22 November 2004
Why Santa Claus is a Christian Symbol
Many in our world will decry Santa Claus for taking away the focus from the Savior at Christmas. I heard today how a leader in a religious school felt justified in telling children that Santa Claus doesn’t exist. How sad to poison their minds against one of the most powerful symbols of Christmas, one that, as I will attempt to convince you, leads men indeed to Christ and true Christianity.
Under pressure from Pagan threats, the powers that be combined Christ’s birth with pagan celebrations but kept the gifts. Over time, the legend of Kris Kringle arose, a man who traveled to good children at Christmas and gave them gifts according to their behavior. Those who permit Santa a place at Christmas do so generally on the basis of the gift giving, which commemorates the tokens the Wise Men brought to the baby Jesus. However, Santa himself reflects the Savior in many ways. He works all year long to give things away. He does so without expectation of recognition or reward, appearing in secret and giving without hesitation. He gives gifts proportionate to the behavior of children. He forces none to do his work in his stead, delivering the gifts personally on a single night before returning to his distant home. Children write to him, imploring him to shower them with gifts. One of the best images of Santa is from “Miracle on 34th Street” where Kris Kringle, acting as the department store Santa, sends shoppers to a competitor for a gift. He is concerned with the child’s happiness, not with the bottom line. Teaching children to believe in Santa Claus teaches them to believe in someone bigger than they are whose only desire is to bring men joy.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son… Santa gives. He never takes or expects us to give against our will just because he gave something to us. Ye are my friends…whom I delight to bless…and ye shall have inheritance with me. We receive blessings by obedience to his laws and commandments, but rather than give punishments, at least Santa gives children something useful- coal, which provides them with warmth and light and helps lead people back to Christ, the source of all that is good in this world. Jesus spent but a brief period doing good among men, then he went home to his father. He invites us to work with him as his elves, but forces none to serve. Jesus went about doing good, giving of his essence and strength to help others without hoping or even wanting gratitude or reward. He asked the lepers not to tell what he had done, and in one single night, he gave the greatest gift of all- the promise of freedom from death and sin for those who commit to serve and obey his word. He invites us to ask him for blessings and promises to answer our prayers. He knows who’s naughty and nice, but he usually gives us gifts despite the fact that we haven’t been “good little girls and boys” all year long.
Some fiends of capitalism took advantage of the popularity of this idea to market toys and possessions in order to maximize on the gift idea. Just like the servants of the adversary have done through all time, they counterfeit Christmas behind gifts, wrapping paper, and shopping so as to distract us from the true meaning of Christmas. Despite our best efforts, they will likely continue to provide opposition to the truth, mutating Kris Kringle into their spokesman and masking his role as a herald of Christ as they have done with all good things God gives man.
Let us be like Edmund Gwen as Kris Kringle and work for the happiness of children. There is happiness to be found in life so long as there is Christmas, and Santa Claus is the messenger of happiness and hope, who annually reminds us that there is something bigger than ourselves that acts for only altruistic purposes and that men can be good when they consider the needs of others.
No comments:
Post a Comment