In past years, several of you have stopped in to talk about "what to do about Santa Claus." These are some thoughts to help you as you seek to focus on the season.

First, here is a brief history of the struggle Christians throughout time have felt as they seek to celebrate and honor Christ.

Holidays
Struggles with pagan aspects of sacred celebrations are not peculiar to Christians in the 2Oth century. In the apostle Paul's day, believers in Rome faced a similar dilemma. In his letter to the Romans, Paul responded to their concern...

"One person considers one day more sacred than another," he said. "Another person considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. (Romans 14:5).

Paul expected every believer to come to his own conclusion, with the one condition that his actions bring glory to God.

"He who regards one day as special does so to the Lord," he wrote. "And he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God." (v.6)

We can draw a conclusion that there are two options for handling non-Christian holiday practices. It is fine to say, "I'll have nothing to do with secular commemorations of holy days celebrated by the world."

We have ample historical precedent for this. As far back as 1657, church officials entirely outlawed Christmas celebrations in Great Britain. Connecticut and Massachusetts established similar laws a few years later. The Puritans and Methodists followed suit.

Paul made clear that we are not to condemn those who, in good conscience and service to God, have come to the same conclusion.

There is, however another option. That is to celebrate the holy days but dedicate those celebrations to the Lord and glorify him through our involvement. When we can participate in what appears to be secular festivities, we can be a part of redeeming them, we can glorify God or point the way to the fuller meaning through Christ.

Christmas in America
You might think that Christmas has always been popular, but this isn't true-not even here in America. The Puritans, Quakers, Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists felt that Christmas was a remnant of a pagan festival for the sun god. The Puritans who landed at Plymouth Rock in December 1620 deliberately built a house on Christmas Day. In 1647, the Puritans in England outlawed both Christmas and Easter, and from 1659 to 1681 their American cousins fined anyone caught celebrating Christmas.

On the other hand, the Catholics, Anglicans, Episcopalians, German Lutherans, and Dutch Reformed members celebrated the Christmas season enthusiastically-which meant, in the Dutchmen's case, celebrating St. Nicholas Day on December 6. Even though others chose December 25 for their celebration, the Dutch staged the most joyous festivities, so that soon all Americans, whether they paid attention to him or not, came to know Saint Nicholas by his Dutch name, Sinter Klaas-which eventually became Santa Claus.

The conflicts over celebrating or not celebrating, and when to celebrate, went on for nearly 250 years. George Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night, 1776, and surprised the Hessian soldiers who were celebrating rather than standing guard. But it wasn't until the late 1860's that distrust of Christmas was finally put to rest throughout America, and December 25 became the date we celebrate.

St. Nicholas / Santa Claus
Children are going to be curious about this Santa because there are signs of him all around during this season. One way to handle who he is is to tell your children the stories listed below. These stories show how he came to be included in this season. Let children know this is part of the "fun" of the celebration, but it is not the reason for the celebration for Christians. St. Nicholas gave to people because of his love for Christ.

Children had fun and meaningful Christmases with their families before the Santa story grew. What children remember about Christmas, according to "Unplug the Christmas Machine", is:

• Relaxed and loving times with the family,
• Realistic expectations about gifts,
• An evenly paced holiday season,
• Strong family traditions.

But they can have fun hearing and pretending with the story if you decided to include it in your celebration. Consider how you will respond to questions like "Can reindeer fly?" (These may come even if you haven't told the story just because your children will hear this around them on TV or in daycare and school.) Ask them, "What do you think? Most will say, "They don't." Affirm that and say, "You're right. Remember it's just part of the fun of the story." I think it is important not to add untrue explanations to make Moore's poem story factual. Kids can pretend but I think it is very important that we build in them the fact that they can trust what we say to be true.

 

Christmas Stories
There are many beautiful stories (fiction and non-fiction) to read and tell children that inspire us and reflect the meaning of the season. These are stories you can share with your children to enrich the season:

• The Shoemaker's Dream,
• The Huron Carol,
• The Gift of the Magi,
• The Crippled Lamb,
• Little House on the Prairie Christmas Stories,
• Mousekin's Christmas Eve,
• The Little Drummer Boy.

All these stories focus on the message of giving in love as God did. They are satisfying, peaceful stories that point to the Christmas story and shared love.

The Santa We Know
Our ideas and customs generally have their origin in a 56-line poem written in 1822 by Episcopal minister and Bible scholar Clement Moore. It was called "A Visit from Saint Nicholas," but is better known to us as "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Moore wrote it for his children and never intended it to be taken seriously or cause deception.

Through his poem, our world came to know the characteristics of the man we call Santa.

Moore gave him eight reindeer and named each one. He invented their ability to fly and pull a sleigh that lands on rooftops. He told us that Santa descends the chimney to deliver gifts to children and that he looks like a jolly old fat man-a man, it is said, who resembled Moore's gardener.

Moore did not want the piece published and was somewhat embarrassed when it was printed and became popular. He was quick to point out that, as far as he was concerned, the poem had no significance aside from the hearty laugh it gave his children.

The Real St. Nicholas
The original Santa Claus was a man named Nicholas, born about A.D. 280 in Asia Minor. Reliable sources tell us that as a young man, he was appointed bishop of Myra, his hometown, because of his steadfast and deeply rooted holiness.

Young Nicholas made a practice of going to church every morning to pray and worship. He was also concerned for the welfare of his people and performed acts of charity, always attempting to remain anonymous. His faith became widely known as his good deeds touched the lives of more and more people.

Once during a famine, ancient records say, he rescued the province from starvation when he persuaded the captain of a large ship to release its entire cargo of grain to the dying people.

Many stories of Nicholas' kindness have been passed down to us, but one of the best known concerns a nobleman with three daughters. The man suddenly lost his fortune, and without money for a dowry, the oldest daughter could not marry the young man she loved.

The girl's situation appeared hopeless until Nicholas heard of it. He crept in to the nobleman's home one night and tossed a bag of gold through the window. The money was enough to provide the dowry.

But Nicholas did not exhaust his love on one daughter. He stretched his generosity two more times, providing funds for the other two as well.

On the third occasion, the nobleman waited in the bushes to discover the identity of his mysterious benefactor. When he was discovered, Nicholas begged the man to keep his secret.

People who wanted to give gifts to others anonymously began signing them in the spirit of Nicholas.

This love, piety, generous spirit, and humility elevated Nicholas to earty sainthood in the Catholic church. Through the years, first in Germany, then in France and England, and finally in the United States, stories of his life have passed from one generation to the next.

St. Nicholas was a real man who lived for the Lord. He gave gifts to those less fortunate out of his love and devotion for Christ, and he is alive in heaven today. For those who choose to use them, stories of his deeds can help proclaim the Christmas message in a moving and powerful way.