Christmas in August ... What???

I want to say now that some parts of this particular post may surprise you.  You may not agree with it, and that is okay.  It may have the potential to upset some, however that is not my aim.  Neither do I write to push any particular agenda.  I only write to share my thoughts on life in light of grace, mercy and love.  Now, that said ...

It's August.  Time for the back to school rituals of shopping for clothing and supplies, attending open houses and orientations, setting alarms to rise and shine early, lamenting the inevitable fact of following a school bus for what seems like endless miles ... so why is my mind on Christmas?  Allow me give you some background.

In the last year, my family has undergone a transformation in some of the ways we celebrate Christmas.  It all started when my husband, Landon, and I discussed the fact that Brody and Aubrey would be with their dad on Christmas morning.  As a result, "Santa" would have already made his magical appearance in that home.  Would he also show up in our home, even though the kids would not be there Christmas morning?

Thus it began.  Santa had always visited my home in the past.  Can you change something that's always been a "tradition"?  The question had much deeper implications for us as we prayed and searched for an answer.

While Christmas has many of its roots in pagan rituals that were "christianized" by the roman catholic church, we evangelical Christians nonetheless celebrate the day. We remember Christ's birth and purpose in being born as man, which was to die for our sins and impute His righteousness to us when we are born again.  So of course we teach our children that we celebrate Christmas to remember Jesus' birth. It's not all about the presents under the tree and it's definitely not all about Santa.   

Last Christmas, we focused even more on Jesus and why He was even born.  We did not promote Santa, did not encourage our kids to "be good because Santa is making his list", and Santa did not visit our home.

As expected Santa came to visit my kids at their dad's house.  And when the kids arrived home on Christmas day at our house, they had plenty of gifts, blessed far beyond the majority of the world's children.  But when asked who the gifts were from we truthfully told them that they were from Mommy and Papi (the kids' name for Landon).  They asked about Santa's gifts and we explained that Santa had already visited them, but more importantly that in our home, Jesus will be the focus, not Santa.  They accepted it and enjoyed their day with the family.

Then came the day this past spring, sometime near Easter, when Brody says to me, "Mommy, (so and so) said at school that Santa's not real."  (I'm thinking this young kindergarten conversation may have stemmed from a discussion of the easter bunny, which, in my mind, is an even crazier thing to expect children to believe.)  I asked Brody, "Well honey, what do you think about that?"  He began to talk his way through some rationalizations that Santa couldn't go to every home in one night, that he couldn't carry that many gifts in his sleigh, that he was too big to fit down a chimney, and he couldn't really be real ... then  he asked me, "Mommy, is he real?  Is Santa real?"

My moment was here.  Landon and I had worked tirelessly at Christmas time to make sure that the kids knew the reason we celebrate Christmas. We had lifted the name of Jesus to the best of our ability.  Now, the question I expected had come sooner than expected.  Would I tell them what most parents say, "Well you just have to believe!"  That seemed silly to me now ... we teach them belief in Jesus, who is real, by telling them to have faith in someone they cannot physically see and touch.  To ask them to likewise believe in Santa, who is not real, seemed absurd.

One day they will know the truth - Santa is not real.  Will they then ask, "What about Jesus? Is He real?"  Will I then say, "Oh yes, Jesus is real.  I know you can't see Him working in your life (just like you couldn't see Santa bring your gifts), but you must believe me, Jesus is real.  I know I told you to believe in Santa, and now you know I wasn't truthful about that one, but I'm serious about Jesus, He IS real."  Poof.  Just like that, my credibility with my children in matters of faith would have its chance to go up in flames.

So, I took a deep breath and asked my son, "Brody, do you want mommy to tell you the truth?"  Brody said "yes mommy, the truth."  I answered, "You are correct, son, there is no way Santa can be real.  He is not.  Jesus is, and that's all you need to trust in."  Exhale.  Job done.  Or so I thought.

Just this week I received a phone call from a parent.  My daughter, age 4 and a half now, out of the blue decides to tell another child, age 9, that her mommy told her Santa is not real.  This parent was upset with me for telling my children this.  I explained the same background that I just shared with you, and then I proceeded to share the gospel the best I could, that as Christians we say Christmas is about Jesus, who was born only to die for us, and that Satan just loves to use things like Santa to draw our focus away from our Lord and coming King.  Ironically, this individual was upset with me for speaking truth. This parent did not share my view of being truthful about Santa, and that is okay.  I did not set out to condemn or expect to change the way children are raised.  However, I was not willing to compromise my stance on Christ as most important.

I know that the majority of Christian parents will not agree with me.  They may say it's just a tradition ... it's the fun of Christmas ... it's the magic of the season ... it's what the kids look forward to ... you can celebrate Jesus' birth and still have Santa.

I am not the final authority on these matters.  I am only a redeemed sinner, saved by the grace of God through the perfect sacrifice of His perfect Son.  And because of that, I am called to be set apart.  In our household, we felt that allowing Santa to have any claim, however small, was asking God to share His glory with a myth.

You may join with others and call me crazy ... a Christian freak ... a woman obsessed with Jesus. But isn't that what I want to be?  I should be glad that I look different from the world.  It can be messy and doesn't make for being popular, but is that important?  I have a long way to go to look more like Christ, but I believe when I seem weird to others because of Him, I'm stepping in the right direction.

My final thought for you centers around this verse:   "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10)

This post may not have pleased you.  I humbly pray that in my own weak effort, strengthened by Christ, it pleases God, and I trust that He will use it for His glory.