Christmas. You know that time of year that we are supposed to be celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ who came as fully God and fully man in order to make a bridge between us and God so that we might reach Him? Oh wait...I wouldn't know that by looking in the stores or in many people's homes. Instead I see big fat guys in red suits that are supposed to magically know when you are bad and good and only bring you gifts if you are good (this totally goes against the meaning of a gift by the way), tons of presents under the tree, sometimes people even going in debt to get the presents, and lots of hoopla about how you need more stuff this Christmas. Now I am not against presents and I think if you want to do Santa that's fine. But I am finding more and more that all of this commercialism is taking away from the real meaning of Christmas. I will be honest to say I am sick and tired of Santa and the fact that people are trying to find fulfillment in things makes me so sad. We did Santa when I was growing up and I loved it when I was little. But when I found out the truth, I was like what's the point? Why are we telling our kids they have to be good in order to get gifts from Santa? You know most people are going to give their kids the gifts anyway. I don't know about you, but I was taught that a gift was something I was given regardless of how I acted. Rewards were things given for a job well done. And God gave us the greatest gift ever that one night long ago in the form of a babe, His own son Jesus Christ. We definitely didn't deserve this gift and yet it was freely offered to us anyway. Because when we get down to it, none of us would ever really be "good" enough to ever get gifts from Santa anyway. We are selfish, we lie, we cheat, and we have this awful sin nature. And yet the greatest thing is that God gave us Jesus anyway. This is what I want to celebrate at Christmas time. Not Santa. Not the collection of things. Not going into debt getting gifts. Just Jesus. Because He is enough for me. So I have a lot of thoughts and questions about what I will do with my own kids and family one day. And here's what I have come up with so far....
1) Tell my kids the truth about Santa and how there was a real man named St. Nicholas who gave gifts to children in an orphanage and this is how the legend of Santa was born. We may decide to do "Santa" but the kids will really know it's gifts from their parents and it's just a sort of game we play.
2) Have Christmas be all about Jesus, because without Him there really wouldn't be Christmas. Share the Christmas story with my kids every chance I get and make it fun for them. Make a birthday cake for Jesus. Put up a nativity etc.
3) Do not do the elf on the shelf. The true concept behind it is just weird and I think they are just creepy. Instead hide the wise men in different places around the house as they are making their way to see Jesus and have them find the wise men every morning.
4) Instead of doing stockings, give my kids a pair of new slippers each year filled with treats and little toys. Talk about how this is because the wise men brought gifts to Jesus and they had to travel far to find Him.
5) When my kids are old enough have them write on a slip of paper what they want to give to Jesus that year and put it in a wrapped box with a slit on the top. They can give Him more time, maybe surrender their prideful attitude etc. This teaches that not only does Christ give us so much, but we are to give of ourselves back to Him.
6) Participate in Operation Christmas Child and have each of my children pack a shoebox for a child around the world that otherwise wouldn't get anything for Christmas.
Those are just some of my ideas for Christmas. I hope my future husband will agree with me on some of them, because I think they would be super fun and a neat way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
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