes just like daddy."
The One who comes to us and pulls us close to Him - has "eyes just like our(and His) Father". Eyes of compassion. Smiling eyes as He looks at you and says "This is my beloved child with whom I am well pleased." His child He has claimed as His own.
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