I grew up in a single parent household, we didn’t have much money and my expectation of getting nice Christmas presents was low. My father neglected my brother and me, rarely giving us anything. Living in sunny southern California, we never lived in a house with a fireplace so there was no way Santa was coming in our house unless we left the front door unlocked. Even as a child my analytical mind couldn’t grasp how one person could deliver gifts to children all over the world. I was often jealous seeing my friends boast about all the nice presents they received. Christmas was always an inequitable and dismal time for me.
Department stores and malls hired Santa’s to draw in the crowds and increase their sales. Historically, Santa was in vogue around the mid 1800’s with Coca Cola being the first company to promote Santa. From this point on, parents were literally buying into the idea of Santa and snapping up extra presents for their kids. The legend of Santa Claus has been traced back to a monk named St. Nicholas who lived around 280 A.D. in modern-day Turkey who was known for his giving spirit. Today, it somehow seems ok for parents to lie about a guy dressed in red and white who slides down chimneys bearing gifts. This all-consuming lie seems to keep perpetuating with every generation.
As a parent, I was caught up in the lie too. One year, I put tapped some men’s boots in the fireplace soot and made visible boot steps on the white carpet, from the fireplace to the tree; true evidence of Santa’s arrival. There was the year we thought our son stopped believing in Santa, so we didn’t buy him anything “from Santa”. When returning from a trip up north, our son was in total shock when he didn’t see a present from Santa. He was so downcast, that we got him a red wagon and put it on our roof, explaining that apparently Santa couldn’t get it down the chimney. That was the last year he realized we had been lying to him this whole time. Parents shouldn’t lie to their kids.
I remember a time as a child when my mother took me to Balboa Park in San Diego. I was standing there looking at a “live” nativity scene and watched intently as Mary and Joseph held baby Jesus, along with wise men, shepherds, and animals. How loving, quiet, and peaceful. In contrast, I turned to see a large display of reindeer seeming to fly up in the air with Santa holding the reins and presents filling his sleigh. The two scenes were so opposite, which one was the true meaning of Christmas?
Before long, I was a mother and was caught up into modern day materialism with the rest of America. I wanted to make sure my kids were given all the things I never got as a child. With each passing Christmas, we tried to outdo the Christmas before. The presents would multiply under our Christmas tree and were soon lining up around the living and dining room.
As you can imagine, Christmas morning always turned into a frenzy of opening presents, wrapping paper strewn everywhere, and self-absorption as we tinkered, assembled, and played with our gifts. Why is that on Christmas our attention is turned inward to ourselves? God observes our actions and thoughts; He looks on as His gift is largely ignored. God’s gift to us is His Son, Jesus.
Have you ever asked, even demanded gifts on someone else’s birthday? Of course, you would never do that. But on Christmas did you know you are asking for gifts on Jesus’ birthday. I have heard parents say, “well, we give three gifts to our children because we want to remember that wise men brought three gifts”. I’ve heard other parents say, “I give one gift because God gave us a gift.” Unfortunately, I have known many people that go into deep debt in order to buy Christmas presents and don’t dig themselves out for several months. Friend, there is nothing wrong with giving your children gifts, one, three or several. But why do they get a gift on someone else’s birthday? Because the media, stores, friends, family and society have persuaded you that you must give gifts to your children on Dec. 25th. This of course, is fine, if it really is their birthday.
Most young children do not understand the magnitude of God’s gift to mankind, but they do understand getting presents. Most children would naturally lean towards getting toys. Unless children are taught the true meaning of Christmas, they will never come to appreciate the unwrapped gift.
Start telling your children the truth. Teach your children the “real” meaning of Christmas. Read the account of the birth of Jesus from Luke and discuss it. Tell your children our human nature is to sin, and sin is a barrier that separates us from God. God solved that problem by sending His Only Son to earth (Emmanuel, which means God with us). Why? Because He loves us. Read John 3:16. Jesus was sent as the payment for our sin. He bridged the gap between man and God. All God asks is that you believe, turn from sin, and follow Him. The gift of Christmas, the gift God gave the world, is not a gift under the tree, it’s a gift that laid a manger over 2,000 years ago. Jesus gave of himself but was resurrected and is alive. Be expectant for Jesus will return to earth again.
A solution to the Christmas gift giving madness is to make new family traditions. Stop the relentless cycle of stress and anxiety on a day God sent the Prince of Peace. If you feel you must give, consider sharing your money and time by helping those who are truly in need.
- The world. Give to orphans and children who live in poverty around the world (www.compassion.com, www.worldvision.com, www.sumaritanspurse.org, www.worldhelp.net, or www.children.org.
- Your community. Give back to your community by helping at a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen. Have God open your eyes to those in your community who are in great pain or need.
- Your friends. Pray that God leads you to give towards people and families you already know. Look around your circle of influence: work, friends, and church and you’ll find someone who you can brighten their day.
- Your family. God may want you to spend more time with you family. Give a family vacation scheduled for the following year and take them on an adventure and enjoy each other’s company.
Keep Christ in Christmas and share God’s love to everyone you meet.