Christmas is now over. It seems to me that every year after the Christmas presents are opened I feel a big let down. I do not really understand why that is. I have pondered a few ideas, then this morning I read the "Peanuts" comic and it asks the same question: http://comics.com/peanuts/. It does not provide an answers, however, it is nice to see I am not the only one feeling this way. What I find myself asking is, am I going about celebrating Christmas in the wrong way? Are there families all over the world, or at least in the United States, going about it the wrong way? I believe it is important to ask these questions, then seek to find answers based on what the Bible teaches. This is never easy, but I believe it is a question I have to find the answer to.
One thing I do find myself being convicted about, which means I have to move to make a decision, is the issue of Santa Claus. The question I have been wrestling with is how do I address the issue of Santa Claus because he is not a real person who comes down the chimney and brings presents to children. In light of that fact, am I to tell children that Santa is real? Is this "lie" something that I have been willing to justify because it is a fun way to pretend with children? This year I have decided that it is not. So now that leaves me with the question of how I will celebrate Christmas from this point forward? One possibility I will be looking into is advent. This year I had a very small introduction to it, but I still don't understand much about it. I plan to do some research and decide if that seems like a route I want to take. I am looking for ideas and suggestions if anyone has any. How do you deal with Santa, what do you know about advent, or any other thoughts and ideas you might have.
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For many years I have felt the same "letdown" after Christmas....it is so looked forward to, so prepared for and then with a blink it is over. I have found though in the last few years that this feeling has not remained. I remember as a child looking forward to Santa coming and since the day I figured out that he was not real it has never been the same. It was always disappointing somehow. I did not know the real reason behind Christmas, nor was I taught about where the traditions of Christmas came from.
ReplyDeleteMany years later I was saved and I began to hear the real meaning of Christmas. Slowly my feelings, purposes behind and reasons for celebrating at all have changed.
It has struck me with such magnitude that Christ, the GOD of the entire Universe, who sits in the throne room of heaven, who knows all things and is all powerful would come to earth to become a human being. The fact that He became like us in all ways and then lived a perfect life without sin and died on behalf of all people that those who believe can reach heaven....it blows me away. It is a real reason to celebrate!
Now that I have children I have purposed to share the truth of the great man St. Nicolas was, how the traditions came about, even have fun with celebrating his life and the fun stories we pretend with. But, more importantly sharing the story of Jesus. Why He came, when He came, how He came. My kids had fun this year listening to the stories of Scripture, reading books, acting the stories out and even making Jesus a birthday cake. We also talked about the way the wise men brought gifts to Jesus and then how when we give to one another, we give to God.
I hope that somehow my story/journey is helpful in promoting further thoughts.
With love,
Jennifer Albertson =)
It is a day to celebrate Jesus' birth, a day to give to one another as unto the Lord, a day of honoring like any other day of the year.
Thanks for sharing that Jennifer! It is a great reminder to me and others to be mindful of the reason Christmas is something to be celebrated. As I was reading you comment it occurred to me that part of the let down I feel, I think, is coming from seeing how so many Christians have forgotten the Truth you wrote about. I am not blanketing all Christians with this by any means, but I see the meaning being lost and wordly traditions replacing the message of Christ's birth.
ReplyDeleteSamantha, can you explain a little more about "Advent?" I've never heard of it in the context of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteReally, when one looks into the origins and subsequent traditions of the modern Christmas holiday, unfortunately one walks away with more pagan ritual than Biblical fact. But I don't think that means we should just ignore the occasion. Personally I never support the Santa fantasy with children of any age. But I don't go around telling them it's all a lie either. (For one, you'd have their parents to contend with!) But I think a person can turn the holiday season into a time to reflect on the amazing story of Jesus. Talk about that. Inspire kids to think about Jesus rather than traditions based on human religion.
salaam-
paul